Team A fast begins on disruptive note

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Team Anna on Wednesday began their indefinite fast on an acrimonious note amidst an alleged group of NSUI indulging in slogan shouting against RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal at the protest venue at Jantar Mantar.

While Team Anna launched attack on the UPA and targeted President Pranab Mukherjee too, Union law minister Salman Khurshid did not lose the opportunity of taking a dig at Team Anna and advised the group to approach “United Nations” for redressal of their grievances, as their allegations have been rejected by the Supreme Court.

Immediately after Team Anna commenced their indefinite fast, a group of around 20 people rose in the crowd, all wearing “I am Anna” caps, and shouted slogans against Mr Kejriwal. Activists of India Against Corruption (IAC) promptly removed the group from the venue, with Team Anna later releasing audio clips to the media to claim that they were from the NSUI.

However, the Congress later claimed that Team Anna was trying to malign the party by accusing the NSUI for disruption of their hunger protest. Team Anna claimed that the audio clips revealed the group shouting “Give Anna a push and beat up Arvind and Manish (Sisodia)”. Mr Kejriwal, Mr Sisodia and Mr Gopal Rai began their indefinite fast on Wednesday in the presence of social activist Anna Hazare.

While Team Anna launched scathing attack on the UPA, Mr Hazare refrained from making any personal remarks. The Gandhian activist stuck to his demand for bringing a strong Lokpal Bill and threatened a “jail bharo” agitation if government does not concede.

However, Mr Kejriwal and Mr Prashant Bhushan attacked Mr Mukherjee and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. “If Lokpal was there, Mr Mukherjee would not have been the President,” Mr Kejriwal said.
However, the earlier support for Team Anna was missing as a modest crowd attended the protest at Jantar Mantar.

Team Anna had earlier named Mr Mukherjee among 15 Union ministers against whom they have sought independent probe into allegations of corruption.

Mr Kejriwal said, “According to the Constitution, the President has immunity against any investigation. We have given evidence against Mr Mukherjee to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi two months ago. But there was no probe. In the name of the Constitution, now government has masked the allegations against him. We condemn this.”

Meanwhile, Mr Khurshid took a pot-shot at Team Anna and said “they are raising issues which have been rejected by the Supreme Court and if they did not have any faith in it, they could approach the United Nations”.

Mr Khurshid said, “They should write to the UN In India what can be more independent than the Supreme Court. They want independent probe into matters which have been rejected and disapproved by the Supreme Court.”