Social activist Anna Hazare today gave an ultimatum to the politicians in the country to pass the Lok Pal and Lok Ayukta bills at the earliest or face a boot from the people of the country in the 2014 general elections. Mr Hazare, who was on the last leg of his more than one month tour of the state, was addressing the media here at the circuit house. Explaining the purpose of his tour of the state, he said that the purpose of the tour was simple to create an awareness among the people of the state and tell them that their monies in the treasury were being swindled by the politicians and the bureaucrats.
He gave several examples of the manner in which the monies were being swindled and said that despite the country being free after so many years and spending several crores of rupees. there was acute drinking water problem in the major parts of the state and country, and the dams were failure. He pointed out that a major chunk of 75 per cent of the public money was being spent on the politicians and the bureaucrats on their salary, houses and vehicles among others. No one explains or knows as to how the money is spent, he said.
Where is the ‘lokshahi’ (democracy), he questioned and said that in the present juncture the people have no voice at all. He further said after the tour of the state, he has come to the conclusion that this state has no future at all. In fact, the people should have been involved in the various processes including decision making process which was not done as a result of which we see rampant corruption at every stage now, he noted. ‘Since last several years I have been fighting against corruption and black money and even in Parliament they had agreed to the Lok Pal and now they are backtracking on the entire issue,’ he remarked. UNI