Pune, Jun 28 : Gandhian activist Anna Hazare said today that his team would appeal to voters not to vote for parties which oppose the Jan Lok Pal draft prepared by the civil society.
Addressing a Meet the Press here, Hazare said hewould not hesitate to fight against Opposition parties too if they did not support a strong anti-corruption ombudsman.
“If they are not ready to support our major demands for a strong Lokpal Bill, including bringing Prime Minister within the ambit of the Lokpal, we shall wage a fight against Opposition parties along with the ruling Congress,” he said.
AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa had opposed inclusion of the Prime Minister under the ambit of Lokpal. Hazare was asked what would be the stand of civil society led by him if during his parleys with the leaders of the Opposition parties, starting tomorrow, they failed to endorse the contentious inclusion of Prime Minister in the purview of the Lokpal, as advocated by Team Anna.
The septuagenarian anti-corruption crusader sai,“We shall then go to the people and appeal to them not to vote for these political parties (opposed to a strong Lokpal).”
Asked whether Prime Minster Manmohan Singh was “afraid” of his office being covered by the Lokpal, the veteran social activist made a cryptic remark, saying “Manmohan Singh is not afraid. But there is a remote control!” Hazare said he would be meeting all party Presidents, including Sonia Gandhi, in his proposed interaction on the Lokpal draft across the political spectrum.
Queried why was he going to meet Gandhi when Congress was opposed to his agitation, Hazare said “it was part of the democratic process in our discussions.” PTI
