It's now clear that Arvind Kejriwal, others used Anna Hazare: Congress

New Delhi: The Congress has seized upon the opportunity of the widening rift between anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal. Anna Hazare in his blog accused Kejriwal of splitting the anti-corruption movement. The Congress has now said that Anna was used for political ambitions.

"Now it is clear to everyone that Anna wanted to run campaign for Lokpal but Arvind Kejriwal and others used him for making political party. Now it is clear that they had the intentions of using Anna for their political ambitions," Congress leader Jagdambika Pal said reacting to Anna Hazare's blog. However, former blogger of Anna's group claims that the split happened due to funds.

"Anna and Arvind split due to funds. There is no ideological difference between the two," former team Anna blogger Raju Parulekar said. In a veiled attack on Arvind Kejriwal, Anna Hazare on Friday said "politics has split" the anti-corruption movement and the pro-party group has gone against his will.

Anna also decried efforts to link him with some parties and "communal" outfits, in an apparent reference to allegations that he is closing ranks with RSS through yoga guru Ramdev to run the anti-corruption movement after the split with the Kejriwal-led group. "Those who favour the party has been saying that if Anna says, then they will not form a party. But despite that, they have decided to go ahead with the plan against my decision." "Sometimes, it is also said they were forming the party because Anna has decided so. This is not right," he said.

In a new blog, the 75-year-old activist also said the movement was not divided in the past two years despite efforts by UPA government. But, he added, now it has split even without the government putting in any effort as one group wanted to take the electoral route. Expressing confidence that Lokpal Bill will be passed before 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he said "unfortunately, the movement has split even before we got the Bill. One wants to go political and the other wants to keep the movement alive."

"Now, there is an effort to link me with some party, or communal organisations. I have never in my life been a part of any such organisations. Till my last breath, I will not be part of any such things...the movement has split due to politics. Efforts are on to destroy whatever is left now. People should not fall into such accusations," he said.

"As elections are nearing, some party will try to misuse my name to garner votes. They will try to associate myself with them. There will be misuse of movement's name. You should not trust all these. The movement will remain movement only. Because it is sacred," he said.

Anna said that on August 4 in Jantar Mantar, he had made it clear that he will not form a party or join a party. "For the last 20 years, I have been part of civil society movement and in future also I will remain so. We have parted ways but our goal is the same," he said.

On the next course of his movement, he said his movement now needs an office in Delhi to coordinate its affairs. "But because of lack of money, we are not able to find one. I have not taken even Rs 5 from the donations which came in Jantar Mantar and Ramlila Maidan. I kept all the money with IAC so that it will be spent on the movement.

"But I believe even if people donate Rs 5 or ten we won't suffer from lack of money...we have not taken any money from industrialists or from foreign agencies. We will not take in future also. We expect to open our office in Delhi soon. We have to ensure that the movement reaches every nook and corner f the country," he said.

(With additional information from PTI)

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