Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "allergic" to me: Anna Hazare

NEW DELHI: Stepping up his attack on the government over the land acquisition bill, Anna Hazare today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "allergic" to him due to which he does not expect any talk with Modi on the issue.

Hazare also said that he will launch a three-month long padyatra from Maharashtra's Wardha to Delhi which he said would culminate with a "jail bharo andolan" in the capital.

The 77-year-old anti-graft crusader assailed the government's move to get the proposed legislation passed in Parliament, saying it was as draconian as the Ordinance.

"I want to make it very clear that if there is no change in the modified bill, there would be no change in my movement," Hazare told a press conference at Maharashtra Sadan here.

On being asked whether he would meet the Prime Minister to deliberate over the issue, he said, "Narendra Modi has allergy to my name. He is allergic to me so he won't call me for any talk."

Hazare said the padyatra would be launched following a meeting at Sevagram in Maharashtra, a place associated with Mahatma Gandhi.

"The meeting will be held on March 9 at Wardha which will be attended by all like-minded activists from across the country. There we will finalise our future course of action including the date of launching the padyatra," he said.

Accusing the Modi-led government of running a "dictatorship", he said "unilateral" decisions such as removing the mandatory 80 per cent consent clause for specific projects will take the country back instead of taking it forward.

"Why are you against public hearing in Gram Sabhas? Gram Sabhas and public hearings are bigger than forums such as the Parliament or State Assemblies. Gram Sabha is the mother of Lok Sabha," he said.

The yatra, Hazare said, would be aimed at generating awareness over the pitfalls of the bill among the people and to spread the message in every corner of the country.

The veteran activist slammed the government for not taking steps towards "land mapping" or "grading" of land, saying that the current dispensation was meting out more "injustice" than the Congress-led UPA government.

To a question whether he would meet Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who has reportedly sought time to meet him, Hazare said, "My doors are open to all".

However, he said political parties won't be a part of the proposed padyatra as they would otherwise "hijack" the movement.

On the presence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Vaiko of MDMK, CPI's Atul Anjan and several other political leaders at his Jantar Mantar rally on February 24, Hazare said they were "taken up" on stage by people.

Hazare also rubbished reports that he availed himself of the services of a chartered flight for his journey from Pune to Delhi and showed a copy of "his" Air India boarding card to buttress the claim.