While social activist Anna Hazare will fast at Mumbai’s MMRDA ground to push for a strong Lokpal bill, his key aides Prashant Bhushan and Shanti Bhushan will lead the protest at Delhi’s Ramlila ground silmultaneosly.

“We will be present at the venue from 10 am to 6 pm starting tomorrow, Dec 27, to Dec 29 and we invite people of Delhi to come and lend us their support in our struggle for a stronger Lokpal bill,” Prashant Bhushan said.

See photo story: Ramlila Ground gears up for Anna action

He said the protest at Ramlila ground will be peaceful like the earlier protests of April and August. “While we ask people to come prepared to be arrested, we would request them not to indulge in any violence throughout the protest,” he said.

Underlining the purpose for the protest, he said it was being undertaken essentially to apprise people of the weaknesses of the Lokpal bill introduced by parliament and discuss the provisions that need immediate amendments.

“People should know what kind of useless bill the government wants to pass,” he said.

He also said the role of people vis-à-vis parliament would be discussed during the three-day protest. “There is this criticism that laws are not made in the streets. During the course of our protest we will deliberate and discuss on this criticism,” he said.

He also exhorted people to come out and protest in-front of the houses of members of parliament (MPs). “People should peacefully protest in front the houses of MPs who are not in support of a stronger Lokpal bill. And, if the government imposes section 144, they should be ready to go to jail,” he said.

On chief election commissioner SY Quraishi’s comments in an interview to PTI that the election commission will closely monitor Team Anna’s campaign in the poll-bound states, Prashant Bhushan said while the team would campaign against any party or the candidate not supporting a stronger Lokpal bill, it will be careful not to violate any model code of conduct.

Also see: CEC & Anna’s men: polls apart

“If campaigning against any party or candidate violates election’s model code of conduct, the election commission can take any action it deems fit,” he said.

Huge LCD screens would be put up at the ground to enable people to watch the proceedings at Mumbai venue of the fast along with the parliamentary proceedings that deal with the Lokpal bill. 

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