Indore: At a time when the Aam Admi Party (AAP) is facing infighting and rebellion from senior party members, social activist Swami Agnivesh has made a scathing attack on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and claimed that the former RTI activist wanted his ‘mentor’ Anna Hazare to die during his anti-corruption movement in Delhi in 2011.
Agnivesh, who once strongly backed Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement, blamed Kejriwal’s alleged “dictatorial tendency” responsible for the present crisis facing his party.
“Kejriwal has dictatorial tendency. He doesn’t allow anyone to stand before him. I have witnessed his attitude during anti-corruption movement led by social worker Anna Hazare,” 75-year-old Agnivesh told reporters.
“I had warned Prashant Bhushan of Kejriwal’s behaviour during the movement. But Bhushan maintained silence over it. Today, he is bearing the brunt of Kejriwal’s attitude and the AAP is constantly being rattled by differences,” he made this revelation at an Arya Samaj event in Nagada of Ujjain district.
Agnivesh, who was closely associated with the India Against Corruption movement initially, claimed that the AAP chief had “forced” Hazare to extend his indefinite fast during the agitation.
“I stand witness to Kejriwal’s words that Hazare can stretch his indefinite hunger strike for 10-15 days more even after the government had agreed upon considering their demand during the anti-graft agitation. Kejriwal had even said that revolution needs sacrifice,” Agnivesh said.
Agnivesh also questioned Hazare saying, “Hazare, despite being aware of all happenings around, favoured Kejriwal. AAP was born out after hijacking anti-corruption agitation.”
He further claimed that Kejriwal used donation of Rs 5.50 crore, contributed for anti-corruption campaign, to form the AAP.
To a poser, he said, “Hazare has kept the Jan Lokpal issue on the back burner and started the Opposition to the Land Acquisition Bill. It looks he (Hazare) is doing so, to be in news. However, I fully respect him.”
Expressing concern over the recent Naxals attacks on security forces in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, he said that family of each martyr should get Rs 1 crore.
The government should look forward to resolve the Naxal problem through dialogue, he added.
