Ralegan Siddhi: Veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare believes that there is no relevance of a Rath Yatra in a country where people are dying of hunger.
Addressing reporters from Hindi newspapers, Hazare also emphasized on giving importance to the language, adding that politicians not speaking in Hindi depicted nothing but their conceit.
The anti-corruption crusader further said that he would never constitute his own party and would continue his campaign in its present form.
Here are excerpts:
Your Yatra is coinciding with the Rath Yatra of L K Advani. What does it indicate?
Rath Yatra is not for us. What is it? In a country where do not have food to eat, what is the relevance of a Rath Yatra. We believe in Pad Yatra, which was a policy of Mahatma Gandhi. Bapu believed that Pad Yatra awakened the society.
There is politics on the issue of corruption and parties are making attempt to benefit from it. What is your view?
The country is awake now and no party can cheat people. I believe that it is a tough task to cheat Indian citizens now.
Lokpal will eradicate 60 per cent of the corruption, but what about the rest?
Bringing Lokpal is not the sole motive of this movement. Though Lokpal is at the centre of it, this is just the beginning of it. We would later campaign for land acquisition bill and other important issues. Bringing electoral reforms is also one of the most important steps in order to tackle corruption.
Will you constitute your own party or group? What will be the basis of the movement in future?
I have been fighting against corruption for quite long. During a movement, some people get associated with you, who indulge in wrongdoings in the name of it. Only those who stand on their own can do good work. The citizens of the country stood with us in our campaign and it was no party. Our policy is to find such volunteers from all states.
Some volunteers are also characterless. How will you tackle them?
We don’t put a stamp on any volunteer. If someone is volunteering, he/she would work with us without any stamp. Now we will also check the character of person before associating his/her with us. Our team will ensure that the person has had a good track record.
What is your opinion on terrorism?
We must go to the rootcause of the birth and spread of terrorism. The way the government is behaving at present is one cause why terrorism spreads. They are taking the land of the farmers using force. This is not democracy but dictatorship, which gives rise to terrorism.
The government of India believes that is the lord of the country. And because they work with this belief, terrorism spreads. If they work as public servants, no terrorism would spread.
How will your visit to election-bound states be?
We will go by train, and if the need be, we will travel by flight. We will meet people and wish to awaken people.
You are basically a Marathi, how do you view Hindi?
It is must to know Hindi. It is saddening that several ministers in our country do not know Hindi. It is our national language and everyone must know it. We speak in Marathi in our state, but we cannot do so if we go to Uttar Pradesh. Though all the states have their own languages, every Indian must know Hindi.
I believe that to compete on the international platform, it is also must to learn English. However, we must be careful that we don’t let the English culture get into ourselves. We must acknowledge English but not their culture. When I go abroad, I feel bad that I don’t know English.
The way Hindi must be used to connect the country, is it happening? Some politicians speak against Hindi, what is your take on them?
Politicians speak against any language only because they have inflated ego. If there is love for the country in your heart, you will never say any such thing. It is all about conceit. Those who want to take the society ahead must realise that it is following them, people would do what they do.
People are backing me from Ralegan to Delhi, for they can see what I am doing. Politicians must also keep their thoughts and characters pure.
The nature of the politicians is another cause of corruption. When people see that their leader is indulging in corrupt activities, they get influenced.
The country is looking up to you with great hopes. Thousands of letters are being sent to you. Are you able to answer those letters?
Even I am facing this question whether I would be able to fulfill the expectations of the country. People are coming to me with big hopes. I am a poor man, have no bank balance and I stay in a temple.
I am getting so many letters, and each reply costs as much as Rs five. Where will I get the money from? There are people who want to donate money to me, but I do not want to take any black money from anyone, as this money cannot do any good.
In Delhi, I was being given a reward of Rs one crore but the people giving it were not right, so I refused.
I have people with me and the biggest challenge for me is to fulfill the expectations.
People who do not know me stand with me. This is all with the grace of god, and he will bring about a change in the country. I am working on my mission with belief in god.
People also believe that Anna would eradicate their problems. Are they coming to you for this as well?
I have been undertaking movements for the past 20 years, and have received lakhs of letters. I have not been able to answer all those, but try my level best address their problems. As for example, I have ensured the enactment of seven laws in Maharashtra, which have brought about immense change. Even the Right to Information has benefitted the whole country.
source:dailybhaskar
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