Public agitations are necessary for future of country: Anna Hazare

In a significant statement, veteran Gandhian and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare said that public agitation is essential for the future of India.

“Public agitations are essential for the future of the country. We should not forget the path shown by Gandhi ji by getting freedom through the public agitations,” the octogenarian crusader said, coinciding with the birth anniversary celebrations of legendary Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

Anna Hazare's statement came when he was launching his biography - Jananayak Anna Hazare - at his village Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar district on Sunday.

On this occasion, Ramesh Nirmal and Bhuvendra Tyagi, the authors of this book and Desh Nirmohi of Sutluj Prakashan had a long conversation with Anna, a veteran of several public agitation and hunger strikes, on various issues related to the society.

Expressing concern over the decrease in people's agitations these days, Anna said: “Common people have started looking only for their own interest. The leadership is also not coming forward. If needed, awareness will have to be created in the public for a spontaneous agitation. The importance of rights must be explained. It will also have to be taught to continue raising voice to take rights.”

“Corruption can also be curbed only through agitations. We did agitations against every corruption in Maharashtra. We got strong laws by this way. We have a law like the RTI Act. This curbed the corruption to a great extent,” Anna said.

Anna said Mahatma Gandhi had given the mantra that if the country is to be developed, then the villages have to be developed.

“We have forgotten that mantra. We developed cities continuously, which was possible only by exploiting the resources. The development of villages happens without exploitation of resources. This not only creates new resources, but also makes the benefits of development reach more people and reduces the burden on cities. We have to think seriously in this direction,” he said.