Anna's fast: Cong says US remarks oblivious to Indian reality

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Congress today dismissed comments by the US State Department on Anna Hazare's planned agitation from August 16, saying the remarks were 'completely oblivious to Indian reality'.

"We do wish the State Department spokesperson should have checked up facts, the context and the ground reality before making these sweeping generalisations which have no basis at all," party spokesman Manish Tewari said.

He said the remarks reflected that the State Department spokesperson is 'completely oblivious to the Indian reality'.

Replying to a question on the anti-corruption agitation in India, US State Department spokesperson on Victoria Nuland, during a daily briefing in Washington, said: "As you know, we support the right of peaceful, non-violent protest around the world. That said, India is a democracy and we count on India to exercise appropriate democratic restraint in the way it deals with peaceful protest."

Team Anna Hazare has declared they will go ahead with an indefinite fast in New Delhi beginning on August 16 for a stronger Lokpal (ombudsman) bill, and has called for tightening the draft anti-corruption legislation.