Anna dares Sonia to public debate on the legislation

Mumbai: Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare has threatened to protest in front of the house of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi in Delhi from January 1 to 3 after his fast in Mumbai from December 27 to 29 to protest against the Lokpal bill tabled in Parliament yesterday.

Speaking to reporters at his ashram in Ralegan Siddhi, Maharashtra, he described the bill as "useless" and wondered why the government does not listen to the people coming out on the roads to demand a strong Lokpal bill for the last nine to 10 months.

Reacting to Sonia Gandhi's speech at the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting on Wednesday in which she said the legislation was strong, Hazare said: "If Sonia Gandhi says the bill is strong, let her explain to us in a debate in front of the media and we will tell her how weak the bill is."

He also said that after his fast in Mumbai, he will proceed to Delhi for a Jail Bharo Andolan (Fill the jails movement) from January 1 to 3.

"I will be part of the group that will gherao [picket] the residences of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi as part of our agitation to fill up jails," he said.

Hazare said the bill would not give any relief to the poor as Class 3 and 4 government officers — who Team Anna has been insisting be brought under the Lokpal — have been included under the Central Vigilance Commission that comes under the government.

"Go to any government office; no work can be done without paying a bribe. Complaints would have to go through various levels of the government right up to the Centre. How can a man applying for a passport go through this rigmarole?" he asked.

Meanwhile, steep rents at the Bandra grounds of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Authority (MMRDA) has compelled India Against Corruption (IAC) to decide on Azad Maidan in South Mumbai as the venue for the three-day fast of Hazare and his supporters.