Clear divisions appeared in Team Anna on Friday as two key members of the civil society -- Justice Santosh Hegde andSwami Agnivesh -- slammed it for continuing with its hard line even after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed to an open debate in Parliament over the issue of Jan Lokpal.
The former Lokayukta of Karnataka, Justice Hedge, said Anna Hazare should end his fast and even hinted that he was being used by some members of Team Anna.
Hegde said that while Anna could be used as a tool of change for very good causes, he could also be misused. There were many people with their own agenda in this group, he felt.
"Sometimes I feel that I am not in Team Anna... that's what I feel. I am with him (Anna), but too far away," Hegde said.
Hegde also said that the manner in which the government was treating Anna was not good. "Yesterday the prime minister said that the Bill will be passed in both Houses, today the minister for parliamentary affairs has said that it will not be done because no notice was issued. We have been seeing this for the last 10 days," he said.
Reacting to Rahul Gandhi's speech in the Lok Sabha over the Lokpal issue, Hegde said, "I agree with Rahul Gandhi that a constitutional institution is good, but it will take years for the Bill to be passed. Let them accept the Bill. If they want people to die, let them say so."
Few people have hijacked Anna's movement: Agnivesh
Swami Agnivesh too was hard-hitting alleging that Anna was being misguided by his key associates Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal. Agnivesh, who has been part of the back channel talks, said he pulled himself out of the campaign to retain self-respect.
"Few people have hijacked Anna Hazare's movement. People running the show are being disrespectful," Agnivesh said insisting that Anna should have called off his fast after the prime minister's appeal.
Khairnar calls Anna's intention suspect
Mumbai's former deputy municipal commissioner G.R. Khairnar, known for his honesty as a government servant and a former Anna associate, went up to the extent of calling the anti-graft crusader a fraud.
Khairnar accused Team Anna of whipping public sentiment to their advantage and slammed them for being arrogant and unreasonable.
Anna can't blackmail government: Kumar Ketkar
Senior journalist Kumar Ketkar also trained his guns on Team Anna. He lashed out at them for their stubborn outlook.
Ketkar minced no words in slamming Team Anna's approach as sickening and cynical. He termed Anna as a megalomaniac and said that his campaign would have to eventually bend before Parliament's sovereignty.
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