Anna supporters slam Diggy's statement

LUCKNOW: Anna Hazare might be observing a 'maun vrat' (vow of silence), but his supporters slammed Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh for making alleged 'defamatory propaganda' against anti-graft crusader.

"Singh is trying to prove that the RSS is behind Anna's anti-corruption movement. He has produced a RSS functionary's letter in support of his allegations. But, is he having any proof to show that Anna asked RSS for support," said Ishita Singh, a student. She also said that Singh accused Anna of observing maun vrat to avoid uncomfortable questions on Karnataka chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who is in jail on charges of corruption. But, Singh forgot that Team Anna member Justice Santosh Hegde, former Karnataka Lokayukta, is responsible for Yeddyurappa condition.

Blaming a section of the media, Arif Siddiqui, a teacher, said, "A section of media is prominently showing the statements of RSS leaders on supporting Anna's movement, but has played down the report on Muslims in Lucknow praying for Anna's success in the last Friday prayer before Eid," he said.

"Interestingly, Singh has also contradicted his own statements. He says that 20% of the people in the Ramlila ground, where Anna observed fast, were RSS members. This means that 80% people were from other background. Hence Anna has support of all sections of the society," he added.

Shailendra Pandey, a research scholar, said Singh has accused Anna of playing in the hands of communal forces. "Delhi Police, which is under the Centre killed two terrorists in 2008 Batla House encounter. Mohan Chandra Sharma, a police officer, killed in the encounter, was honoured with Ashok Chakra by the UPA government. But Singh says that encounter was fake. Either Singh is right or the government. It raises doubts that the government is appeasing Hindus through encounters and Singh is playing politics with Muslims by declaring it fake," he said.

Social activist Manjul Upadhayaya said, "Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal's suspicion is correct that attack on another Team member Prashant Bhushan on his 'plebiscite in Kashmir' remark was a conspiracy of people who have been hit by anti-graft campaign. Bhushan only reiterated what India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru said in 1947. Attack on Bhushan took place three weeks after issuing statement. Kejriwal has been threatened. Protests are being held outside his house accusing him of not declaring record of public donation received for campaign."

Jagriti Singh a housewife, said, "Anna fought against corruption in Maharashtra both under BJP and Congress regimes. But Singh accuses Anna of saying nothing against BJP. Also, Singh has said that Anna has done nothing about corruption in UP. My question to Singh is why CBI, which is under the Centre government, has not taken action against UP chief minister Mayawati and former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on charges of corruption." She also alleged that the Congress-led UPA government has been misusing CBI to arm twist political rivals.

Bina Shukla, a private executive, was of the view that UP chief minister Mayawati is better than Congress. She has taken action against six ministers after their names figured in corruption and were indicted by the Lokayukta. Even if it is a posturing, at least Maya has done something, whereas Delhi chief minister did nothing against the ministers indicted by Lokayukta. According to Anshumali Sharma, a Team Anna member in Lucknow, Rahul Gandhi is reaching out to Anna, which shows that Congress is afraid of anti-corruption movement, which led to embarrassing defeat of its candidate in by-elections across the country.

Mayawati will suppress Anna's agitation: Akhilesh

Badaun (UP): Inviting Gandhian Anna Hazare to start an agitation against corruption in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party state chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said he was sure Chief Minister Mayawati would suppress Hazare's agitation by using force.

"Anna Hazare is welcome in Uttar Pradesh to start an agitation against corruption. However, I am sure Mayawati government will not allow him to do so as she is known for suppressing such agitations by lathi-charge," he told reporters here.

About party's ties with the Congress, Yadav said his party's support to the UPA government was aimed at keeping the communal forces at bay.

"Our party does not have any tacit understanding with the Congress," he said.

On Amar Singh's illness, the SP leader said he would meet Singh after the end of his Jan Kranti Yatra.
Taking a dig at the BJP, he said after the arrest of former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, the BJP should clarify whether it was with corruption or against it.

A generation has not seen Congress rule in UP-Bihar

Can you guess the dilemma of the Congress candidates in Uttar Pradesh nowadays? Not Anna Hazare. Not his campaign against corruption. Instead, it’s the disturbing realisation that a generation has grown up in this politically crucial state without experiencing a Congress rule.

The last when the Congress was in power in Uttar Pradesh was in the late 1980’s. Those born even in mid 1980’s have no clue how the Congress rule was like – better or worse than the political regimes they have grown up with.

Little wonder they mention names of Mayawati, Mulayam Singh Yadav every time discussion on future chief minister crops up. Even the BJP rule they don’t seem to remember as the party changed the leadership thrice – Kalyan Singh, Ram Prakash Gupta and Rajnath Singh. Yes, they do remember the divisive politics of mandal and mandir though.

And even as chief minister Mayawati is busy despatching letters to the prime minister demanding quota for minorities, economically backward upper castes and now Jats, quota in admissions in educational institutions as well as in jobs appeared to be the major concern of youth during campus adda that HT had organised across UP and Uttarakhand. Our idea was primarily to gauge the mood of the youth, how far it is gearing up to cast its vote and what are the poll issues that concern them.

Imagine Congress leaders expect that generation to vote for the party that had not only messed up Anna’s anti-corruption movement but is also favouring extension of quota on religious grounds. We thought quota was meant for socially and economically backward classes irrespective of the faith they follow.

The scenario has been no different in neighbouring Bihar.

I am sure this is not going to be music to Congress ears. With elections not very far off, the Congress will have to do some miracle to break the 20-odd year long vanvas. There is growing feeling that the party trump card Rahul Gandhi can’t ride them to victory. Some concerned voices from the Congress are already suggesting an extensive campaign by Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, in whom people find the political acumen of her grandmother Indira Gandhi besides the looks. To believe that there was an undercurrent in its favour as people were fed up with the ‘misrule’ of regional parties would be living in fool’s paradise.

A Congress leader in Agra, planning to contest election from an urban seat, confided the other day, “What should we do? People who know us are polite. But they do convey their anger over the soaring prices while reminding us about the scams tumbling out of Congress cupboards.”

The fact is, Anna is not merely haunting the Congress leaders, all other parties stand scared. At a dinner meet recently, politicians virtually rained abuses on Anna while insisting that caste alone would be the driving force in the coming elections. Then why worry?

As the election scenario perks up in the states heading for polls in early 2012, the picture in Uttar Pradesh continues to be hazy, more so about the Congress prospects.