Social activist Anna Hazare will restart his campaign against corruption and BJP government’s failure to bring back black money and its plans to amend the Land Acquisition Act through ordinance route. Hazare had successfully led the anti-corruption agitation during the reign of UPA government which forced the government to pass the Lokpal Bill. Can he challenge the BJP government this time? Is Anna directly supporting Congress? Is he being used by the Congress as a political tool to target the BJP?
The veteran activist had earlier praised Rahul Gandhi for the passage of Lokpal Bill. Anna’s campaign might partially upset BJP’s poll prospects. He was also being criticised for being going soft on BJP and targeting the Congress party through his agitation. The veteran social activist had clarified that he doesn’t want to associate with any political party and wants to eliminate corruption from the society.
NCP leader Jitendra Awhad said, “I don’t think Anna’s campaign will click this time. Congress had taken him seriously but Modi and BJP won’t do so. Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi had political ambitions and hence they made maximum and best use of Anna’s name.”
When asked whether Anna Hazare is being used as a political tool he refused to comment.
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) Chief Manikrao Thakre said, “Yes he will be successful this time. And I will support Anna’s campaign against corruption and black money.”
When asked whether Anna was relying on Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi’s support to make his campaign successful, Thakre replied he was unaware about it.
Congress leader Krishna Hegde said, “Anna is campaigning for bringing back black money which the BJP government had promised while campaigning for election. PM Modi himself has not fulfilled the promises he had made then. We all have now realised that, it was just talks and nil ground reality. Modi promised that he would credit 15 lakhs amount in every Indian’s account but that has yet not happened.”
“Everyone is waiting for the return of black money. Anna Hazare is a man of his own mind and is fighting against the government to fulfil the promises made by them.”
When asked if Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal will quit politics to support his campaign this time, he said, “Too much water has flown under the bridge, I don’t think they will quit.”
Hazare refused to be drawn into the subject of political slugfest going on between his two former proteges — Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal and BJP’s Kiran Bedi — in the Delhi assembly elections.
“Why do the media repeatedly pester me about Kiran [Bedi] and Arvind [Kejriwal] or the outcome of the Delhi election? There are so many burning issues that can be taken up instead” said Hazare.
“People were promised during Lok Sabha elections that black money will be brought back within 100 days (of BJP forming its government), that Rs 15 lakh will be deposited in the accounts of every citizen, but not even Rs 15 have come” he added.
