Anna Hazare, others to call off fast tomorrow
Team Anna today blinked in the battle of attrition with the Government by announcing plans to end the indefinite fast tomorrow evening as it pitched for an alternative to the current political system.
Anna Hazare's announcement on calling off the agitation demanding Lokpal Bill at 5 PM tomorrow came on a day when a group of eminent personalities, including jurist V R Krishna Iyer and former Army Chief Gen V K Singh, appealed for an end to the fast as the health of Arvind Kejriwal and two others deteriorated.
"We will end the fast tomorrow at 5 PM," Hazare said at the end of an address in which he enunciated the civil society's approach to forming a political alternative.
The end to the fast also comes in the wake of the government's steadfast attitude in not engaging with Hazare and his team, a year after both sides were involved in drafting a law and Parliament adopting a "sense of House" resolution on passage of Lokpal Bill.
On the earlier occasions in April and August last year, the Government appeared to have come under pressure from Hazare's protests which drew huge crowds in the capital and elsewhere.
The protest fast has been marked by low turnout, contradictory statements and levelling of wild charges against government and its functionaries. While Hazare refused to attack Pranab Mukherjee after he became President, his team members continued to level allegations against him.
Talking about providing an alternative to the current system, Hazare ruled out launching or joining a political party but asked people to come out with ideas on how the alternative can be provided.
"It is time for us to think of an alternative. We want a political alternative. But I will not launch or join a party.
People should decide who should be given tickets and how to achieve that alternative system," he said.
Questions still remained as to what Team Anna would do regarding the political alternative and whether they would launch a party themselves.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
No Annaji-Arvind! Do not involve in politics. In near future you both will also not get majority in a state or Central. Drop the idea to form a political party. Winning in elections is far bigger tasks and requires lot of money too. You see Congress have also managed to play with voting machines example Chidambaram. Also, there are different factors like caste system which many people still see while voting. This is really unfortunate but true. All evil elements will join your party and the result will be like Samajvadi party or Bahujan Party. Samajvadi. UP has tasted their rule. People of Bihar have also tasted the Lalu’s party. We are judging the Congress and BJP also.Communists have lost their labour capital. TMC leader has no ground to stand. Mamata banerjee is not dependable. In south there are only regional parties. Remember that No one has seen any reformist, social worker or political thinker who might have had formed any political party. The day you will form political party all good persons will start maintaining distance from you. Your aim is reforms and to have a lokpal for general public to curb corruption. Baba Ramdev has an aim to bring back black money. Formation of a political party by you will be anti climax. Even to day when you have not formed political party members from your team are fighting in between. It is not only the politics through which any goal can be achieved. Do not be laid away by the environment being made by Congress lest you will be kept on back burners and your purpose of formation of Lokpal Act and bringing back black will be defeated. Abstain from such temptation. Winning in elections is far bigger tasks and requires lot of money too. You see Congress have also managed to play with voting machines. eg: Chidambaram and many others. I have always supported movement against corruption. However I really think you should not join Politics.
Post a Comment