Constitution has given us the right to protest: Anna

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has warned the Congress that he will go on fast again if the Government doesn't pass the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Winter Session of Parliament, saying that the Constitution has given us the right to protest.

Hazare also said that he will campaign against the Congress in the polls if the Jan Lokpal Bill is not passed in the Winter Session of Parliament. Hazare plans to tour the five poll-bound states and said that he will start his campaign from Uttar Pradesh.

"If the Congress doesn't approve the Jan Lokpal Bill, I will go to all poll-bound states and ask people not to vote for the Congress," Hazare said.

After the Congress on Tuesday called Anna Hazare's warning to campaign against the party a 'political' move, the anti-corruption crusader hit back and said that he was not being political. "If the Congress thinks that I have entered politics, let them say that. The people of the country know the truth," Hazare said.

Attacking the Congress, Hazare said that the Congress does not have the will to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill. "In the last 42 years, the Congress was in power, why wasn't the bill passed in the last 42 years? The Congress doesn't have the will to pass this bill," Hazare said.

Hazare appealed to Hissar voters in Haryana, which has by-polls this month saying they shouldn't vote for the Congress.

He also said that he has been forced to take up the campaign against political parties as there was no other way to get the Jan Lokpal Bill passed.

But Hazare said, though he will campaign against parties who do not support Jan Lokpal Bill, he will not enter politics.

"If I become the leader of a political party, then I will not be able to do what am doing today, it's better to remain outside," Hazare said.

There were some lessons for the Prime Minister as well as Hazare asked the Prime Minister to face an 'agnipareeksha' to cleanse his name in the 2G scam.

"The Prime Minister should be ready for an 'agnipareeksha'. His name has come up in the 2G scandal," Hazare said.

From initially abusing the entire political class to now identifying one party as a clear enemy, Hazare seems to have moved on. But he did clarify that his opposition to the Congress shouldn't be interpreted as support for the BJP. To re-emphasise his point he even criticised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for arresting suspended IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt.

"Those who think that I am with the BJP are mentally unfit," Hazare said.