New Delhi: Veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare on Monday lashed out at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for defending the government's decision to keep the PM out of the Lokpal's ambit.
A charged-up Hazare said it was unfortunate that an honest man like Singh had started telling lies. "Till now, the people and I felt we have an honest and non-corrupt prime minister," he said.
"Our fight is not against Parliament, it is against the government. Even after my letter to him (Singh), if he says this it is unfortunate. The prime minister was a good person. What will happen if he too starts telling lies?"
On Sunday, Singh said it would not be advisable to keep the PM within the Lokpal's ambit. "The government took the decision after considering all factors," he said. Singh had earlier said he supported the decision to have the PM under the Lokpal.
The civil society members in the joint drafting committee were made to believe the government would put its versions of the draft and that of the civil society's before the cabinet. But that did not happen, Hazare said. He questioned the Centre's intentions and said he was ready to go to jail if he was not allowed to demand a strong anti-corruption law.
Rubbishing suggestions that he was trying to blackmail the government, Hazare said, "I am not very happy to go on a fast. The government is forcing me to do so. Why doesn't the government bring a strong Lokpal Bill?" Had the government listened to the voice of its people, scams like the 2G spectrum allocation would not have happened, he said.
He made it clear he has no preference for Jantar Mantar to carry out his fast. "Jantar Mantar is not the issue, the Lokpal is," he said.