Cong attacks Hazare on Sawant report on graft, Gandhian hits back

New Delhi, Aug 14 (PTI) Indian National Congress Sunday
upped the ante against Anna Hazare ahead of his planned fast
on the Lokpal issue from Tuesday asking him to come clean on
allegations of corruption, citing the Sawant Commission probe
report.
The 74-year old anti-graft crusader on his part dared
the ruling party to prove the charges or he will continue with
the fast even if civil society's version of Lokpal bill is
cleared in Parliament, as Congress and Government on one side
and Hazare and his team on the other launched a no holds
barred attack against each other.
Congress spokesman Manish Tewary alleged that Justice P
B Sawant Commission had ripped apart the "moral core" of
Hazare as it "found him steeped in corruption from head to
toe" and asked him to clarify its "serious findings" against
him and his trusts before launching the agitation.
The Commission had probed corruption charges levelled
by Hazare in 2003 against four ministers in the then
Maharashtra government and also allegations of irregularities
against Trusts run by him.
"I want the government to lodge an FIR against me and
conduct an inquiry," he said responding to the allegations of
the Congress which had cited the report of Sawant Committee.
Addressing a press conference here, Hazare said he will
not call of his proposed fast on Lokpal issue till his name is
cleared or the charges are proved.
"Even if Jan Lokpal Bill (the version of civil society)
is cleared in Parliament, I will not call off my indefinite
fast, till the charges levelled against are proved or my name
is cleared. Is this how people are maligned?" Hazare asked.
"Congress receives crores of rupees as donation from
people. Where are the details? Who knows about it?" Hazare
asked, as activist Arvind Kejriwal demanded that Congress
make public its source of funding within 24 hours.
Sawant, whose probe found that an amount of Rs 2.2 lakhs
was diverted from Hazare's trust for his birthday
celebrations, Sunday said this action amounted to
"corruption."
HRD Minister Kapil Sibal rejected the Gandhian's
contention that it was crushing his Constitutional rights by
not allowing his protest at a desired venue, saying the right
to protest does not mean right to protest at the place of
"your choice".
Hazare said the Sawant Commission has not pointed
fingers at him and instead named three of the four then
ministers of western Indian state Maharashtra against whom
there were complaints.
Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee also targeted
Hazare asserting he wAs challenging the constitutional
authority of Parliament, which is "not acceptable."
Addressing a news conference in Delhi, Sibal and Union
I and B Minister Ambika Soni slammed Hazare for his letter to
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday, saying the
language used in the letter is not Gandhian from any point of
view.
Asking if Anna can give a "guarantee" in writing that
one instrument like Lokpal will end corruption, Soni said,"
"people are being misled that corruption is out as soon as
Lokpal is in."
Reacting to Hazare's allegation that the government was
putting impediments in his proposed fast, Sibal said, "the
right to protest does not mean right to protest at a place of
your choice. There is no right to protest at place of your
choice and convenience.
At his briefing, Tewari said, "The fast from August 16
has nothing to do with either the issue of corruption or the
Lokpal bill. If that was the case Hazare would have first
clarified the grave charges.
What is his clarification about the serious
findings...The nation wants to know. I think Hazare and his
associates will need to answer conclusions of Sawant
Commission.