Govt,Cong target corrupt Anna

Hazare claimed the Sawant Committee had noted that he did not indulge in corruption,while it had named some Maharashtra ministers against whom there were complaints. He said he had asked for a probe,but there had been no response.

For the past 20 years,I have been in social service. Everything is accounted for and is online, said Hazare.

Addressing the media earlier in the day,Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said: Kishan Baburao Hazare alias Anna asks the Prime Minister8230; with what face he will hoist the flag at Red Fort8230; We want to ask Anna with what face he talks about fasting over corruption. You yourself are involved in corruption from head to toe. We are not saying this; it has been said by an inquiry commission headed by a retd. judge of the Supreme Court.

Citing the Sawant Commissions findings about Hazares four trusts,Tewari said the Hind Swaraj Trust spent Rs 2.20 lakh for Hazares birthday illegally and 11 acres of the Trusts land was transferred without permission; Sant Yadav Baba Shikshan Prasarak Mandal has not submitted its accounts since 1982,except in 1984; Krishna Pani Urvarta Yojana Sahkari Sansthan was illegally chaired by Hazare despite the fact that he was not eligible to be a member; and Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andolan Sansthan was found to have some workers who were involved in anti-social activities like extortion,blackmarketeering,land grabbing,goondaism and corruption.

The fast from August 16 has nothing to do with corruption or the Lokpal Bill. If that was the case,Hazare would have first clarified the grave charges. What is his clarification about the serious findings, he said.

Tewari also sought to put a question mark on Hazares records in the Army,saying that last May the Army had written a letter to him about a citizen seeking information about his service records under the Right to Information Act. Hazare has not responded as yet. You do not show any transparency in your own case. You cannot have double standards, he said.

At a separate press conference,Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni maintained that the right to protest does not mean right to protest at the place of ones choice. Citing rulings of the Supreme Court and Delhi High Court,Sibal said: The protest is thoroughly unconstitutional8230;It is an affront to Parliament. He also questioned the purpose of the fast as well as the source of Hazares finances.

The two ministers also criticised Hazare for his letter to the PM. Even the Opposition has never pointed a finger at the PMs honesty. Everybody says Manmohan Singh is personally honest, said Soni. The ministers ruled out the possibility of the government engaging Team Anna in any dialogue.

In Kolkata,Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee also made it clear that the Centre would not allow an indefinite hunger strike. Nobody in our society,as per our law,is allowed to commit suicide. It is the responsibility of the administration to look into these aspects, he said.

Tewari said too much tolerance has been shown to him so far and alleged that Hazare was systematically trying to bring instability in the country and insult Parliament. He said the ideological disposition of Team Anna consists of armchair Fascists,overground Maoists,closet anarchists8230; lurking behind forces of right reaction and funded by invisible donors whose links may go back a long way abroad.

Meanwhile,the BJP criticised the Congress for attacking Hazare and accused the party of creating an Emergency-like situation.