War of words between govt, Team Anna intensifies

Krishna threatens to slap defamation, Bhushan welcomes

The war of words between the government and Team Anna seemed to have intensified on Sunday on corruption charges against the Prime Minister and his 14 colleagues with a minister branding the group as self-serving people while another threatening them with a defamation notice.

The anti-graft group, which stuck to its stand, was swift to welcome the defamation suit. The Team Anna had on Saturday threatened to launch an indefinite fast from July 25 if the Prime Minister as well as 14 other ministers did not submit themselves to a probe in view of corruption charges against them.

“Some people in this country regard themselves above the system. I don’t want to comment on unsubstantiated averments made by anyone. Out of the population of 120 crore in the country, there are many self-serving people who regard themselves above society and the system,” said Union Parliamentary Affairs and Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal.

“Now everybody can well understand Team Anna’s intentions as they are accusing a person of Singh's stature. The world has accepted our Prime Minister's leadership qualities,” he said in Chandigarh.

Some people believed that by making noise and raising fingers at the Prime Minister and senior politicians, they would have their way, he said, adding that such people cannot face the electoral battle themselves and their sole agenda was to discredit the government.

‘Sub judice matter’

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, while dismissing the charges against him, had shot off a letter to Team Anna member Arvind Kejariwal, reminding him that the allegations concerned a sub judice matter, pending before the Supreme Court. He had reportedly warned them of defamation suit if he did not get satisfactory reply.

Senior Team Anna member advocate Prashant Bhushan hailed the warning of defamation suit on charges of corruption made against UPA ministers including finance minister Pranab Mukherjee.

“If S M Krishna has not done anything wrong, why he is scared? We welcome a defamation suit,” he said on Sunday.

Prime Minister is a clean man: Anna

Taking a stand diametrically opposite to that of Team Anna, Anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare  reiterated his opinion on the Prime Minister, saying “Singh is a simple man and there are no corruption charges against him.”

In a press meet at Satara on Sunday, when reporters pointed out that his stand contradicts Team Anna’s demand for an investigation into allegations of corruption against the PM along with other ministers, Hazare said: “I will have to check it. Anyway, I will talk to them on June 3 when I meet them.”

Talking to Deccan Herald over phone from Satara, Hazare’s close aide Suresh Pathade said: “It is true that Annaji has  stated that PM Singh is  a clean man. But this is not the first time he has said this. He has always maintained that Manmohan Singh is a man of integrity but a powerless man.”

Meanwhile, the euphoria seen last year over Hazare-led movement for a strong Lokpal seems to have lost steam in Maharashtra; Hazare rallies are not attracting crowds.