Hyderabad: Declaring that he would mobilise 60 million people over the next one-and- a-half-year for his anti-graft campaign, Anna Hazare yesterday said Jan Lokpal alone cannot root out corruption and called for comprehensive electoral reforms and empowering village-level bodies.
Addressing a public meeting here, he said his fight was for changing the entire system and called upon youths to join hands with him. The 75-year-old said Jan Lokpal can control 50 to 55 percent corruption.
“What about the remaining corruption? That is why we are demanding right to reject a candidate (in the elections),” he said.
“If all five contesting candidates in an election are goondas, whom the people will choose? We are saying that you provide an option to the voters to reject them. If maximum number of voters reject the candidates, the election should be cancelled and these five should not be allowed to contest again,” Hazare said.
He felt this reform is a must to check corruption in elections and pointed out that a candidate is spending Rs50m to Rs60m in each election to bribe voters.
“They get power by using money, and money by using power. There is need to put an end to this vicious circle,” he said.
He vowed to continue fight for Jan Lokpal and alleged that the government is not sincere in bringing the anti-graft legislation.
Hazare explained that the government initially turned down the demand to involve people’s representatives in bringing the legislation. He also referred to the government’s reluctance to bring middle and lower-level bureaucrats under Lokpal.
“For the next one-and-half years, I will visit all states to create awareness. I don’t know if I will be able to awaken all 1.2bn people but if I go around, I can mobilize six crore people who can force the government to change the system,” he said.
IANS
