With the government mulling over an option to ban Jantar Mantar as a protest ground, the Left parties today accused the UPA of trying to curb the democratic rights of the masses.
In a joint protest rally here, Left parties -- CPI (M), CPI, RPI, Forward Bloc and several other wings including AISA, SUCI, INTUC -- criticised the government for "trying" to ban the use of Jantar Mantar as a protest ground.
CPI(M) Delhi secretary Atul Kumar Anjan accused the UPA government of playing into the hands of corporate players.
"Government earlier banned the Boat Club for peaceful democratic protests. Now they are trying to curb our rights by stopping us from protesting at Jantar Mantar. The Government is playing into the hands of corporate players," he said.
Taking a dig at the Prime Minister, he said, "Despite repeated exposing (of scams), it is said that Manmohan Singh is an honest Prime Minister. I don't understand why a series of big scams blossomed under the leadership of an honest prime minister."
On alleged violence against farmers during land acquisition in West Bengal during the Left Front regime, Anjan admitted that issues like Singur and Nandigram backfired in the recently concluded Assembly polls in the state.
"I was the one who protested land acquisition in Nandigram. I have no hesitation in saying that issues like Nandigram and Singur led to the defeat of Left parties in West Bengal," he said.
Civil society activist and member of the Lokpal Bill Drafting Committee Prashant Bhushan also addressed the protest rally.
He, however, declined to give any comment on the issue of Lokpal Bill and the joint meeting of the committee. The rally was convened by senior CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali and was attended by hundreds of Left Front activists.
