Anna lets Kejriwal keep donated money

Despite strong demands from his supporters, Anna Hazare has decided not to ask activist Arvind Kejriwal to return money collected during the anti-corruption agitations saying they have to build a new movement and the issue of money should not be a point of fight.

During a meeting in New Delhi soon after the group split, Mr Hazare was urged by volunteers that they should ask Kejriwal-led Public Cause Research Foundation to return the money but the activist told them that he had already refused to take it.

Sources, who attended the meeting, claimed that Mr Hazare told the meeting that Mr Kejriwal offered to return money but he asked him to keep it.

The volunteers were of the view that they would need money to organise the movement but Mr Hazare felt that they have to build a new movement and the issue of money should not be a point of fight, the sources said.

Mr Hazare parted ways with Kejriwal-led group on September 19 over the issue of the anti-corruption movement taking a plunge into politics. The discussion on the issue came up at a meeting, which was also attended by Kiran Bedi, held at Maharashtra Sadan the next day.

Mr Kejriwal had offered a cheque more than once to Mr Hazare after differences erupted over the issue of forming a political party, the sources said. Mr Kejriwal went to Ralegan Siddhi and offered a cheque but Mr Hazare refused to take it.

They said Mr Hazare was of the view that they should try to get a copy of the volunteer’s list. “They can give us a copy and keep one with them. What is the harm in it?” Mr Hazare was quoted as saying.

India Against Corruption led by Kejriwal refused to comment on the issue.

Meanwhile, Mr Hazare’s close aide Suresh Pathare yesterday resigned from his office citing personal reasons.

“I think I will not be able to devote full time to the movement. But I will work in the capacity of a volunteer as Anna would wish,” he said.

When asked whether he will join the political party to be formed by Mr Kejriwal, he answered in the negative.

Kejriwal leads protest

Meanwhile, Arvind Kejriwal today led around 300 activists in a protest against hike in power tariffs, alleging that the Delhi government and private firms were out to loot people.

The activists gathered at Jantar Mantar this afternoon and shouted slogans against Congress-led Delhi government and private firms.

Besides Mr Kejriwal, other prominent activists who attended the protest were Prashant Bhushan, Manish Sisodia, Kumar Vishwas and Sanjay Singh.

The protest, which is seen as a prelude to Kejriwal’s entry into politics formally, demonstrated keenness of the Kejriwal-led group to fight Delhi Assembly elections slated for next year as it targeted the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress government in the capital.

However, today’s protest did not evoke much response though India Against Corruption earlier used to attract hundreds of people.

Kejriwal-led group, which has decided to form the party, had earlier indicated that it will not fight the Assembly elections in BJP-ruled Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh scheduled later this year.