Bhubaneswar: Vowing to make Indians realise their power and ensure passage of Jan Lokpal Bill in Parliament, Gandhian Anna Hazare on Saturday said governments were afraid only of collapse and not agitations or dharnas.
"Governments, be at the Centre or in states, are afraid of losing power. They know that people can bring them down. The people must realise that they are the real masters. I will make people aware of their rights," Hazare told a gathering in Bhubaneswar.
Unless people exercised their power and kept the government under pressure, those in power would not pass any law which could wipe out corruption from the country, the Gandhian said, adding he planned a nationwide tour to make public aware of it.
"Recently Congress president Sonia Gandhi asked her partymen to hit the streets on coal scam. Similarly, the BJP leadership also directed its rank and file to oppose LPG case and FDI. I am doing this for passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill," Hazare said.
Alleging that the Prime Minister betrayed him on Jan Lokpal Bill, Hazare said "Panch Pradhan (PM) assured me in writing that three fundamental issues as drafted by us would be part of the Bill. They even passed a resolution in Parliament. But, they brought a diluted version of the Bill."
Hazare said he would appeal to the people before the 2014 elections to ensure passage of the Jan Lok Pal Bill, the implementation of which would check corruption by 60 to 65 per cent, or oust the leaders who opposed it.
Terming Gram Sabhas as the mother of Parliament and Assemblies, Hazare said the former actually decided who would be an MP and MLA. "And you (governments) are ignoring the Gram Sabhas."
Asked if he would campaign for good candidates in all political parties including Aam Admi Party, Hazare replied "I will campaign only for Arvind's party as I know the leadership is selfless and honest. I admit there are good candidates in other parties too, but their leadership is not like Arvind."
On the debate over amendment in the Information Technology (IT) Act, Hazare said "the law should not throttle spirit of democracy."
Refusing comment on the BJD government in Odisha, he said "I am in the state for only two days. People who know the government should take a decision on the ruling party."
Asked about Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik not fulfilling his promise for a strong Lokpal in the state, Hazare said "Just oust the people who fail to respect promises."
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