Government behaving like an autocrat: BJP

Castigating Congress leaders and ministers for allegedly targeting social activist Anna Hazare and yoga guru Ramdev on the Lokpal issue, Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday alleged that the Centre was behaving like an autocrat.

Congress ministers and leaders were talking of 'teaching a lesson' to Hazare like Ramdev, who was forcibly bundled out of Delhi, for his announcement on launching of an indefinite fast from August 16 to bring a powerful Lokpal Bill, Bihar BJP chief C P Thakur told reporters.

"Everybody has the fundamental right to launch agitation to protest against policies or decisions of the Centre. Any repressive measure in this connection will be construed as nothing but autocracy and insult to human values," he said.

"It is sad to have such comments from representatives of a democratic government," Thakur said and lashed out at the Manmohan Singh government for its alleged failures to check corruption.

Corruption has reached such a level that it was endangering the security of the country, said Thakur adding that BJP would take the agitation against corruption to village-to-block level.