Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Taking Anna Hazare’s comments that government’s Lokpal report is a ‘political fraud’ head on, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh said that the social activist’s team is misguiding him.
Answering a question about Anna’s allegation that Rahul Gandhi’s interference is delaying the Lokpal Bill, Digvijay said, “Anna says what he is being told. Actually, Anna Hazare is a simple person and says whatever people surrounding him ask him to say. I request Anna Hazare and members of his team to wait for the decision of parliament before attacking Rahul Gandhi on the Lokpal Bill”.
"The Central government wants to bring a strong and good lokpal bill. Members of all political parties were members of the standing committee and some of them have also expressed doubts about some parts of the draft prepared by it. Now, it is for parliament to either pass it or reject it", he said asking Team Anna to await for the decision of parliament.
Reiterating his allegation that Anna's agitation is sponsored by RSS, Digvijay Singh said that as stated by him earlier RSS planned to make corruption an issue to "divert" people's attention.
"Baba Ramdev was their plan A while Anna Hazare is their plan B and Sri Sri Ravishankar plan C", he said.
Unfazed by Anna’s proposed one-day token fast on Sunday at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, the senior leader said, “Anna Hazare has every right to sit on fast.”
The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister also said, “Anna is welcome to tour five poll bound states,” making light of the social activist’s threat.
On the coming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Digvijay Singh said 213 candidates of the total 403 have already been announced while efforts were on to decide the remaining names also by this month-end.
Claiming that his party would put up a surprisingly good performance in coming polls, Singh said RLD has decided to join UPA and both the parties would together contest the elections with mutual understanding and the list of such seats would be announced soon.
The Congress leader claimed several leaders of UP's ruling BSP were in touch with him and the situation was the same in SP also.
Speaking at a press conference, Digvijay also defended government’s move to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail sector. Replying to a question he said, “The FDI in retail will help the farmers to get a better deal for their crops. It will also benefit the general public as the prices of various commodities will come down due to competition.”
Asked about Uma Bharti’s letter to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi in which she had given proofs of corruption during Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati’s regime and demanded her dismissal, Digvijay said, “The government is probing the evidence and will take appropriate action after enquiry.”
He, however, ruled out imposing Article 356 in Uttar Pradesh in the near future.
First Published: Saturday, December 10, 2011, 18:54