Willing to face bullets: Hazare

In response to the government's criticism of civil society activists, Anna Hazare on Saturday vowed to continue with the proposed August 16 agitation despite "threats" to "crush" it, saying he was willing "to face bullets and not just lathis."

In response to the government's criticism of civil society activists, Anna Hazare on Saturday vowed to continue with the proposed August 16 agitation despite "threats" to "crush" it, saying he was willing "to face bullets and not just lathis."


PIC/Shadab Khan

He said, "If this pressure (over Lokpal) amounts to blackmail, I am willing to resort to blackmail throughout my life." Dismissing criticism by Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal on the role of civil society activists on the Lokpal Bill issue, he recalled that it was late Rajiv Gandhi who sought civil society's opinion before enacting the 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments to usher in the Panchayati Raj system in the country.

Hazare said his agitation from August 16 in support of a strong Lokpal will herald the "second independence movement".

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