NEW DELHI, June 7 � Defiant civil rights activists, led by Gandhian Anna Hazare, on Tuesday announced they will now hold a fast at Rajghat, the memorial to father of nation Mahatma Gandhi, to avoid a �confrontation� with the police, reports IANS.
They also slammed the government ministers, asking them to be �more tolerant� and not be �so arrogant�.
�We are shifting to Rajghat. We have spoken to the commissioner of police and will fast in the vicinity of Rajghat tomorrow from 10 a.m. till about 6 p.m. We will fast and pray the whole day,� activist Arvind Kejriwal told reporters.
Team Anna Hazare had announced Sunday that they will hold a day-long fast at Jantar Mantar Wednesday to protest the midnight crackdown on yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his supporters.
But, as the police had clamped prohibitory orders at Janatar Mantar, they had written to Delhi Police Commissioner B.K. Gupta seeking permission. But, as till Tuesday afternoon, there was no response from police, they shifted the venue to Rajghat.
In April, Hazare�s five-day fast drew widespread support across the country and forced the government to set up a 10-member panel to draft a Lokpal bill to combat corruption in high places. While Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is the chairperson of the panel, lawyer and former law minister Shanti Bhushan is the co-chair.
Kejriwal, who is also part of the panel, also took on the government, saying that the �creditability� of the government was in �danger�.
�Whether the bill is in danger or not, only time will tell but I think the credibility of the government is definitely in danger with the kind of actions they have done. Come what may we are committed till the end of a strong anti-corruption law.
�The government should be more tolerant. Our language is not uncivil but they should not be so arrogant. Our fight is not against any individual but the system,� he said.
Kejriwal was referring to the allegation made by Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal, a government representative on the Lokpal bill drafting panel, that the civil society members were using the kind of language and discourse that was �unacceptable�.
He also alleged that Sibal does not want the civil society representatives to attend the drafting committee meetings for a strong Lokpal bill.
�He (Sibal) is putting words in our mouth and it seems he wants us to say that we won�t be attending future meetings,� he said, referring to Sibal�s comments that it�s fine if they come or don�t come for the meetings. �We won�t let you off so easily,� he warned.
