Amritsar:
The New Year does not have seem to begun on a very good note for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as he faced black flag demonstrations today at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
The incident occurred early this morning when around 30-40 supporters of anti-graft activist Anna Hazare began waving black flags when the PM, along with his wife Gursharan Kaur, came out of the Sikh shrine after offering prayers. Though none of the protesters could reach anywhere near the PM, they were able to register their symbolic protest as they shouted pro-Anna and pro-Jan Lokpal bill slogans.
"It's very unfortunate what happened. The people who showed black flags to the PM should do it to BJP leaders. They are responsible for the Lokpal Bill not getting passed in Parliament. We have a majority in Lok Sabha, we passed the bill there. But in Rajya Sabha we don't have a majority, so BJP didn't let it get passed there," Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said reacting to the incident.
The PM, who arrived in the city on Saturday, reached the shrine complex around 6.30 am and went around the 'parikrama' of the holy pond before entering the sanctum sanctorum to offer prayers.
Wearing a white
kurta-pyjama and a dark grey jacket, the PM offered prayers with folded hands along with his wife. He later sat down in an enclosure inside the sanctum sanctorum to listen to hymns and stayed there for over 75 minutes.
He and his wife were presented a 'siropa' (robe of honour) by the 'granthi' (priest) of the shrine.
Thousands of devotees were present at the shrine complex when the PM arrived amid tight security.
The incident happened barely 12 hours after the Prime Minister, in his New Year's message, said that his government was committed to the enactment of an effective Lokpal. He also dubbed as "unfortunate" the fact that the Lokpal and the Lokayuktas Bill could not be passed by the Rajya Sabha. (
PM's New Year message: Full transcript)
The government's version of the Lokpal Bill was tabled and subsequently passed in the Lok Sabha earlier this week amidst much criticism from the opposition as well as Mr Hazare and his associates.
The civil society activists led by the septuagenarian have called the bill as weak and ineffective as it has left out certain crucial elements that they deem as necessary.