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Rediff.com  » News » Anna's rubbishes corruption charges, dares govt

Anna's rubbishes corruption charges, dares govt

By Onkar Singh
August 14, 2011 19:41 IST
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Social Activist Anna Hazare hit back at Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari for making false allegations against him and challenged the government to register a First Information Report against him and investigate the claims made by Tewari at a press conference.

Tewari had quoted extracts from Justice P B Sawant commission report, saying that Anna was corrupt, and had no moral right to lead a crusade against corruption.

"I seek unconditional apology from the Congress and the government for levelling false and malicious allegations against me that I was involved in corruption. I dare them to register an FIR against me and investigate," Hazare he told newsmen at a hurriedly convened press conference to put across his side of the story.

"Let them prove the allegations that I had taken even Rs 100 from someone. I would continue my fast until the allegations are retracted," he said.

Anna claimed that P B Sawant Commission was constituted by the Maharashtra government at his bidding, when he had named four ministers involved in corruption. He named the ministers and claimed that one of them had paid Rs 30,000 to get him liquidated, while another minister foisted 11 cases against him in various states to harass him.

"The Commissions findings are against those ministers and not against me," he said.

"My first priority is to ensure that the Jan Lokpal bill is adopted in letter and spirit. Then I plan to launch another movement against acquisition of farmers' land by the building mafia," he said.

"I appeal to everyone to keep our movement non-violent. Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal says that the language which I used in my letter to prime minister isn't Gandhian. If some people do not understand the language of Gandhiji, then I speak to them in the language of Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj," he said.

He denied that he had misappropriated any money from any of the trusts floated by him for celebrating his birthday.

"I am against celebrating birthdays. Some of the friends insisted that I should celebrate my birthday when I turned 61. The money used from the trust was reimbursed by my friends. How is it corruption then?" he asked.

His close associate Kiran Bedi said that anyone who does not follow Anna's instructions and tried to damage public property should be treated as intruder, and not a volunteer of the movement. 

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Onkar Singh in New Delhi
 
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