New Delhi: Anna Hazare and his supporters on Wednesday challenged the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government to conduct a referendum to find out what form of the Lokpal Bill the citizens of the country were in favour of.
"Let there be a referendum in the country on the Lokpal Bill prepared by the Government and the Jan Lokpal Bill prepared by the civil society. Let the one that has maximum support of people be passed in Parliament," said senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who is one of the members representing the civil society on the Lokpal Bill drafting committee.
Hazare also warned the Government that he would intensify his anti-corruption agitation and go on another fast from August 16 if the Lokpal Bill was not passed by Parliament by then.
Reacting to Union Home Minister P Chidambaram's statement that the anti-corruption agitations by Hazare and Ramdev were a threat to democracy and a form of blackmail, Hazare said, "If Chidambaram sees that these kinds of protests are a threat to democracy and if he calls it blackmail, we will continue to blackmail him."
The veteran Gandhian on Wednesday evening ended his one-day protest fast at Raj Ghat against the police crackdown on yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his supporters on the intervening night of June 4-5 at New Delhi's Ramlila Ground.
He critisised the Government for trying to discredit the Lokpal Bill Drafting Committee.
"The Government is bringing many hurdles in Lokpal Bill. The Government is attempting to malign the people fighting against corruption. The Government should come and talk face to face," said Hazare.
He also described his fight against corruption as second freedom struggle.
"This is a second freedom struggle that started against corruption from Jantar Mantar," said Hazare.
"Government action at Ramlila Maidan late at night not justified. Lathicharge on sleeping people is killing democracy. Agitation against corruption is the right of the people. Government's attempt to crush peaceful movement of people for justice is undemocratic. This is like Jallianwala Bagh massacre except that bullets were not used," he added.
Hazare also slammed the Government for the heavy police deployment outside his protest fast venue at Raj Ghat. The venue of the fast was shifted to Raj Ghat after he wasn't allowed to protest at Jantar Mantar by Delhi Police.
Meanwhile, the Government on Wednesday once again justified the Saturday midnight police crackdown on Baba Ramdev and his supporters at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi claiming that their was a threat to the life of yoga guru.
"There was an input that harm could be done to Ramdev. I can't say who was behind this and how far this was true but there was an input and this was shared with Ramdev and that was one of the reasons why Delhi Police took the decision that he should be removed from Delhi," said Home Minister P Chidambaram while addressing a press conference in New Delhi.
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