On protest-eve,Anna gets support from Left and Right

From comrades to swayamsevaks and from yoga guru Baba Ramdev to BJP president Nitin Gadkari,civil society activist Anna Hazare.

From comrades to swayamsevaks and from yoga guru Baba Ramdev to BJP president Nitin Gadkari,civil society activist Anna Hazare on Monday drew support from a wide spectrum of UPAs opponents. The Opposition was vocal enough as it utilised the restrictions put on Team Anna by the Delhi Police to the hilt to target the UPA government accusing it of muzzling voices of dissent and curbing the right to protest.

Sources in the BJP said the party has decided to hit the streets if the Delhi Police cracks down on Hazare. The stance would reflect in Parliament as well. The party,in fact,apprehends the police would arrest him. Ramdev wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking him to ensure that the incidents of June 4 a reference to the midnight police action against his supporters at the Ramlila Grounds are not repeated against Hazare.

Gadkari asked the Prime Minister to introspect on his as well as his government’s stand with regard to Hazare and Ramdev’s protests. He pointed out that whether it was Ramdev or Hazare,the government initially engaged them,but turned against them later when they stood their ground. Now when they are talking about removal of corruption they are being targeted and the government is looking for ways to end their agitation, he said.

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He said the government policy was to not allow protests. The way this government is working and the statement that the Prime Minister has made is completely against democracy, Gadkari said.

RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav told The Indian Express that the government has only one option left which was to incorporate Team Annas suggestions in the Lokpal Bill. He said the RSS has not issued any specific direction to its workers to turn up at Hazares fast venue but expected all patriotic people to go.

BJP Delhi unit chief Vijender Gupta told The Indian Express that his workers would hit the streets if the police acts in any undemocratic manner to break up or sabotage the peaceful satyagraha of Hazare.

The decision of the central government of not allowing to hold the anti-corruption agitation led by Anna Hazare is unfortunate and anti-people. The RSS strongly condemns this adamant tendency of the central government and extends its support to the agitation led by Anna Hazare. Instead of adopting the way of dialogue,ridiculing the widespread support of the people of the country to Hazare’s agitation and creating a confrontationist atmosphere by the government is unwarranted and improper, RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Manmohan Vaidya officially said in a statement.

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Senior CPM leader Brinda Karat pointed out that her party does not agree with several provisions of Team Annas Jan Lokpal Bill,but supports his right to protest.

The point here is,one may not agree with the form of protest or with all the demands being raised by Hazare. However,his right to protest cannot be questioned. Saying once a Bill is in Parliament,there can be no protest in this country is highly undemocratic, she said.

Karat said even the Congress has indulged such protests wherever it is in the opposition.

In his letter to the PM,Ramdev said,Personally,I respect you a great deal because you have set an example of honesty in personal life. I hope you will fulfil your duty towards the country with full transparency and responsibility as well. I expect that you would not allow a repeat of the police action which was unleashed on patriotic people on June 4 at the Ramlila Grounds.