Mumbai: Lashing out at the government for criticising civil society activists, Gandhian Anna Hazare on Saturday vowed to continue with the proposed August 16 agitation despite “threats” to “crush” it, saying he was willing “to face bullets and not just lathis.”
Pointing that laws like Right to Information were enacted because of the pressure of civil society, Hazare said, "If this (pressure on Government over Lokpal) amounts to blackmail, I am willing to resort to blackmail through out my life."
Dismissing criticism by Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal on the role of civil society activists on the Lokpal Bill issue, he reminded the Congress-led government at the Centre that it was late Rajiv Gandhi who sought their opinion while enacting the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments for ushering in Panchayati Raj system in the country.
"Rajiv Gandhi wrote letters to over five lakh village heads all over the country, saying his government plans to bring in constitutional amendments regarding Panchayati Raj.
He sought views of the civil society in bringing the landmark legislation," he told reporters after inaugurating the office of `India Against Corruption' in South Mumbai here.
Hazare said his agitation from August 16 in support of a strong Lokpal will herald the "second independence movement". "I appeal to people to switch off their lights from 8 PM to 9 PM on that day and take to the streets shouting slogans demanding an end to corruption."
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