Some core team members 'exploiting' Anna: ex-blogger

Anna Hazare is not allowed to take his own decisions or lead the anti-corruption movement on his own as some members of his core team "control" and "exploit" him, his former blogger Raju Parulekar has alleged.

Parulekar, who fell out with Hazare recently after the Gandhian distanced from him after a controversy erupted over restructuring of the core team, also alleged that key team members Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and Prashant Bhushan had no respect for the 74-year-old activist.

Parulekar claimed that the social activist had told him that Team Anna members were "nothing without him".

It was financial and health reasons that made Hazare stick to Kejriwal, Bedi and Bhushan, he said when asked what were Hazare's compulsions to retain them.

"Annaji would like to lead, but is not. He has started realising that this gang (Kejriwal, Bedi and Bhushan) is exploiting him. He knows that as long as they are there, the movement will not attract others who will work selflessly. This group is exploiting public sentiment against corruption for their own financial gain, fame and recognition," he claimed.

Asked whether Hazare was a free decision-maker, he said, "I don't think so. Annaji is controlled by these people. They have no respect for him, only for the brand he has become.

"He is weak and has a host of ailments, but all these people want him for is to fast. These people should be kicked out of the movement, otherwise, there will be no future for it," he said.

"As long as Hazare heads the movement, Parulekar said, the trio have their identities...but Kejriwal, Bedi and Bhushan have their own plans. They are opportunists."

He also claimed that the decision to write a Constitution for the movement was a "compromise" the 'gang' had reached with Hazare to stay in the core committee.

... contd.

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