New Delhi: Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Monday hit out at the Centre for what he called an 'anti-farmer' legislation. He alleged that the BJP and the Congress were in cahoots over the issue pushed for the government to bring back the land law passed by the UPA government.
On Monday, Hazare sat on a two-day protest against changes in the Land Acquisition Ordinance at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. Many farmer organisations and social activists like Medha Patkar are supporting him.
Lashing out at the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, Hazare charged that it has done injustice by introducing the land acquisition ordinance. "This government is no different from the Congress government," he said.
He said instead of amending the Land Acquisition Act, the Narendra Modi government should think about the reason why common man defeated it against Arvind Kejriwal.
Hazare said the BJP had promised to bring black black money within 100 days. "There was a wave because of the promise of Rs 15 lakh. But after nine months, there is not even Rs 15. It must be considered why people are disappointed," he said.
He also reminded that the BJP had promised that fight against corruption will get priority. "The government passed the Lokayukt Act but they have not implemented it. There is no intention to root out corruption. There is no commitment to build corruption-free India," he said.
Hazare accused the Modi government of snatching away land and giving it to industrialists. He alleged that there was a lack of trust among the people because the BJP had promised a lot but there was no delivery. People had elected the with high expectations, he said.
"You had promised 'Achhe din' but where is the 'Achhe din' for the poor and farmers. 'Achhe din' is only for industrialists," he said.
He sought to clarify that the protest was neither against the government nor against any individual. It was against the policies of the government, he said.
Hazare reiterated that he will not allow any political party, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members to share the dais. However, in the evening he met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Hazare is protesting the changes in the Land Acquisition Act. "The land ordinance is against the farmers. In an agriculturally dominated nation, when there is torture on farmers, then all the people should stand united," he said.
The 77-year-old Gandhian said that Rahul can join the movement but would have to sit among the public and not on the stage. He also said that whether his former team member Kejriwal can join the protest but whether his constitutional post would be respected for him to be given space on the stage would be decided at a meeting he is holding on Monday. "If everybody decides that Arvind should sit on the stage, then I don't have any problem," Hazare said.
Activist Medha Patkar demanded repealing of the Land Acquisition Ordinance. She said the movement will further spread and intensify and agitations will start in every corner of the country if their demand is not met.
AAP leader Meera Sanyal, who was at Jantar Mantar in her individual capacity, said, "We hold that the Ordinance is wrong and that the way the private practice and public practice has been mixed is totally wrong."
Meanwhile, at the Jantar Mantar, hundreds of protesting farmers gathered from across the country to oppose the land ordinance. Just before starting his protest at Jantar Mantaer in New Delhi, Hazare said, "How can the government take away the irrigated land of the farmers? The Land Acquisition Bill is anti-people," he said.
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