NEW DELHI – Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi may have followed Anna Hazare’s method to fast for harmony in the state and even lavishly praised the anti-corruption activist but Hazare’s team is far from happy with him.
Team Anna members Prashant Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday hit out at Modi and questioned the motive of his fast, which they termed was a “state-sponsored show for furthering his political ambitions.”
They also criticised the Gujarat government’s opposition to the appointment of lokayukta in the state, saying “Modi should explain why is he was afraid of the anti-corruption ombudsman in the state?”
Bhushan said Hazare did not require words of praise from the likes of Modi, “who have done everything to deny justice to the victims of 2002 Gujarat riots.”
Bhushan said: “Modi’s fast was for personal and political gains. We want to know from him who spent the money for the mega event. If public money has been spent, we consider it as an act of corruption.”
“He (Modi) used the state machinery to keep the riots victims terrorised. The talk of Sadbhavna smacks of hypocrisy,” the activist lawyer remarked.
Team Anna also took on Modi on the issue of appointment of lokayukta in Gujarat. “If Modi is so keen on fighting corruption, then first of all he should answer why he has opposed the appointment of the lokayukta in his state,” Hazare’s team said.
Kejrwial said the Gujarat government is contemplating a special assembly session to amend the Lokayukta Act in the state. “The intention is to give the chief minister more powers in appointing the anti-corruption ombudsman.”
He also took a dig at the anti-corruption yatra of BJP leader LK Advani. “We don’t need more yatras. Let the parties bring Jan Lokayukta bills in their states,” he said.
