Denying reports that Anna Hazare had close connections with the late Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Nanaji Deshmukh, key Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said the allegation was part of the Congress' “tactics” to divert attention from the Lokpal Bill.
A section of the media reported on Sunday that the social activist was closely associated with Deshmukh, a Sangh pracharak. “The Congress government is targeting Anna unnecessarily by spreading such rumours. Even the former President, Abdul Kalam, and Congress leader Digvijay Singh have been photographed with Deshmukh,” Mr. Kejriwal said, addressing the media on the MMRDA grounds in suburban Mumbai, where Mr. Hazare will observe fast from December 27.
“What is the mistake of Anna Hazare? That he is raising his voice against corruption? He has got medals from the Army,” Mr. Kejriwal said, adding a wrong message was being spread about the anti-corruption crusader.
Hitting out at the UPA government, Mr. Kejriwal said: “The government is provoking us by saying Anna is an RSS agent.”
He alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation was formed only to help and protect the government, and that it was not an agency meant to end corruption.
“The CBI is under the government's thumb. Whenever the government wants support from someone, they put CBI after them. Take the example of Mayawati and Mulayam Singh. The CBI should be taken out of the government,” Mr. Kejriwal said, adding that even in the 2G scam, the agency did not initiate any action until orders came from the Supreme Court.
