Zeenews Bureau
Ralegan Siddhi: Gandhian Anna Hazare on Tuesday outrightly rejected the Lokpal draft prepared by the government and said that he will go ahead with his fast and 'jail bharo' agitation from December 27.
Addressing mediapersons at his native village here, the anti-corruption crusader made it clear that he will go on his proposed fast on December 27, 28 and 29 to press for a stronger Lokpal Bill. From December 30 onwards, Hazare said, there will be jail bharo agitation till January 1.
Anna's decision to go ahead with his protest plans came as the government planned to exclude CBI from the ambit of Lokpal.
Questioning government's intentions to bring an effective Lokapl, Hazare said, “The government is not serious to fight corruption. Its intentions are not honest,” Hazare said.
“The Lokpal report prepared by govt is nothing but an eye wash,” he added.
The 74-year-old activist said he will also go ahead with the plans to tour the poll bound states and campaign against the Congress-led UPA.
“I will make voters aware about the need for a stronger Lokpal vis-à-vis the stance of Congress. I will request them that what is the use of keeping those people in power who do not want to remove corruption from the country?” he said.
Hazare said, “The country should get rid of corruption. The govt has become deaf and blind as it can’t hear and see the grievances of the people”.
On an emotional note, Anna asked countrymen to extend support to his campaign once more like they had, earlier. “This is not just an Anna movement. It is the call of the nation,” he said.
“The people of the country will teach a lesson to this government,” he added.
The Gandhian said he will keep fighting for a stronger Lokpal till his last breath.
On the Citizens' Charter Bill, Hazare said that government is trying to mislead people. “Once the bill will be passed, citizens will have to take rounds of government offices to get their grievances redressed”, he said.
"Now it is another chapter of cheating. It is an insult to the Parliament that they have brought a separate Citizens' Charter. They say that I have insulted Parliament, I don't listen to Parliament. But it is them who have insulted Parliament. They don't trust Parliament," he said.
The social activist said that the BJP-ruled Uttarakhand had brought a "strong" Lokayukta act, but alleged that the Centre was not giving its assent.
The cabinet on Tuesday night gave its nod to the Lokpal Bill which will most likely to be tabled in the Parliament on December 22.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh okayed the final draft on Lokpal prepared by the government.
First Published: Tuesday, December 20, 2011, 18:35