Team Anna targets Agnivesh over controversial video

New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) Swami Agnivesh, a close associate
of Indian social activist Anna Hazare, was the target of the
core Anna team which attacked him over a controversial video
posted on 'youtube' where he is purportedly telling a person
alleged to be a Indian Union Minister that government act
tough with the fasting Gandhian.
Agnivesh on his part claimed the video footage was
"doctored and concoted" and part of a smear campaign against
him and denied he was talking to Union Minister Kapil Sibal.
The minister was involved in negotiations during the intitial
stages of the stand-off between Team Anna and the Government.
Team Anna member Kiran Bedi alleged that Agnivesh has
been caught on camera where is asking a person after
addressing him as "Kapil", "Maharaj aap inko itna kyu de rahe
hai(Maharaj, why are you giving them so much?).
"Who's Maharaj? whether it is Kapil Sibal on the other
side. He said Sibal sahab, I heard that," she said.
Bedi accused Agnivesh of being absolutely unethical.
The core Anna Team and Agnivesh had developed differences
during the course of Hazare's fast.
Bedi told PTI that the footage has "shocked us all and
we are very uncomfortable" with it.
"Only he can answer this. He should own it or reject.
However it leaves no doubt. It obviously tell us what
happened. He should tell us who is the person whom he
mentioned in this," she added.
Agnivesh said, "These were lies and it is a cut and
paste job. There are several people in my personal circle
whose first name is Kapil. I never address political leaders
as 'Maharaj'. Kapil Maharaj could be anyobody" he said without
disclosing the identity of the person whom he was seen talking
to on the video footage.

In the video, Agnivesh is seen coming out of the ground
floor of a building, which could not be identified, talking
over phone.
He was heard talking about about Parliament's appeal to
Hazare to end his fast and the Gandhian's insistence on
continuing with his hunger strike.
Agnivesh allegedly said that what the other side was
doing against the government was not proper.
He purportedly tells the person on the other side that
government should not concede anything and deal firmly as they
were toughening their stand whenever government is conceding
something.
In the video, Agnivesh also referred to Parliament's
appeal and said that if Hazare is not ending his fast even
after a "big appeal" from the whole Parliament, then it was
not good.