Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare and his associates on Thursday held a meeting to chalk out a plan of action ahead of his fast, which begins on August 16, over a strong Lokpal Bill.
Team Anna has said that if the government arrests the activist and tries to force-feed him, he will stop taking even water.
Delhi Police has offered Anna an alternative site in central Delhi to hold his fast after permission for Jantar Mantar was denied. The venue will be Jai Prakash Narayan National Park near the Ferozeshah Kotla stadium.
Team Anna also said it had held a referendum on government draft on Lokpal in Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s constituency Amethi adding, 90 per cent people supported Anna’s Jan Lokpal Bill.
“Now is the time that MPs listen to their voters,” activist Kiran Bedi told reporters on Thursday.
RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal said certain elements were trying to drive a wedge in the civil society to sabotage the Lokpal movement.
“We will have relay hunger strikes across the country from Aug 16. There are some elements who try to cause problems in the movement. We ask people to beware of miscreants. On Aug 15, Anna will address the nation and will request people to turn off lights for an hour,” he said.
Satisfied with venue provided by police
The Anna Hazare Team on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the venue offered to them by police for holding the indefinite fast against Lokpal Bill even as they denied any going back on their stand on the legislation.
The Core Committee of the Hazare team met in New Delhi on Thursday morning. The meeting was attended by Mr. Hazare and others including, activist Arvind Kejriwal.
“We are satisfied with the venue provided by Delhi Police. It is at a good location. Core committee is chalking out the plan on how to go about the fast,” he told reporters.
Delhi Police on Wednesday night offered Jai Prakash Narain Park adjacent to Firoz Shah Kotla Ground as the venue for his protest against the Lokpal Bill subject to permission from the land owning agency.
Mr. Kejriwal said there was no going back on the demands raised by them.
“We are not ready to compromise with anyone till our demands are met. The deadlock continues. We are open for any dialogue but there is no invitation from the government yet,” he said.
His comments came when asked about activist Swami Agnivesh’s comments that the Hazare team was “very very flexible” on issues like inclusion of prime minister or higher judiciary under ambit of the ombudsman but the sticking point is bringing lower bureaucracy in it.
