Combative Anna Hazare in Mumbai

Anna Hazare will start his protest against the government for putting forth a “weak bill” before Parliament in Mumbai on Tuesday by holding a public meeting at Azad Maidan. In the morning, hundreds of bikers will start the protest campaign with a rally from Dadar to Azad Maidan, covering some of South Mumbai’s prominent colleges on the way.

After addressing the press at 4pm, Hazare will hold the public meeting at 5pm, followed by a ‘mashaal rally’ from Azad Maidan to August Kranti Maidan. At the maidan, Hazare will lead those gathered in an oath-taking ceremony to fight corruption. At least 300 bikers and motorists will start the rally from Swaminarayan temple in Dadar (East) at 8.30am. They will stop at HR and KC colleges and the Mumbai University’s Fort campus to persuade students to join in the campaign. India Against Corruption (IAC) set up a call centre in Mumbai six days ago to provide information on the campaign. It has already received more than thousand calls, an IAC official said.

Hazare has rejected the draft bill that was placed before Parliament last week, calling it inadequate.

“The draft bill’s provisions are so weak that nearly half of the 12 million government employees will not come under its purview,” Ravi Srivastav, Navi Mumbai co-ordinator for IAC, said.

The veteran Gandhian will go on a ‘fast unto death’ in New Delhi from August 16 to protest against the government. Though the protest venue is still to be finalised, members of Team Anna have sought permission to carry out the fast in any one of the sites — Ramlila Grounds, Raj Ghat or Boat Club.

Hazare has made it clear he would not talk to the government and that he would withdraw his protest only if the government included all his demands in the final bill.