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New Delhi:
Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare Wednesday confirmed his
"separation" from his former team and from key associate Arvind
Kejriwal on the issue of forming a political party and directed
that his photographs or name should not be used for political
campaigning.
Formalizing a split with his team and opposing the movement taking
a political plunge, Anna said: "I will not go with any political
party or form any political party."
"It is unfortunate that Team Anna has separated," Anna said after
a meeting with other social activists who were members of
erstwhile Team Anna to decide future course of action.
Anna told social activists: "Do not use my photo or name for any
political campaigning. Do whatever you can on your own basis."
"The meeting was attended by Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran
Bedi, Prashant Bhushan, Santosh Hegde, Manish Sisodia, Kumar
Vishwas and a few other prominent social activists, Aswathi
Muralidharan, India Against Corruption media coordinator, told
IANS.
Anna said: "My best wishes are with them (activist thinking to
form political party). There is no harm in it. If they think that
they can get majority in parliament, it is good. The paths have
been separated. Both of us have chosen our separate paths."
Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that "country is on sale and passing
through very difficult phase. "I will do everything possible for
me to save my country," he added.
Kiran Bedi supported Anna's decision and tweeted: "Anna finally
distances himself from political option. Moves to strengthen the
movement. May bring together anti-corruption movements."
Hazare refused to accept the survey done by IAC for forming
political party and said he does not agree with the exercise done
through social networking sites.
Anna said that he will lead his war for Lokpal bill till election
2014. "Now it is that the government has to decide whether bring
Lokpal or my death," he said.
Anna Hazare Tuesday said he did not support the idea of
anti-corruption movement taking a political plunge and told Arvind
Kejriwal that he should not expect his support for all his
candidates.
"He (Kejriwal) will go his way and I will go mine. I have always
stated that I don't want to form a political party and contest
elections. My path is different," Hazare has said Tuesday in Pune.
The social activist's declaration that he would neither contest
elections nor form a political party effectively threw cold water
on a "referendum" by IAC, the results of which were released
Monday.
According to IAC, its week-long survey attracted 737,041
respondents, of whom 561,701 (76 percent) favoured a political
party while the rest were against the idea.
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