KOCHI: Expressing his full support to the struggle by Anna Hazare, Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan on Tuesday said it was wrong on the part of the Centre to have taken such a stand against a peaceful protest. He told reporters that the action was reminiscent of the black days of Emergency. Stating that the action of the Centre was against all democratic norms, Achuthanandan said that only an autocratic regime could disallow such a democratic right to protest. Achuthanandan said though there were certain reservations on the style of Hazare’s protest, the Central Government has adopted the stand of monopolists.K T Thomas Chides Lokpal Detractors It is arrogant to think that team Hazare should not interfere in law-making process, retired Supreme Court Judge Justice K T Thomas has said. He was speaking at the book release of ‘Matham, Madhyamam, Adhikaram’, written by M V Benny in Kochi on Tuesday.“It is an autocratic attitude if the members of Parliament think so. Those who criticise the Lok Pal Bill should specify which provision is harmful,” he said. Justice Thomas saidPrevention of Corruption Act was not effective. “Influential people often escape from the case. In 2006, India’s position in the list of least-corrupted countries was 67, by 2011 it has gone down to 93,” he said.Calling for electoral reforms, Justice Thomas said that voting should be made mandatory and non-exercising of franchise should be a punishable offence.Justice Thomas said he stood with his opinion that the RSS should not be blamed for murdering Mahatma Gandhi. Dr B Ekbal received a copy of the book from Justice Thomas.Iyer Condemns ArrestCondemning the arrest of Anna Hazare, former Supreme Court judge V R Krishna Iyer has termed the government’s act as symbolic of ‘India behind bars’. Iyer said Hazare stood against corruption in a peaceful manner. He said it was the duty of every citizen to protest against the action of the Centre.SRP : HazareArrest ‘Undemocratic’CPM Poliburo member S Ramachandran Pillai has said the arrest of social activist Anna Hazare is undemocratic and untenable. “The government is encroaching on the freedom of people and thereby defying the rights of people to protest”, he told reporters at Thrissur Press Club on Tuesday. US is Behind Hazare: P C VishnunathThe US is behind Anna Hazare, P C Vishnunath MLA told mediapersons here on Tuesday. “The recent uprisings in Yemen, Bahrain and Egypt also had American backing. Now they are advising India about how to deal Hazare’s protest,” he added. The Youth Congress would stage march at various centres across the state on Wednesday protesting against Hazare’s actions.
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