JOIN USUpping the ante against the ruling Congress and the principal opposition BJP alike over the issue of allocation of coal blocks, the Arvind Kejriwal-led India Against Corruption (IAC) on Sunday accused both parties of being “hand in glove in corruption.”
Addressing over a thousand of supporters at Jantar Mantar, Arvind Kejriwal said: “The CAG report has exposed how the Congress and BJP have joined hands over the issue of corruption. Both parties don’t want Parliament to function because both of them would be exposed.”
Kejriwal targeted the BJP for not demanding cancellation of allocated coal blocks. “The BJP very well knows that the prime minister will not resign, but still they are demanding his resignation. They are not demanding cancellation of allocation because it hampers their own interests,” said Kejriwal.
The IAC members demanded an SIT to probe the role of the prime minister and chief ministers of different states who objected to the policy of auction of coal blocks. The slogan of the Sunday movement changed to “SIT against PM and CMs” from the principal demand of constitution of SIT against “15 Cabinet ministers at the Centre.”
While Kiran Bedi, a key member of erstwhile Team Anna, was conspicuous by her absence at the protest, wellknown political scientist Yogendra Yadav joined ranks with IAC activists and also led protesters in the march to the residence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
“The system is corrupt from top to bottom. We will have to fight a long political battle to change the system,” Yadav told the gathering at Jantar Mantar.
However, Kejriwal said they would still dump their plans to launch a political party if the government acted on some of their key demands—enacting Jan Lokpal Bill, Right to Reject and Right to Recall.
In order to make a point that Anna Hazare is still their leader in the fight against corruption, Arvind Kejriwal asked his supporters should wear “Anna topi” and not “Arvind topi.”
“He is the leader of this movement. He is like my father, my guru. I request all the supporters not to wear any cap with my name on it,” Kejriwal said. Some news channels had started flashing his supporters wearing caps that read, “I am Arvind.”
Anna topi with slogan “I am Anna” has become the symbol of anti-corruption movement over the last one and a half years.
While Anna Hazare stayed away from Sunday’s protest, some of his supporters reached Jantar Mantar hoping that him to join the protest.
When asked the reason for Bedi’s absence, IAC head Arvind Kejriwal told reporters: “On this issue she (Bedi) probably feels that the BJP can give the country a good government. But the BJP can’t.”
Bedi on Saturday tweeted her support for the protest though she voiced her opposition to target the BJP on the issue.
“I fully support Arvind’s call for the Jantar Mantar rally. While I feel we need to focus on party in power, I respect his and others view to cover all. This is time for ‘a united front against corruption.’ If we keep fragmented, the corrupt will continue to be in power to protect itself,” Bedi had written.