Hazare takes referendum to Amethi

After claiming mass support to its version of the jan lokpal bill in telecom minister Kapil Sibal's parliamentary constituency Chandni Chowk, Anna Hazare's team is now conducting a similar 'referendum' in Amethi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi. Aurangzeb Naqshbandi reports.

After claiming mass support to its version of the jan lokpal bill in telecom minister Kapil Sibal's parliamentary constituency Chandni Chowk, Anna Hazare's team is now conducting a similar 'referendum' in Amethi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi.

Volunteers of many NGOs, associated with Hazare-led India Against Corruption (IAC) have already distributed 50,000 forms in the five assembly segments — Tiloi, Salon, Jagdishpur, Gauriganj and Amethi — falling under the constituency, a pocket borough of the Gandhi family.

First elected from Amethi in 2004 general elections, Rahul retained the seat in 2009. Prior to him, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi have represented the constituency.

"We are conducting a referendum in Amethi between July 25 and August 9, during which we plan to distribute at least one lakh forms, containing questions about the lokpal bill," said Sanjay Singh, the in-charge of the programme.

"The result will be declared on August 9, when we will also be burning the copies of the government's version of the lokpal bill," Singh said.

Hazare team member Arvind Kejriwal confirmed the development, saying it was solely an initiative of the volunteers in Uttar Pradesh.

The Congress reacted sharply to the survey. "The problem with the janlokpal ethos is that some eminences are trying to muscle out a role for themselves in public affairs without going through the rigours of an electoral process. If they are so confident of themselves, they can come to Parliament through elections and then trample with the constitution in the manner in which they feel like, if the judiciary allows them to do so," party spokesman Manish Tewari said.

Similar surveys are being conducted in Maharashtra’s Mumbai, Nagpur, Wardha and Amravati and also in constituencies of corporate affairs minister M Veerappa Moily and BJP leader Ananth Kumar.