Bhubaneswar: Expressing disenchantment with party-based politics, anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare on Tuesday launched a `second freedom struggle` to send more farmer representatives to Parliament by 2024.
Stating the first struggle took 90 years from 1857 to 1947 to get Independence, he said, "Now, the second goal of establishing real democracy and power in villages may require above 10 years from today."
Speaking at a farmer`s convention `Jai Kisan Mahasamabesh` here, he said, "We would like to see about 100 to 125 farmer representatives in Parliament by 2024. I know we may not send a greater number of farmer representatives to Parliament in the 2014 elections. It may take 10 years to achieve the goal.
"Had the governments taken villages as centres for development, India would have been different. But, they develop towns and help corporates which backfires as India lives in villages. The people sitting in Delhi should not be allowed to decide fate of villagers," Hazare said, criticising the economic policy of successive governments.
He said that the dream of a government by the people, for the people and of the people was not fulfilled in the process.
