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Hunger striker divides Christians

Serial hunger striker detained as proposed law debated in parliament
Hunger striker divides Christians
Demonstrators gather to protest government corruption (file photo)
Published: August 16, 2011 09:36 AM GMT
Updated: August 16, 2011 10:34 AM GMT

Church leaders have denounced a plan by prominent activist Anna Hazare to go on a hunger strike against a proposed new anti-corruption law even as it is being debated in parliament. Hazare and his team members were detained this morning and subsequently placed in preventive detention in jail for seven days before they could begin their protest, evoking anger among millions of their supporters nationwide. “There is no justification for such agitation when the government has introduced a bill against corruption in parliament,” said Father Babu Joseph, spokesman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India. He added that “we cannot rule the country from the streets.” Hazare launched a similar campaign in April demanding a law to create an ombudsman with an effective federal system to check corruption, redress grievances and protect whistle-blowers. Following the protest, a bill to address the concerns was drafted but Hazare and his team raised objections to certain points. They wanted the prime minister and the judiciary to be covered by the bill, among other demands. John Dayal, a lay leader, said that “this dictatorial attitude shows that Hazare has no respect for democratic norms.” However, Samuel Jaikumar of the National Council of Christians in India said that though the bill is in parliament, the agitation by Hazare will force the government to formulate stronger legislation. “Everyone has a right to protest in a democratic country,” he said. Meanwhile, people in the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are carrying out rallies and demonstrations in support of Hazare. Prashant Bhushan, member of the drafting committee, told a press conference that the “arrest of civil society members was undemocratic and that they would approach the Supreme Court against the government’s move.

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