Hazare team will fast at Gandhi memorial to avoid confrontat

Lily

B.R
Staff member
New Delhi: Defiant civil rights activists, led by Gandhian Anna Hazare, have announced they will now hold a fast at Rajghat, the memorial to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, to avoid a "confrontation" with police.

They also slammed the ministers, asking them to be more tolerant and not ‘so arrogant.'

"We are [moving] to Rajghat. We have spoken to the commissioner of police and will fast in the vicinity of Rajghat [today] from 10am until about 6pm. We will fast and pray the whole day," activist Arvind Kejriwal told reporters.

Day-long fast

Team Anna Hazare announced on Sunday they would hold a day-long fast at Jantar Mantar to protest against a crackdown on yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his supporters.

Police had placed prohibitory orders on the group protesting at Janatar Mantar, so they wrote to Delhi Police Commissioner B.K. Gupta seeking permission.

But after receiving no response from the police they decided to move the venue to Rajghat.

In April, Hazare's five-day fast attracted widespread support across the country and forced the government to set up a 10-member panel to draft a Lokpal bill to combat corruption. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is chair of the panel and lawyer and former law minister Shanti Bhushan is co-chair.

In danger

Kejriwal, who is also part of the panel, said the credibility of the government was in danger.

"Whether the bill is in danger or not, only time will tell, but I think the credibility of the government is definitely in danger with the kind of actions they have done. Come what may we are committed to the end of a strong anti-corruption law.

"The government should be more tolerant. Our language is not uncivil but they should not be so arrogant. Our fight is not against any individual but the system," he said.
 
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