Anna Hazare threatens to restart agitation

Nashik, Sep 8 (UNI) Veteran social activist Anna Hazare today warned the Maharashtra government that he would restart the agitation on November 16, if the latter did not initiate action against the guilty cooperative credit societies and cooperative urban banks.

Mr Hazare was addressing the North Maharashtra Divisional meet of depositors and account holders of cooperative urban banks and credit societies. Despite earlier promises by the cooperative urban banks and credit societies to return the money of their depositors, these institutions could not do so as they are facing financial crisis due to defaulters and mismanagement of funds by the directors of these respective financial organisations.

Earlier, Mr Hazare had decided to observe a 'silent' agitation and then hunger strike from August 15, the call for which was given on June 5. But he postponed the agitation by three months to provide the government time to take legal action against such financial institutions as suggested by Maharashtra Cooperative Minster Patangrao Kadam, Cooperative department secretary Ratnakar Gaikwad and Cooperative department commissioner Anil Diggikar.

He reiterated the demands, including complete closure of class 'D' financial institutions, attachment of properties of directors who provided loans against rules to their kins, return of the deposits to the various depositors, criminal action against responsible directors for the financial problems of such institutions.

Besides these, other demands include action against all directors found guilty under sections 73, 83 and 88 till November 15, merger of closed financial instituions, action against officers responsible for the financial crisis in such institutions and various other demands.

Failure of this will provoke agitation from November 16, during which the activists of the Bhrashtachar Virodhi Janandolan (public movement against corruption), Urban Cooperative Bank Credit Society Depositors and Thevidar Bachav Samiti (Save Depositors Committees), will submit memoranda to collectors in their districts, the activist said.

Mr Hazare said during this period, he will observe 'silent' (No talk) agitation from November 26. Then, he will observe hunger strike, following which a statewide agitation will begin.

Thevidar Bachav Samiti president Dr D L Karad and other activists were present on the occasion. The meet was attended by depositors from Nashik, Ahmednagar, Dhule, Nandurbar and Jalgaon districts.

UNI