On Board PM's Special Plane, Apr 16 : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tonight said he respects social activist Anna Hazare as an “important leader” who has done well in rural development for which the whole nation appreciates him.
“As far as Anna Hazareji is concerned, I respect (him) as an important leader who has done a lot of good work in rural development and this is why the whole country respects him,” Singh told accompanying journalists while returning from a two-nation tour of China and Kazakhstan.
He was responding when asked whether Hazare's recent fast-unto-death and the accompanying public support reflected erosion of the country's political society.
To another question about his recent statement on “shifting of power” to people and whether it had domestic context also, Singh said “there is both. We have to take note of the fact that pepole's power is something to be reckoned with. It is also happening internationally, in the Middle East, North Africa.”
He, however, quickly added that he would not “like to pronounce authoritatively that I have an answer to what has gone wrong in that region.”
Despite persistent attack from Opposition on various issues over the last few months, the Prime Minister said he was “not disturbed” and that he was hopeful that the “winter” would go away.“Well, I am not disturbed. But I have always believed when winter comes, can spring be far behind,” he remarked.
He was responding when asked whether the persistent attack by opposition on him over the last several months had disturbed him.Asked when he would fulfil his promise of another reshuffle of his Council of Ministers, the Prime Minister indicated that it would be some time away.“Well, there is still some time to go,” he responded. PTI
