Paswan says Hazare trying to bring mob rule by blackmailing government

New Delhi: Criticizing social activist Anna Hazare's movement, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ram Vilas Paswan has said that the 74-year-old anti-graft crusader was trying to bring a mob rule by blackmailing the government by sitting on fasts when his demands were not fulfilled.

"The bone of contention is whether this country will function under democracy or 'mobocracy'. The battle is between these two thoughts. This is an important issue. We are not the only one who is raising this issue; recently the decision pronounced by the Mumbai High court was an eye opener. The Mumbai High Court had clearly said that it might be an agitation but it may be nuisance for others," Paswan told the media here.

Paswan further said that people were slowly drifting apart from Hazare's movement due to his adamant and stubborn attitude toward the lawmakers who were elected by the people of the country.

"Slowly people are drafting away from Anna Hazare's movement so he should not make it a question of pride. The matter is before the Parliament. Let the Parliament decide," added Paswan.

Team Anna and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre have locked horns over the Lokpal Bill issue, with the former stating that the Bill''s latest version is ''weak'', while the latter says that it has gone out of its way to incorporate the views of all sections of society.

Meanwhile, Hazare, who is spearheading the movement for a strong Lokpal, began his three-day fast in Mumbai to pressurise the government to accept their demands including bringing the CBI under the ambit of the anti-corruption ombudsman.