Anna justifies ‘Just One Slap’ remark on Sharad Pawar

“Many politicians felt very bad about the slapping incident. Many of them got very angry also. But it is important to discuss as to why did that youth slap,” he said.

“Sharad Pawar is the Agriculture Minister at the Centre and the power minister of the state is from his own party. Today after 22 years,the electric pumps of the farmers still get burnt due to low voltage,the crops get burnt,the transformers get burnt,but the politicians still don’t get angry. This is unfortunate,” Hazare said.

“The farmers protested at Mawal near Pune. They were shot at. Three farmers died. But the politicians still did not get angry about it,” he said.

As Agriculture Minister,Sharad Pawar imported rotten wheat and since it was not edible,the wheat was buried in huge pits,he said,adding crores of public money was wasted but none of the politicians got angry about it.

“Padmasinh Patil,a relative of Sharad Pawarji,who was a minister in Sharad Pawar’s Cabinet,indulged in corruption while he was minister. I demanded an inquiry. When inquiry did not take place,I started a movement because of which the inquiry had to be ordered. The minister was found guilty and he had to be removed from the Cabinet. To take revenge,this minister gave ‘supari'(contract) of Rs 30 lakh to someone to kill me,” the anti-corruption crusader said.

“Many people got angry due to one slap,but when the people who have dedicated their entire life for the society and country are victimised,then no one gets angry,” the social activist said.

“This is unfortunate. I have a request — if you have anger against me and want to burn my effigies,then continue doing that as you have been doing it till now. Do whatever you want to insult me,but do not damage national property because it belongs to all of us. Protect it,” he said.

The 74-year-old activist alleged that Pawar’s supporters hurled “choicest abuses” against him.

“I have kept a CD of the same for my record. At an appropriate time,I will play it before the public,” he said.

Recalling numerous movements run by him in the last 20 years,the Gandhian said,“We never allowed any national property or private property to be damaged. On 16 August,2011,crores of people came on the streets but not one person picked up a stone. There is nothing wrong in participating in movements but the movements should be non-violent.”