“India is an emerging economy. We are now emerging as one of the important players on the world stage. There are many forces that would not like to see India realise its true place in the Comity of Nations. We must not play into their hands. We must not create an environment in which our economic progress is hijacked by internal dissention,” the PM said in Lok Sabha.
On the other hand congress openly blamed a “foreign” hand being behind the Hazare’s protest and insinuated that the US is behind the agitation which is aimed to destabilise the Government and the country.
Anna Hazare has no organisation and no resources. And yet, we see coordinated text messages going out, synchronised movement of people. But he is alone. So, who is behind him? Asks Congress
Congress also raised questions on the US’ statement that India would exercise ‘appropriate democratic restraint’ in dealing with peaceful protest and asked the government to probe how a ‘lone’ civil rights activist is drawing support.
“US never supported any movement in India since its independence. For the first time, the US said that Anna Hazare’s movement should be allowed and there should be no obstruction to it. What was the need for the US to give this statement? … It needs to be considered whether there is any power which is supporting this movement which wants to destabilise not only the government but the country. We need to take the statement of the US seriously,” party spokesperson Rashid Alvi told media on Wednesday.
“All that I have said I have said on behalf of my party,”, Alvi said adding that “Government should inquire about it and find out the truth”. Alvi at the same time said: “There are some forces also within the country (that are supporting Hazare’s agitation from behind), which needs to be found out … I am not criticising the US or any other country. But we will have to find out the truth, why US is supporting this movement”?
Ahead of the proposed August 16 fast against corruption by Hazare, the US State Department spokesperson Victorial Nuland had said that India would exercise ‘appropriate democratic restraint’ in the way it deals with peaceful protest. The remarks drew a sharp response from India which termed as ‘needless’ and after that Nuland had yesterday exuded confidence in India’s ability to manage its ‘internal situation’ in consistent with democratic values.
“There are some forces in the world which do not want to see us strengthening. Which are those forces behind this movement need to be found out.” Alvi accused Hazare of ‘blackmail’ on the issue saying Parliament is supreme and laws cannot be made in Jai Prakash Narayan Park, the proposed venue of Hazare’s protest.
