JOIN USHazare praises Modi, Nitish
“The way the chief ministers of Gujarat and Bihar have worked in their states, this should be adopted by other chief ministers. The chief ministers of other states should also work like this,” 73-year-old Hazare, who successfully led the agitation on the Lokpal Bill issue, told reporters here.
However, Hazare clarified that he was not viewing it from any partisan angle but only highlighting that the focus of development works should be from the grassroot level.
When a reporter referred to the 2002 riots in Gujarat when Modi was in power, the Gandhian said that “I do not support communal politics, riots or any such thing. I am only talking about decentralisation of power”. When pointed out that Modi has not appointed a Lokayukta for the past nine years in Gujarat, he said, “I will accept Modi as 100 per cent ideal when he brings Lokayukta in his state.”
Hazare also denied any “personal” animosity with Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.
“There is no rift with Pawar. Six ministers had to go on corruption charges. Why only name Pawar. My fight is against the trend and not against one Pawar,” he said.
Activist Arvind Kejriwal dismissed suggestions that Hazare had invited Pawar to be part of his agitation for Lokpal Bill saying the “question does not arise”.
He also said that he was not interested in politics and did not want to become prime minister. He also felt that if he contested in the elections people wouldn’t vote him. “Most of the people don’t know their voting power. They take money and vote. This should be stopped”, he said.
No to cummunal politics
Later, Hazare issued a press statement to clarify his stand on Modi saying he praised only the developmental work done by Narednra Modi and Nitish Kumar in rural areas. “Alongside I clarified that I am equally opposed to any form of communal disharmony. I am completely opposed to any kind of communalism or discrimination on religious or caste lines,” he said.
“People from all faiths and religions are founders, supporters and participants in this movement,” he said, adding that he "strongly" believes in Gandhian values and principles of communal harmony.