Anna hits back at Digvijaya,slams his faulty thinking

Letter: Rejects RSS claim of involvement in Lokpal protest

Anna Hazare has responded to Digvijaya Singhs recent criticisms and open letter to him,rejecting the suggestion that he had presidential ambitions,and denouncing the RSSs claim of involvement with the Jan Lokpal movement as an attempt to defame him.

The activist assailed the faulty thinking of both the Congress leader and his party,which he predicted will not take this country ahead but will hold it back.

Singh had accused Hazare of never raising his voice against the BJP,alleged that his aides were using him,and cited a statement by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat as proof of RSS backing for his movement.

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In an eight-page letter written in Hindi,Hazare said that Singh should know that six ministers in Maharashtras Shiv Sena-BJP government had been forced to resign because of his protests. He had visited Madhya Pradesh on Singhs insistence,Hazare said,because he believed Singh was doing good work Had you tried to do this work,the people might not have tried to remove you (as CM).

Hazare said that he was a believer,and hence I swear in the name of God that during my 12-day fast at Ramlila Maidan,I neither met nor saw a single RSS worker. If (Mohan) Bhagwat has claimed that they (RSS) were involved in the Jan Lokpal movement,then I believe that like your party (Congress) is trying to defame me,the RSS is also trying to defame me. Or probably both have conspired to do so.

On the alleged letter written to Hazare by an RSS pracharak,which Singh cited,Hazare said,I receive 150-200 letters every day from individuals,organisations and political parties. How can you cite any of these as evidence against me? People of India wont be misled by such false allegations.

Hazare reminded Singh that as chief minister,he had formed a joint committee with civil society to decide on giving more powers to the Gram Sabha.

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Has some miracle taken place that you are suddenly feeling that civil society is extra-constitutional? Hazare asked,adding,Your (such) thoughts will not take this country ahead but will hold it back. Thats why I sometimes feel that the Congress party will not be able to give this country a bright future due to its faulty thinking.

He attacked Singhs claim that the Congress was honest about bringing a strong Lokpal bill. In July (this year in Pune) you said that the Congress party supports Suresh Kalmadi and Ashok Chavan. Is this your honesty?… You attacked innocent women and children at Baba Ramdevs protest which the whole world condemned. Is this your honesty?

Hazare rejected Singhs claim that the NDA had offered him the post of president. I have neither the ability nor the ambition to be president, Hazare wrote. I dont know why the Congress and BJP are shooting in the air.