 "Will send 100 farmers to Parliament in 10 yrs, says Anna")
As governments run by various political parties have failed to address the problems faced by farmers across the country, there is a strong need for sending at least 100 representatives of farmers to Lok Sabha in next five to ten years, said anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare speaking at a farmers’ rally here.
“I am aware that we cannot send 545 farmers (which is the strength of Lok Sabha), but I am sure we can send at least 100 farmers. However, it cannot happen in 2014, so get ready for 2019,” said Hazare addressing the large gathering of farmers at the Lower PMG square.
“There is a need for a revolution to change the system, not the party in power. True representatives of people should go to the Parliament and Assembly, not the party members and criminals,” he added at the ‘Jai Kissan’ rally organised by Navnirman Krushak Sangathan , a farmers’ lobby group.
“We are in the process of formulating a federation to select right candidates. The selection process will be transparent, unlike other parties. The name and agenda of the federation will be announced after the polls,” said Hazare at a press conference later in the day.
If the federation fails to gather adequate support to field candidates in 2019, then it would wait for 2024, he said. “It is a long journey. We will have to wait for 10 or 15 years if not five years,” he added.
Lashing out at the political parties for ignoring farmers’ issues, Hazare today said, the condition of the farmers in the country has become disastrous as the parties are only concerned about industries and capitalists.
“It is a pity to say that Independence never came to India even after the British left the country more than 67 years ago. These political parties did not let it happen,” he said.
During his rally, Hazare did not particularly blame the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) led state government nor any political leader. However, he said, the farmers need to have more say in who will become the Prime Minister of India.
“If we have at least 100-150 farmers representative in the Parliament, then they can decide who will become the Prime Minister, not the political parties,” he said, in an apparent reference to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has chosen Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate.
Alleging that every party has its share of criminal leaders, Hazare urged the farmers and common man to take an oath not to vote for the corrupt and criminal persons and to choose honest candidates. Hazare said, he will visit every state to sensitise the people in this regard for the next five years.
“It is a good thing that the government has introduced NOTA (Non of the Above) button on electronic voting machines and people must press this bottom if they find all the candidates are ineligible,” he said.
There must be provision that if number voters opting for NOTA exceeds votes for other candidates, then the election should be canceled and the candidates should be allowed to fight in the next poll. Hazare said that he will work to bring Right to Reject bill in the Parliament that will debar criminals from contesting the elections.
“I am aware that we cannot send 545 farmers (which is the strength of Lok Sabha), but I am sure we can send at least 100 farmers. However, it cannot happen in 2014, so get ready for 2019,” said Hazare addressing the large gathering of farmers at the Lower PMG square.
“There is a need for a revolution to change the system, not the party in power. True representatives of people should go to the Parliament and Assembly, not the party members and criminals,” he added at the ‘Jai Kissan’ rally organised by Navnirman Krushak Sangathan , a farmers’ lobby group.
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The process to send representatives of farmers to the Parliament will get a major push once a countrywide farmers’ federation is created. The federation will decide about who will represent the farmers lobby in a particular state.
“We are in the process of formulating a federation to select right candidates. The selection process will be transparent, unlike other parties. The name and agenda of the federation will be announced after the polls,” said Hazare at a press conference later in the day.
If the federation fails to gather adequate support to field candidates in 2019, then it would wait for 2024, he said. “It is a long journey. We will have to wait for 10 or 15 years if not five years,” he added.
Lashing out at the political parties for ignoring farmers’ issues, Hazare today said, the condition of the farmers in the country has become disastrous as the parties are only concerned about industries and capitalists.
“It is a pity to say that Independence never came to India even after the British left the country more than 67 years ago. These political parties did not let it happen,” he said.
During his rally, Hazare did not particularly blame the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) led state government nor any political leader. However, he said, the farmers need to have more say in who will become the Prime Minister of India.
“If we have at least 100-150 farmers representative in the Parliament, then they can decide who will become the Prime Minister, not the political parties,” he said, in an apparent reference to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has chosen Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate.
Alleging that every party has its share of criminal leaders, Hazare urged the farmers and common man to take an oath not to vote for the corrupt and criminal persons and to choose honest candidates. Hazare said, he will visit every state to sensitise the people in this regard for the next five years.
“It is a good thing that the government has introduced NOTA (Non of the Above) button on electronic voting machines and people must press this bottom if they find all the candidates are ineligible,” he said.
There must be provision that if number voters opting for NOTA exceeds votes for other candidates, then the election should be canceled and the candidates should be allowed to fight in the next poll. Hazare said that he will work to bring Right to Reject bill in the Parliament that will debar criminals from contesting the elections.