Attack on Anna to make him realize how it hurts: Cong sources

New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) Ahead of his indefinite fast from
Tuesday, Congress on Monday gave signal that its sharp attack
on social activist Anna Hazare was a one-off affair to make
the Gandhian realise how one is hurt by such assaults.
"Congress has never been in favour of personal attacks,
not in favour of such attacks and we don't intend to make such
attacks," party sources said tonight.
The sources said Sunday's no-holds-barred attack by
All India Congress Committee (AICC) when the party had alleged
that a Commission found him "steeped in corruption from head
to toe" was in response to Hazare often targeting Congress.
The letter written by him to the Prime Minister was also in
"bad taste", they added.
The party had Sunday launched a scathing attack on
Hazare saying he should first clarify the "serious" findings
against him by Justice P B Sawant Commission that had probed
graft charges and accused him of attempting to bring
instability in the country.
It had also charged Hazare with systematically attempting
to bring instability in the country and insulting Parliament
before which the Lokpal bill(anti-corruption ombudsman bill)
has been brought.
The sources, however, said that at Sunday's press
conference, the party on its own did not make any allegation
against Hazare but only referred to the findings of a
Commission headed by a Supreme Court judge.
It was only intended to let him feel how it hurts when
such attacks are made as he had not showed that sensitivity
towards others. The attacks were made because he had crossed
all "limits", the sources said.
The party's statement comes on a day when Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh held confabulations with senior party leaders
and Rahul Gandhi at the AICC headquarters in the backdrop of
the wake of the situation arising out of Anna Hazare's
proposed fast.