Social activist Anna Hazare to launch Lokpal stir by January end

Social activist Anna Hazare. (Express Photo: Oinam Anand)

ANTI-GRAFT crusader Anna Hazare will launch an agitation in Delhi in the last week of January 2018, demanding the implementation of the Lokpal Act, reforms in election process and programmes, including a pension scheme, to help farmers.

Hazare, 80, made the announcement Sunday in Ralegan Siddhi after holding deliberations with volunteers and activists from Maharashtra and elsewhere for a two-day workshop organised by Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andolan. The workshop saw participation of volunteers from Delhi, Gujarat, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Karnataka, Telangana and Madhya Pradesh. Speaking at the concluding session of the workshop, Hazare said that he would visit several states to raise awareness about the issues before launching the agitation in Delhi.

Hazare said that three years after being elected as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi had not appointed Lokpal, but had “hastily” passed amendments to weaken the anti-corruption law. He said while earlier it was mandatory for those covered under the Lokpal to disclose their assets as well as the assets of their family members, the amendment passed in July last year exempted the family members from doing so.

He also accused the PM of postponing enforcement of the anti-corruption law by making “one or the other excuse”. Hazare said that the PM had not responded to any of his letters nor had he addressed the concerns raised by him.

Hazare also said that there was a need of election reforms. He also emphasised on giving more power to NOTA (none of the above). “There has to be a rule to ensure that if NOTA gets the highest number of votes in a constituency, all the candidates are disqualified from participating in re-election and the process has to be done again,” said Hazare. Earlier, Hazare had said that the volunteers who would lead the agitation would be made to sign an affidavit that they would not join politics.