"Though India became a republic state on January 26, 1950, only a few have enjoyed the fruits of the real power, while majority of people are deprived of it. Today, crores of rupees are spent (by governments) but merely 10 per cent of the funds reaches the deserving people...In such a situation, India has no future," Hazare told a press conference during his visit to the naxal-hit district as part of the ongoing leg to spread awareness about the need for a strong Lokpal to weed out corruption.
Blaming centralisation of power as the root cause of corruption in the country, the veteran activist said that decentralisation of power is the need of the hour and local units of self-governance like gram sabhas are needed to be strengthened.
"We have chosen a representative forum of democracy and have sent our representatives to Parliament and Assemblies. But these representatives have become the masters and people the servants. This should be changed...People must realise that they are the real masters of this country," he said.
When asked about his stand on naxalism, the 75-year-old said, "youth turned to naxalism as problems of people staying in forests have never been attended to, and thousands of acres of the land belonging to tribals been grabbed by powerful leaders".
He further said that the "nefarious" alliance of bureaucracy and executive is responsible for growing instances of graft in the country. (More)
