Agnivesh regrets being seen as 'villain' during Anna's fast

Would continue supporting Anna despite difference in opinion

PTI | September 16, 2011



Social activist Swamy Agnivesh on Thursday regretted being seen as a "villain" for voicing differences on the manner in which anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare's fast was carried out in its concluding phase.

"I was looked upon like a villain. This is not the first time I voiced my differences about the way the movement was carried on," Agnivesh told a meet-the-press at the Press Club in Thiruvanathapuram.

But he said he would continue supporting Anna's movement without compromising on his views and right to dissent. This was a movement that inspired people, especially youth, after the Jayaprakash Narayan led movement in the 1970s, he said.

Agnivesh said he had opposed Anna's fast plan from the start and also questioned the decision to start it on Aug 16, the day the Lokpal bill was to be taken up by parliament.

He said Anna should have called it off when prime minister Manmohan Singh urged to him to do so from parliament.

"I thought that was the golden moment for Anna to end the fast."

Agnivesh replied in the affirmative when asked if Anna was persuaded to continue his fast by a "coterie" close to him.

He wanted Team Anna to ponder why the movement failed to ensure due participation of Dalits and minorities.

On the controversy over his telephonic talks with one Kapil when Anna's fast was on, he said "this Kapil is not Kapil Sibal or Kapilmuni of Hardwar," but somebody who to a certain extent represented government's view on the Lokpal issue.

Agnivesh said he had asked Team Anna to make note of his dissent on these lines when the core committee met.

Agnivesh criticised home minister Chidambaram's statement that Naxalism was a bigger threat than terrorism, saying "this amounts to playing down terror of terrorism and evading responsibility."

He said he believed that Naxalism could be solved through dialogue with marginalised people like tribals.

On terrorism, he said all political parties in India should condemn it in one voice as in U.S.A after 9/11. "Unfortunately this has not happened and opposition has shown a tendency to take political mileage after every terror attack.

Comments

 

Other News

India’s freedom struggle was shaped by wider Asian political thought

As we mark 80th anniversary of independence, ‘Asianism and the Fall of Empire’ (HarperCollins India) by historian Mithi Mukherjee offers a new perspective on Ind

What is colonialism? A relook at modern history

The Chromatic World Order: The Fiction That Rules Our World  By Sajid Mohamed Aakar Books  

Monsoon session of parliament adjourns sine die

The Monsoon Session, 2026 of Parliament which commenced on July 20 was adjourned sine die on Thursday. The session provided 19 sittings spread over a period of 25 days.   During the session 11 Bills were introduced in Lok Sabha and 2 Bills were introduced in Rajya Sabha. 12 B

Consumer Justice at a Crossroads

Over the past four decades, India`s consumer protection landscape has undergone a remarkable transformation. What began with the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 as a simple mechanism to empower ordinary citizens has evolved into a comprehensive framework capable of addressing challenges ranging from mislea

Doctors, experts call for ban on junk food ads, mandate warning labels

More than 30 doctors, medical scientists and public health professionals have urged the government to take decisive action against the aggressive advertising and marketing of junk food, calling for a watershed ban on advertisements for foods high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) and ultra-processed foods (UPF

Asiatic Lion population rises from 523 in 2015 to 891 in 2025

On World Lion Day 2026, environment, forest and climate change Minister  Bhupender Yadav celebrated India’s remarkable journey in lion conservation and reaffirmed the country’s unwavering commitment to protecting wildlife and biodiversity.   In a post on soc

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter