Varanasi, April 29 (IANS) Even as an acute health problem prevented him from coming down to this ancient city to address a rally, activist and Gandhian Anna Hazare chose to keep his date with the masses of Varanasi by addressing them over the telephone Friday.
Hazare was bedridden some 1,600 km away in his native village Ralegaon-Siddhi in Maharashtra, but his voice over the phone was enough to enthuse the crowds.
‘Get ready for the country’s second war of independence; you managed to drive away the British, and now the time has come to drive out those who were damaging the very foundations of this nation,’ he said while giving a call to the youth to take inspiration from revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh and Rajguru.
His 10-minute telephonic address was aimed at charging common people to awaken from their lethargy and docility and take on the corrupt. He said, ‘scamsters are getting away with murder in our country and there is nothing to deter them from indulgence; therefore it is high time that something is done to send them behind bars through Jan Lokpal Bill.’
He added, ‘Our mission will not stop with the Jan Lokpal Bill; there are several other destinations to cover. And these include Right to Rejection as a part of the much needed electoral reforms, judicial reforms and decentralization of power to commoners.’
Earlier, Hazare’s close associates Swami Agnivesh and Magsaysay awardee Arvind Kejriwal addressed the rally. They strongy defended the inclusion of retired Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde, and top lawyers Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan as representatives of civil society on the bill drafting committee.
‘In case, the bill is not passed by the parliament till Aug 15, we won’t celebrate Independence Day, and instead march down to the Red Fort in New Delhi,’ Swami Agnivesh told the gathering amid cheers.
A similar show is slated in Lucknow on May 1, when efforts will be made to bring Anna Hazare live through a video-conference.
