Hazare: No tiff with Kejriwal

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Wednesday, in a damage-control move, sought to clarify on Wednesday that there was no “tiff” between him and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal. He said that the only differences of opinion were there, which could be sorted out. “The picture is painted as if there is a tiff between myself and Arvind, as if I have accused him. That is wrong, this is not an accusation, there are differences of opinion and we are trying to sort them out,” said Mr Hazare.
A damaging video clip on their differences surfaced at a time when the Delhi Assembly poll is just days away and also on a day when the AAP released its election manifesto. The AAP rivals and critics lapped up the video and claimed that Mr Hazare had made accusations of misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 3 crores, raised during the Jan Lokpal campaign.
The AAP claimed that the video recording was one year old and was being used as an attempt to malign the image of the party. “I would be surprised if filthier things do not happen. In the next 48-72 hours, more such things are bound to happen because, you see, we are out to challenge some huge vested interests,” said AAP leader Yogendra Yadav.
Mr Kejriwal, in his response to the Mr Hazare’s letter, had stated that was ready for any probe into the funds collected for the Jan Lokpal campaign and if any irregularity was found he would quit politics.
Meanwhile, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh claimed on Twitter that “CD released of Anna’s allegation against Kejriwal of misappropriation of funds collected at Ramlila Maidan again proves my allegation! Would Kejriwal and his friends on social media please react.”
“An innocent man like Mr Hazare is being duped by them. This has been proved that the money made from people during the whole movement has been used by AAP,” Mr Singh said.
The BJP too joined the bandwagon to hit out at Mr Kejriwal, with party leader Prakash Javadekar saying that although his party was not interested in knowing the details about the money, it seemed Anna had not been happy. “Anna is saying that money collected in his name is being misused for electioneering. This has actually exposed AAP and brought out its hypocrisy,” Mr Javadekar said.