New Delhi, Oct. 18: A perceived political thrust has driven a wedge in Team Anna, prompting at least two activists to distance themselves from the platform.
Rajender Singh, known as “Water Man” for reviving water sources in Rajasthan, and Kerala land rights crusader P.V. Rajagopal today announced that they would dissociate themselves from Team Anna.
The divisions spilled out in the open on a day Arvind Kejriwal, the lead strategist considered instrumental in shifting the goal post from systemic changes to political change, was attacked in Lucknow. An assailant has been arrested but his antecedents and real motives were not established till tonight.
Singh and Rajagopal spoke out in the middle of another rift unfolding within the group over Kashmir, an issue that has landed Team Anna notable Prashant Bhushan in controversy.
Hazare seemed to signal in a blog post today that Bhushan, whose purported advocacy of a plebiscite in Kashmir had drawn the ire of fringe elements, may not be welcome in the team anymore. Hazare’s post said “some people talk incoherent things about Kashmir-related issues”.
“This is my active conviction that Kashmir is an integral part of India and will remain so. Today once again if I have to, am ready to take part in war against Pakistan,” according to Hazare’s post.
The fissures reflect not only the widening differences among the members of the group but also the challenges before the personality-based team in staying together in the absence of a cohesive structure.
Land rights activist Rajagopal quit the Hazare-led India Against Corruption’s core committee to protest the “political turn” the movement had taken by campaigning against the Congress in the Hisar Lok Sabha bypoll. Singh, an important sympathiser of the movement, said he did not want to be part of it anymore.
“I dissociate with the team. I supported this movement as it had not political party affiliations. They are now turning political. They made statements indicating in Hisar which betray this growing proximity to political parties. I do not want to be part of something that I consider wrong,” said Singh.
He criticised the team for becoming anti-democratic, citing the manner in which it was trying to force its version of the Lokpal bill on the country.
“I have sent a letter expressing my difficulty in continuing in the team. They (the team) have told me not to take any decision like this,” said Rajagopal, now leading a campaign in Kerala to demand land rights. Rajagopal sent the letter to Kejriwal, the convenor of the core committee.
Rajagopal complained of the core committee not being consulted before it was decided to campaign in Hisar, where the Congress came third. “There was no core group decision on Hisar. I will have difficulty in owning up decisions of individuals,” said Rajagopal.
A close aide of Rajagopal said that during a yatra, they faced questions on the decisions of Hazare and other members though the land activist was not involved in decision-making.
However, another key member Medha Patkar said too much was being made out of the so-called differences. She said such differences do crop up in any movement of this size and nature.
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