New Delhi:
Activists who are working closely with Anna Hazare have returned fire in their battle with the government over how to combat corruption among those elected to office.
Mr Hazare's supporters said the government's recent behaviour suggests it "has been acting as a dictatorship for the past five years." The activists also rejected the government's charge that they are delaying the process of introducing the Lokpal Bill which will lead to a new law against corruption.
Mr Hazare and his supporters, who have launched the India Against Corruption campaign, announced that their day-long fast scheduled for tomorrow in Delhi will be held opposite Rajghat after the police refused to permit the strike at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The police says that Section 144 - which prohibits public gatherings - is in force for Jantar Mantar.
"We want to have a peaceful day of prayer and fasting," said Arvind Kejriwal, an activist at the frontlines of the India Against Corruption movement. He stressed that the hunger strike is a protest against the government's action against Baba Ramdev and his camp against corruption late on Saturday night. The Baba was evicted from the camp at Ramlila Maidan and 65,000 supporters were forced to disperse after the police tear-gassed and lathi-charged them. The Opposition and activists have targeted the government for trying to stifle a democratic protest.
In a letter sent earlier to the Delhi Police today, Shanti Bhushan, who is a part of Anna's team, wrote, "This re-imposition of Section 144 again in Central Delhi in the absence of any emergent situation which imminently threatens to breach of peace, is a clear violation of Citizen's Charter....any attempt to prevent the people from reaching Jantar Mantar would be viewed as a serious violation of fundamental democratic rights of the people." (
Read: Shanti Bhushan's letter to police)
In April, a lengthy hunger strike by Mr Hazare provoked vigorous nationwide support. The government was forced to acquiesce to Mr Hazare's demands: that the government introduce a new tough law against corruption, and that civil society activists help draft this law to prevent the government from providing loopholes designed to help those the law would apply to - bureaucrats and politicians.
Mr Hazare nominated five activists, including himself, to the drafting committee of this new Lokpal Bill (Citizen's Ombudsman Bill). The government appointed five ministers to work for them. The joint drafting committee, as it's referred to, had an uneasy working relationship which hit a new low after the Baba Ramdev crisis. Reacting to sharp criticism from Mr Hazare and Mr Bhushan, senior minister Kapil Sibal said yesterday, "Institutions of democracy cannot be undermined." He also described as "unacceptable" the language and accusations used by Team Hazare against the government. "We reject in the strongest possible terms these kind of allegations made by Anna. That the government is telling lies, they are conspirators, the government are cheats... we hope that in the future, this kind of language will not be conducted outside in the public arena."
Irreconcilable differences between the government and activists include the latter's demands that meetings of the joint committee be video-taped and that the Prime Minister's office be covered by the Lokpal Bill.
(Read the letter that provoked the government's outburst) Activists also want a public debate on the Lokpal Bill - the government has so far refused this.
Today, Mr Kejriwal, who serves on the drafting committee, asked "Is this (the government) a dictatorship for five years? (They say) we won't hold a public debate...we won't allow taping of internal discussions...this government is completely intransparent."
The India Against Corruption Campaign - like Baba Ramdev's hunger strike against black money - has provided an outlet for a country convinced that its leaders have been operating in a semi-perma state of self-interest. A series of scams have tumbled out of the government's closet since September. Each one suggests blatant misuse of public office and heavy-duty swindling. Yesterday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressed the country's frustration and said, "The government is serious and we are concerned about corruption and black money. There is no doubt. But there is no magic wand,"