New Delhi:
Anna Hazare, who is doing most of his communication in written during his maun-vrat or "vow of silence", has written a new letter to the Prime Minister, warning him that he will begin another hunger strike if the Lokpal Bill is not passed in the Winter Session of Parliament.
But, in some reprieve for the PM's party, the ruling Congress, Anna also says in his letter that his campaign will not target any one political party. In a recent Lok Sabha bye-election in Hisar, Anna's close aides campaigned emphatically against the Congress, drawing much criticism for singling out one party.
They have said in their defence that because the Congress leads the UPA coalition at the Centre, the party must be held responsible for bringing in tough laws against corruption. But many - including a faction of activists once close to Anna- have criticized aides like Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi for taking on a political agenda, and for allowing attention to be diverted from the Lokpal Bill.
Anna tells the PM in the note that his team will begin a new movement on the last day of the Winter Session of Parliament if the Jan Lokpal Bill is not introduced by the government. The team will tour states headed for elections and will ask voters to spurn corrupt parties and politicians and vote for those who stand for clean governance. And, says the 74-year-old Gandhian, he will fast again.
The anti-corruption crusader says that he ended his 12-day fast in August only after the PM sent him a letter assuring him that the government was determined to bring in a tough new law against graft.
Senior minister Ambika Soni wonders why the need for another warning. "We have said many times we will bring a strong Lokpal. I can't understand why the repeated warnings, where is the need?" she said, reacting to Anna Hazare's latest letter.
Copies of Anna's letter have been sent to UPA President Sonia Gandhi and Law Minister Salman Khurshid.
(Read full text of letter in Hindi) | (Anna's letter to PM translated)The Winter Session of Parliament will begin on November 22 and end on December 21.
Named for a new ombudsman agency that it creates, the Lokpal Bill is meant to combat corruption among public servants. The powers this agency should have and how its members should be selected have created serious differences between the government and Team Anna.