Arvind Kejriwal calls MPs ‘rapists, murderers’

Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal has courted a fresh controversy by saying that "rapists, murderers and looters" were sitting in Parliament, prompting a backlash from political parties across the board which described the comments as disgusting and an insult to democracy with the RJD saying that it would bring a privilege motion against the activist in the budget session of Parliament.

Kejriwal, however, chose to stand his ground, pointing out that one-third of the MPs were facing criminal charges. "In this Parliament, 163 members have cases of heinous offences against them," he said on Sunday. While addressing an election rally in Ghaziabad on Saturday, he had said, "In this Parliament, rapists are sitting, murderers and looters are sitting. How can you expect Jan Lokpal Bill to be passed by Parliament? How can you expect that you can get reprieve from poverty and corruption."

Reacting to Kejriwal's statement, Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said it was an insult to Parliament and people of the country who elect MPs and MLAs. The BJP described the statement as "utterly disgusting''. BJP's chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "It is utterly disgusting ... the institution of Parliament is a shining symbol of our democracy, which ensures accountability of the executive.''

Claiming that Kejriwal "has lost his mental balance and needs to be sent to a mental asylum", the RJD urged the Centre to immediately arrest him on sedition charges.

Kejriwal, however, remained unfazed. He said on Sunday that five candidates contesting the UP polls faced charges of rape. Of the 163 MPs facing cases, 15 were accused of murder, 20 were accused of attempt to murder, 13 of kidnapping and 11 of cheating, he added.

"People who are facing criminal charges will never be interested in bringing a strong Lokpal,'' Kejriwal said.

Naming 2G spectrum scam accused Kanimozhi and A Raja besides Suresh Kalmadi, Lalu Prasad and Mulayam Singh Yadav as being embroiled in graft cases, Kejriwal said a Parliament with such members would not bring a strong Lokpal. He also said that if the CBI were an independent agency, home minister P Chidambaram would also be facing a court case for corruption.

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IB harassing my kin, not violated any rule: Arvind Kejriwal

Anna Hazare's aide Arvind Kejriwal, who has been issued an Income Tax notice to pay Rs 9 lakh as dues during his service in the government till 2006, on Friday said he had not violated any rules and the official claims were baseless.

"I have not violated any rule. In 2006, when I had resigned from the service, I had written to the government to deduct my dues from my general provident fund (GPF)," Kejriwal told reporters.

However, the government did not deduct the dues and instead served him a notice after four years and just before Hazare began his fast for a stronger Lokpal Bill, he said.

Kejriwal alleged that his uncle and other relatives in Siwani in Haryana were probed and harassed by officials of the Intelligence Bureau and other agencies. Officials were asking people to give information about any irregularity by him or relatives, he added.

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Anna wants to meet responsible people: Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi: As anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare's fast enters its eighth day, Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said they want political dialogues since this is a political problem.

Kejriwal also announced that nobody has met Team Anna officially yet. " No body has come to us officially yet. Anyone who has come to meet us has come unofficially," said Kejriwal.

He also urged Anna's supporters to remain peaceful while they continue to protest. Pointing out that they are against corruption, he said, "I appeal to people to be peaceful."

Addressing media people at Ramlila Maidan on Tuesday, Kejriwal said, "We should not be targetting individual leaders or party."

Kejriwal, Anna's close aide, also said the negotiations should be formal and they do not want to speak to informal negotiators. He said, "Anna wants to meet responsible people."

Mentioning all the people who have come to meet the 74-year-old Gandhian are friends, Kejriwal clarified, "People have not come to meet Anna with mandate. But they have come to meet him as they know him for long."

Addressing thousands of supporters at Ramlila Maidan, Kejriwal said, "I request people to sit in front of the residences of their elected representatives and discuss with them."

He also asked the people to who are sitting on fast to come out of fast as Anna Hazare is already sitting on fast.

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Have heard words of admiration from mother about Anna: Kiran Bedi's daughter

Saina Bharucha, the only daughter of Kiran Bedi who is an integral part of Team Anna, has constant prayers on her lips for her mother.

Bedi is the first woman IAS officer of the country. Known for her integrity and honesty, she took voluntary retirement in 2007.
Saina, married to writer Ruzbeh, stays in Pune. The couple has a daughter.

Saina said that she is with her mother through her prayers since Day 1 of her fight to strengthen the anti-corruption laws in the country.

“I have grown up seeing my mother going out for night patrolling. There were times when she had to go out at odd hours to tackle violent agitations, strikes etc. As a young girl, I used to often wonder why my mother had to take the lead always,” she said.

However, realising that her mother was the proverbial “destiny’s child”, Saina started rallying behind Kiran Bedi whole-heartedly.

“Yes there were times when I just broke down. But then my mother told me that she has a calling and she was fulfilling it,” she confided.

It was this calling which made Saina realize that her mother is not meant for the mundane. “It’s only after great introspection that my mother takes up a cause. She makes statements on astute reasoning. I know my mother will not take any rash or ill-conceived steps ever.”

Asked about Kiran Bedi’s equation with Anna Hazare, Saina said that the she (Kiran) has the highest regard for the crusader.

“In the last few months, she worked very closely with Anna on the Jan Lokpal Bill issue. I have heard words of admiration and respect from her about Anna,” Saina stated.

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Kiran Bedi: Anna to go to Ramlila via India Gate and Rajghat

At 11 am, Anna Hazare will emerge from Tihar Jail and make his way to Ramlila Maidan in Central Delhi to launch his 15-day protest against corruption. Hundreds of supporters have gathered outside Tihar. Anna's close associate, Kiran Bedi, says he will move first to Mayapuri. He will then stop at Amar Jyoti at India Gate and visit Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at Rajghat before heading to Ramlila Maidan, where his base camp has been set up with hundreds of tents and toilets for the thousands that are likely to join him.

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Is it justified to restrain Anna Hazare ahead of fast?

THE BATTLE between Anna Hazare civil society team and the government is taken now an ugly turn. Ahead of the proposed fast against corruption by the 74-year-old Gandhian, Delhi Police prevented him from going to JP Park for protest. Other prominent activists Arvind Kejriwal alone Kiran Bedi were also taken in custody. People across the country have highly criticized the police action against civil society.

“It is very undemoccartic way of functioning government, is it still British rule or other?” said young supporter of Anna. “I will continous protest alongwith civil society until government come up with strong Lokpall Bill,” added another supporter.

There is wide gap between activists and the government due to failure of numerous talks and both sides are not ready to give up, which has forced Anna Hazare to take up this firm step of fasting. How is it justified in a democratic country like India to detain social activists to detain ahead of fast? Government should not be hampering the rights of people to express their opinion and opposing it in general manner.

On other hand raising the voice against corruption is correct but it does not mean civil society adopts an unauthorized way. When government is ready for various conventions of negotiations to resolve the issue on strong Lokpall Bill then it is a wrong way to protest at this point. This is an age of reforming and globalization, one or two talks may fail but both sides should keep patience to come up with a positive solution. There are not only issues of corruption in the country; every second thing overlaps with it - for instance take the dowry system. Why doesn't anyone go on a fast on our dowry system, which is also a social evil and reservation issue?

Everything including Lokpall Bill is welcome but in a constitutional frame work. There is lots of reforming in progress may be it is on a low phase - but fasting and intimidating the government is not the right way to protest - it only shows weakness. It is visible that this UPA government will be voted out of power in the next elections; and there's no gurantee that the next government will be non-corrupt. It is best that people should put pressure on the government to bring about a systematic change in a democratic approach.

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Government strategy to falsify the data during Anna protest

THERE ARE more than 20,000 (almost the maximum capacity) inside the stadium and more than 1,00,000 on the road outside the stadium. But the government is suppressing media persons to show the correct figure. The governemnt is using its power and keeping the media from broadcasting. 

And more than this the government is, according to its new strategy, arresting people without proper paperwork and then just dropping them off here and there - so that it can be proven that the number of people gathered there were very few.

But everybody knows the truth. You can stop the camera but you cannot stop an open eye. Now the public of India have awakened. We know the truth. Anna has awakened the sleeping crowed of India and India is with Anna.

 

You go on the road and you will listen “Anna tum sanghars karo humtumhare sath hain."(Anna you fight, we all are with you.) Rather that you can hear VANDE MAATRAM, BHARAT MATA KI JAI and INQLAAB JINDAABAAD. You will feel like you are in rally of Gandhi ji in 1930.

I’ll be back with some more news. Till then jai hind.

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Anna's detention: Gagging democracy

DETAINING ANNA prior to his fast reminds us of the Quit India movement call by Gandhiji. His arrest did not stop the movement but resulted in even unwilling people joining the movement as a mark of protest. Precisely the same thing is going to happen. 

The arrest has been widely published by media. People who are not very keen on it feel that it is gagging. So Congress government will see another version of quit India movement. More and more cities and villages will now come out and protest some knowing the reason and some out of sympathy for Anna. 

Had congress been clever a proper propaganda could have defused the situation? No political party was ready to come to the street and meet people because they are also a part yto the conflict, and will not be able to answer if questioned in public.

 

So now it has become a people's movement. Either the government has to manufacture more bullets in ammunition factory or surrender to the peoples' demands. It is a second version of Quit India movement. That time it was the British now it is turn for unscrupulous people to quit their posts. Let us see who wins?

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