Upset with Narendra Modi, Anna Hazare to protest in Delhi

New Delhi: Social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday said he will soon launch another round of agitation in Delhi for the appointment of Lokpal, Lokayuktas and for farmers' rights as the Prime Minister is "not serious about rooting out corruption".

In a letter to Narendra Modi, Anna Hazare said the next letter will inform him about the date and venue of demonstration.

Hazare, who ledthe India Against Corruption movement in Delhi in 2011, said despite the Centre passing the Lokpal bill in 2013 and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders supporting it then, the fact that the law could not be implemented over three years showed Modi's apathy.

"In the last three years, I wrote to you several letters regarding appointment of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas. You did not even reply," Hazare said in a four-page letter. "This shows you are not serious about rooting out corruption."

He added that the apex court had also slammed the Centre for its apathetic attitude towards it and asked how the country would become "corruption free" if the Prime Minister does not act.

"Interestingly, even the states with your party's government have not yet appointed Lokayukta. It clearly shows the difference between your words and actions. Is this not the insult of the President who signed the Lokpal Bill into a law and the apex court?"

On farmers' issues, the activist said many farmers in Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Telangana, Maharashtra and other states had been demonstrating over their demands, but the government was not serious.

"You don't have sympathy with the farmers, this has become evident in the past three years. It's sad that you don't care for the farmers the way you do for the industrialists," he told Modi.

Hazare said there was a need to implement the recommendations of the M.S. Swaminathan Commission report that speaks of food security and getting the farmers the right price for the produce.

Demanding that political parties be brought under the Right to Information Act, he said the Supreme court had also called for this.

"For the sake of well-being of farmers and the country, I have decided to begin the demonstration in Delhi," Hazare said.

IANS