New Delhi, Aug 26: Anger against peoples' representatives was in full display at the Ramlila Maidan today when BJP leaders Gopinath Munde and Ananth Kumar had to abruptly leave the ground after being greeted with cries of ‘chor chor' from the crowd.
Munde and Kumar had come to the Ramlila Maidan to meet Anna Hazare, whose fast entered the 11th day today, and were speaking to the media after meeting the Gandhian.
As Munde and Kumar started addressing a press conference on the ground, an agitated Kiran Bedi told the crowd to ask them if they would allow Parliament to function at least tomorrow. She said politicians had double standards and they wore masks.
Bedi said tomorrow would be a very crucial and decisive day when the country would come to know which party stands where vis-a-vis the issue of Lokpal Bill in Parliament.
“It is a good news that Parliament has a sitting tomorrow. But we don't know whether it will be allowed to function,” she said, taking a dig at the BJP leaders.
The BJP-led NDA disrupted the Lok Sabha proceedings where a discussion on the issue of Lokpal bill was being taken up, as they were opposed to the debate under Rule 193 which does not entail voting.
In an animated display Bedi taunted parliamentarians and politicians when the BJP leaders were inside the maidan trying to speak to the media and a charged up crowd did not let them speak to reporters.
To the cries of ‘chor chor', the two had to leave in a huff.
However, late evening, Gopinath Munde and Anant Kumar today said they had a “good meeting” with Anna Hazare during which the party expressed its support to the demand for an effective Lokpal Bill.
Maintaining that it was a cordial meeting that lasted about 40 minutes, Munde told PTI that it was not proper to say that the two were booed by the crowd there.
During the meeting, it was conveyed to Hazare that it supported the three key issues raised by him and that his party wanted discussion in Parliament under a rule that entails voting.
“We have great respect for Anna and we support his cause,” Munde said adding that the meeting took place close on the heels of yesterday's meeting Team Anna had with BJP veteran L K Advani.
At the same time, he admitted that when he and Kumar were talking to the media near the Ramlila Maidan gate, Team Anna member Kiran Bedi did say that people say one thing in private and take a totally different stand in public. As Parliament will have discussion tomorrow, it will reveal who stands where, Munde said.
Kumar said they went to Hazare on the directive of leadership and it was a cordial meeting. They apprised him of the discussion being planned in Parliament. PTI
