I was right to not join AAP, says Anna Hazare

Social activist Anna Hazare. (File photo)

Social activist Anna Hazare yet again slammed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the Shunglu Committee Report that has accused the state government of ‘gross misuse of power’. Hazare said his decision to not join the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was correct, adding that the report has proved it. “I am pained by the Shunglu Committee report because Arvind was with me in the fight against corruption. I had great hopes from the young and educated Kejriwal and felt that young people like him will create a corruption-free nation. But he has dashed all my hopes,” his statement read.

The Shunglu Committee report has blamed the Delhi Government of misusing power in allotting land for the AAP office in Delhi, in the appointment of Delhi Health Minister Satyender Jain’s daughter in a health project and providing official residence to Delhi Women’s Commission chairperson Swati Maliwal. “When Kejriwal established the AAP, God gave me the instinct to not join the party, as it would bring dishonour. It’s because of this that since the day he formed the party, and even when he became the Chief Minister, I didn’t feel like meeting him even once,” said Hazare.

The activist said he wondered how power and position corrupt people so easily. “I keep wondering of the ability of power and position to corrupt people. Once they get power and position, it starts corrupting their mind. The same seems to have happened to Arvind,” he added.

Hazare further said that Kejriwal had forgotten the values he told him about, including sacrifice and the ability to take insults. “He forgot all this and hence transgressed all rules of law in his infatuation with power. This is the reason the Shunglu Committee had to raise a finger against him,” he said.

The Shunglu Committee was formed by former Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to look into the decisions taken by the government.

This is not the first time when Hazare had openly gone against Kejriwal. Earlier also, he opposed the AAP convener for putting onus on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and called it as an outdated mentality. “World is progressing at a fast rate and here we are discussing of going back in time to ballot papers. Entire world is using EVMs and it is a better option than ballot voting,” Hazare asserted.