AAP reaches out to Hazare, vows to fight for Jan Lokpal

Ralegan Siddhi (Maharashtra): Fresh from its victory, the AAP warned the Congress and the BJP on Thursday that the Jan Lokpal Bill commended by Anna Hazare should be passed in toto without any change.

After meeting Hazare, who is on an indefinite fast since Tuesday pressing for passage of Jan Lokpal Bill by Parliament, the AAP leaders said the Jan Lokpal Bill which is now before the Rajya Sabha is not the one which was envisioned by the anti-graft activist.

"Both the parties, the Congress and the BJP, should keep in mind that if they make changes in the Jan Lokpal Bill that Anna Hazare has envisioned and try to mislead people, then they will have to suffer a loss of 10 Lok Sabha seats for every change," Aam Admi Party leader Kumar Vishwas told reporters after the meeting.

"We will not accept a change in even a single line in the draft of Jan Lokpal Bill, which was discussed and decided during the agitations at Ramlila ground and at Jantar Mantar," he added.

Vishwas, along with two senior party leaders Gopal Rai and Sanjay Singh, met Hazare and extended their support.

He said that senior party leader Gopal Rai would stay back till Hazare ends his fast. He said that neither his party nor Hazare would accept any changes. "Anna has taken up this fight through indefinite fasting and we have taken it up politically."

When asked whetherHazare was satisfied with the Bill, which is before Rajya Sabha, Vishwas said "we have informed him that it was the same Jan Lokpal Bill which Anna had called 'Jokepal'".

He said that Hazare told him that the Standing Committee had received some proposals. "We have to wait and see how these proposals would be incorporated, we are also keeping an eye on it."

Asked about Hazare's reaction to AAP's stupendous performance in the Delhi Assembly election, Vishwas said "Anna had congratulated us for winning the 28 seats in the elections and said that due some last minute problems (like sting operations on some of the party's candidates), we could not get absolute majority."

He said if no party forms a government and there is a re-poll, then "we have told Anna that we will come with absolute majority and we will pass the Anna's Jan Lokpal Bill, which we call Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill.

We, along with all our MLAs will come here and give him a copy of the Bill after notifying in the gazette." Vishwas also said that Hazare also expressed his happiness over the way "we managed to check distribution of liquor prior to elections and the way we contested elections.

"He was happy with they way we gave representation to dalits and backward people in the party and said we should keep this tradition in the party," he said.

"Anna said that political pundits had never expected that our party would get so much seats. This shows that countrymen have awaken and if this awakening continues then we could be successful in getting some good laws," Vishwas said.

When asked whether AAP Convener Arvind Kejriwal had spoken to Hazare, Vishwas said he did speak to Hazare over phone and blessing Kejriwal, Hazare had said that he should take care of his health.

He also said that Kaejtiwal should not ruin his health so early as he has to fight some big battles for the country.

"When Arvind said he wanted to come despite his bad health, Anna said he should take proper rest and take care of his health. Arvind also asked Anna to break his fast, to which he said let us wait what is coming in Rajya Sabha," he said.