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Indian PM: Anti-corruption protest 'misconceived' | |
(40 minutes later) | |
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has told parliament that the hunger strike by the anti-corruption activist, Anna Hazare, is "totally misconceived". | |
He said the 74-year-old was trying to circumvent democracy by demanding an overhaul of anti-corruption legislation. | |
Mr Hazare has rejected an offer by the state to free him from a jail in Delhi. | |
He says he will remain in prison unless he can continue the protest stopped by his arrest on Tuesday. | |
Protests backing his campaign have been gathering momentum across the country. | |
Hundreds of supporters have gathered outside the jail, many carrying the Indian flag and shouting "Down with corruption" and "Hail Mother India". | |
Supreme Court lawyers have announced they will march to show their support for Mr Hazare, while auto-rickshaw drivers have gone on strike. | |
'Grave consequences' | |
Mr Hazare and at least 1,200 of his supporters were arrested at a park in the capital on Tuesday morning, hours before he was due to begin his "fast unto death". | |
The government denied it was stifling a democratic protest, saying the protesters had been detained because they had not accepted the police's restrictions on the number of fasting days and participants. | |
As public anger mounted, officials ordered Mr Hazare's release. But he refused to leave jail before the police dropped the conditions they set for his freedom. | |
However, there is no sign yet that the government is prepared to allow that to happen, says the BBC's Mark Dummett in Delhi. | |
Speaking in parliament, Mr Singh argued that the arrests had been justified and that Mr Hazare's campaign amounted to a challenge to the authority of the government, which he was duty bound to protect. | |
"I acknowledge that Anna Hazare may be inspired by high ideals," he said. "However, the path that he has chosen to impose a draft of the bill on parliament is totally misconceived and fraught with grave consequences for our parliamentary democracy. | |
"Those who believe that their voice and their voice alone represents the will of 1.2 billion people should reflect deeply on that position. | |
"They must allow the elected representatives of the people in parliament to do the job that they were elected for." | |
The prime minister's speech was constantly interrupted by opposition MPs, many of whom jeered and shouted "shame". | |
Our correspondent says a prolonged stand-off between the two sides looks possible, with demonstrations being held in Delhi and a number of other cities, and the government's options looking limited. | |
'Fundamental right' | |
Mr Hazare is reported to have spent Tuesday night at one of the rooms in the administrative block of Tihar jail. | |
A member of the India Against Corruption (IAC) movement, Gaurav Bakshi, told the BBC that Mr Hazare was determined to continue to his hunger strike. | |
"He must be allowed to sit the fast that he was originally asking for at JP Park with no conditions attached to it," he said. | |
"His basic fundamental reason is that his fundamental right as a citizen of the country - the freedom to fast and protest in any manner anywhere in the country peacefully - has been taken away with 22 conditions imposed. He is against that and he is continuing with the fast where he is." | |
Mr Bakshi said he had the support of Indians all over the world, who realised this was an "opportunity to clean up the country". | |
"I think the entire country is sick and tired of essentially fools leading this country. The people have had enough," he added. | |
Mr Hazare has called the proposed anti-graft legislation a "cruel joke" and has described the fight against corruption as the "second war of independence". | |
He says the new anti-corruption ombudsman - Lokpal - should be able to investigate anyone, including the prime minister and senior judges. | |
India has recently been hit by a string of high-profile corruption scandals, including a multi-billion dollar alleged telecoms scam, alleged financial malpractices in connection with the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games and allegations that houses for war widows were diverted to civil servants. | India has recently been hit by a string of high-profile corruption scandals, including a multi-billion dollar alleged telecoms scam, alleged financial malpractices in connection with the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games and allegations that houses for war widows were diverted to civil servants. |
Critics of the government say the scandals point to a pervasive culture of corruption in Mr Singh's administration. | Critics of the government say the scandals point to a pervasive culture of corruption in Mr Singh's administration. |
A recent survey said corruption in Asia's third largest economy had cost billions of dollars and threatened to derail growth. |