New Delhi: Anna Hazare came under fire from political parties for his controversial comments that alcoholics should be flogged and shamed in public, a prescription dubbed by Congress and CPI as a Taliban-type action.
CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta on Wednesday criticised Anna Hazare, saying decision to drink or smoke is a personal affair.
"Anna Hazare is mad. He is talking like a Talibani. If a person wants to drink or smoke that is his personal affair. Now, it seems that Anna Hazare is going away from the main track," he said.
Anna's way of going after drunkards came to the fore when he spoke of how he got people in his native village here in Maharashtra to give up drinking. He however advocated giving prior warnings before taking any such steps.
BJP leader Shahnawaz Husain said, "Constitution has given us the right to speak but we should speak responsibly. while replying also the same constraint should be maintained. If the issue/ menace of liquor consumers/drunkards is to be taken up, it has to be within the framework of the constitution and law. If a policy is needed that it has to be made, but wrong to say something like this."
RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav said, "It does not suit a Gandhian like Anna Hazare to talk of violence against those who consume alcohol. Beating people can't be a solution. He should take his words back."
Congress leader Rashid Alvi said, "Wrong to have made such comments by him."
Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari when asked for his reaction equated Hazare's suggestion to the way Taliban used to punish those who did not comply with the Sharia law.
"I think the Taliban used to say the same thing. By that analogy, you will possibly have to flog half of Kerala, three-fourth of Andhra Pradesh and about four-fifth of Punjab. Therefore that's quite a tall order."
The anti-corruption crusader had said that if anyone after drinking creates trouble he would be simply warned thrice because he is 'our man'. The person will also be made to understand that it is not good to drink.
"But even after warning him thrice if he again drinks then we will take him to temple and he has to swear by God that he won't drink in future. And even after all this he drinks then we will tie him up to the electric pole in front of the temple and then beat him up so that he gets scared," he said.
Hazare justified this type of approach saying it is for the benefit of alcoholics since it will force them to get rid of their habit of drinking out of shame after getting beaten in public.
According to Hazare, alcoholics who have been reformed have told him that but for the action of public flogging they would have lost everything.
The 74-year-old anti-corruption crusader's approach to combat alcoholism also kicked up a debate in the cyberspace with some bloggers saying the Gandhian is exceeding his 'mandate' and that he should not go 'overboard' and remain focussed on his campaign to fight graft.
(With additional inputs from PTI)
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