Prominent anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare came down heavily on what he called the “council of fools” in the Union government on Friday, while addressing the Ralegan Siddhi gram sabha (village council) at the Shantiniketan School ground.
He also called Home Minister P Chidambaram “a liar and a cheat”.
Hazare, who recently concluded his 12-day-long fast at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, was speaking at his first public meeting after returning to his village early on Thursday.
“The government is full of fools and that is a cause of worry for the future of the country,” he said while narrating his recent experience in New Delhi. He accused the government of trying to sabotage his protest through nefarious means. “But parliament had to bow down to the might of the people’s parliament,” he said.
Coming out in support of key Team Anna member, Arvind Kejriwal, who has been slapped with a notice from the income tax department, Hazare cautioned the government against trying to harass him. “Like me, Arvind is a dedicated soldier to the cause of nation building. It’s my sincere request that the government forgo its plans to harass him,” he said.
He warned that civil society would have to go on a “warpath” if the government does not give up its disruptive tactics. Apparently stung by criticism from some quarters that his Jan Lokpal movement was “anti-Dalit”, Hazare said the movement was, in fact, for realisation of the dreams of the late Babasaheb Ambedkar.
“The Constitution written by Babasaheb had talked about bridging the gulf between the rich and the poor. He had also dreamt of a society based on a community spirit. But those in power have acted against the wishes of Babasaheb,” he said.
Hinting at his future course of action, Hazare spoke of the need to frame laws for the welfare and rights of farmers and workers. He also warned the “education mafia” against the culture of donations and also referred to putting an end to the exploitation of natural resources.
Claiming that the movement for a strong Lokpal Bill has awakened the nation, Hazare made a passionate plea to the youth of the nation to “keep the flame alive”.
He said it would that it would take a ceaseless struggle for 10-15 years to get rid of corruption from the nation.
