Govt to ignore Hazare

MUMBAI, May 13: The Maharashtra government is trying its best to ignore the indefinite hunger strike launched by social worker Anna Hazare....

MUMBAI, May 13: The Maharashtra government is trying its best to ignore the indefinite hunger strike launched by social worker Anna Hazare. Chief Minister Manohar Joshi’s cabinet members expressed the view that the alliance government should not succumb to the pressure tactics of the anti-corruption crusader.

The second phase of agitation launched by Hazare at the Yadvababa temple in his home town Ralegan Siddhi entered the fifth day today. Yesterday, an agitated Hazare in a letter, expressed a desire to end his life, “since the common people whom he had strived to serve continued to be exploited by the powers to be,” The indomitable social worker has taken a maun vrat – vow of silence – and annasatyagraha — no-solid-food penance to press his demands.

Among the issues raised by him are: A high-level probe into the Hind Swarajya Trust as well as the Model Village Scheme headed by him, Manohar Joshi’s failure to initiate probe into 400 cases of irregularities, inquiry against former Agriculture Minister Shashikant Sutar and Irrigation Minister Mahadev Shivankar under the Commission of Inquiry Act.

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A frustrated Hazare has squarely blamed Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray for undermining the peoples’ movement against corruption in Government echelons and reiterated that he would not withdraw till the State Government comes out with a proper inquiry report on the allegation of misuse of funds made against him.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government has begun scrutiny of papers of the Hind Swarajya Trust, headed by Hazare, following Thackeray’s allegations of fund misappropriation against it.

Chief Minister Manohar Joshi told a news conference here today that the decision to launch an enquiry against the trust would be taken only after the scrutiny of papers. The Chief Minister disclosed that the government had doled out Rs 1.05 crore in grants to the trust out of which Rs 95.85 lakh had been spent for various purposes including training of village workers.

His reply was in contradiction to Thackeray’s allegation about misappropriation and mismanagement to the tune of Rs 22 crore by the trust.Joshi, however, was non-committal on whether his government would initiate a dialogue with Hazare. “On previous occasions, we had appealed to him to call off the protest as the government was considering his demands,” Joshi said. He declined to state if the government would depute a team of officials or mediators to persuade Hazare.

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“I have received two letters as well as a telegram from Hazare. I have drafted a reply for him, which will be sent to him in due course of time,” Joshi said.

The Chief Minister claimed that his government had already taken necessary action on all the points raised by Hazare. “It will not be possible to first punish the erring employees and then conduct a probe against them. It will be against the principles of natural justice,” Joshi remarked.

Of the 398 cases referred by Hazare, preliminary investigations have been completed in 255 cases. Joshi claimed that 166 charges were seen to be baseless, while in 139 cases, there was prime facie proof of irregularity.

Joshi said his government has already set up a highlevel cell at Mantralaya, while specific directives have been given to all the divisional commissioners to complete all departmental inquiries within a time bound period. “All the complaints lodged by him have been taken very seriously,” he said.