Under attack from fasting social activist Anna Hazare and civil society groups, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has resigned from the Group of Ministers (GoM) on corruption, saying he does not want to be “associated” with it any more.
The Nationalist Congress Party chief has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying he would not attend the sittings of the panel any more. The panel, headed by Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, has had two sittings so far.
Mr. Pawar's decision came a few hours after he said at a press conference he would be happy if he was “removed from all GoMs, including the one on corruption.” However, sources in the PMO said no resignation letter was received from Mr. Pawar.
