New Delhi:
Activist Anna Hazare today said that his anti-corruption movement had never been called off, but it would now be led by a new 13-member team that will begin a tour of the country from January next year.
Here are the highlights of Mr Hazare's press conference in Delhi. It was also attended by Kiran Bedi and Medha Patkar.
Anna Hazare says:- Need to unite the country against corruption, launch a revolution to change the system.
- From January 30 next year, we will start a tour across the country for the next year and a half.
- The government will have to enact Jan Lokpal before 2014.
- Foreign companies must be stopped from entering the country.
- Farmers are facing the brunt - lathicharge and police firing - as the government gives out land to foreign companies.
- Gram sabhas should be given more powers and the right to decide on land acquisition.
- Privatisation of water and electricity cannot be allowed.
- Former army chief General VK Singh is not a member of the new team.
- If Arvind Kejriwal fights elections, I will support him.
- We will have one or two members from our team in every state. Fifty volunteers will receive training from these members in each state.
- Our outfit will function at the state, district and taluka levels. It will have its headquarters at Ralegan Siddhi.
- It's been two months since Team Anna split, but our movement never stopped.
- We have been getting a lot of mail from people across states.
Kiran Bedi says:- Our campaign will continue until all investigative agencies are independent of government control.
Medha Patkar says: - No differences with Arvind Kejriwal over who owns the India Against Corruption (IAC) brand.
- Both groups have a common cause: fighting corruption.