Anna Hazare returns for OROP stir

Hazare takes part in the demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday.
(Express Photo by: Ravi Kanojia) 

ENS | New Delhi| July 27, 2015: Social activist Anna Hazare returned to Jantar Mantar — the venue that saw him spearhead the anti-corruption movement — this time to throw his weight behind a protest for the implementation of One Rank One Pension (OROP) by the Centre. 

Attacking Centre, Hazare accused the Modi government of failing to deliver even on a “single promise”. 

He vowed to travel across the country to rally support for the OROP cause. “They promised implement OROP at a rally in Rohtak before the elections. Shaheed Diwas (Kargil Vijay Diwas) is not a day to make speeches. We will do whatever (we can) for (implementation of) One Rank One Pension. I will go to many states across the country and do rallies,” Hazare said. 

He declared that at the culmination of his travel across India on October 2, a massive protest will be staged at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan. 

Referring to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, he said, “Our Defence Minister is good man… I know him well. In February, he had taken a decision that Rs 500 crore will be taken from the Finance Ministry and that he would ask for more if he fell short. But this isn’t happening.” 

Hazare also attacked the Modi government for failing in its fight against corruption. 

“Before elections, they had assured us that we will prioritise the fight against corruption. But wherever you go corruption has increased and inflation has risen. What about the black money? If you think that you have majority and no one can harm you, there will be losses in store,” he said. 

Later in the evening, Hazare met his old protege and the Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who was accompanied by Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. 

After the meeting, Sisodia said that Hazare was informed about the work that the Delhi government is doing in the fields of education and health. He added that they assured him that they were working to bring a Lokayukta in Delhi. 

“He was happy to hear about our mohalla initiative,” Sisodia said. 

Before the meeting, however, Hazare seemed to speak against the split in the AAP, telling reporters, “Differences can be sorted out but people should be ready to discuss issues and clarify misunderstandings.”