Kopargaon, July 07: Noted social worker and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare, who has made corruption charges against four NCP ministers of the DF government in Maharashtra, gave Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde a clean chit but said NCP was "politically blackmailing" him. Speaking to reporters at Ralegan-Siddhi village in Ahmednagar's Parner Taluka yesterday, he said, "Shinde is trying to bring transparency in the functioning of Congress- NCP led coalition government and is against corruption. No corruption charges have been levelled against him so far in social or political life."
"Shinde wanted to take action against corrupt people but NCP was creating hurdles and politically blackmailing him," Hazare claimed.
To a question, he alleged that NCP chief Sharad Pawar was protecting four tainted ministers. "Pawar, instead of asking the NCP ministers to resign, said the charges will be cleared in a court," Hazare said.
Hazare would tour Buldana, Jalna, Aurangabad and Jalgaon districts as part of his awareness programme and "expose corruption" by four NCP ministers -- including food and civil supplies minister Suresh Jain -- at Jalgaon on July 10, the day of Ashadhi Ekadashi. Jain and Hazare have both filed defamation cases against each other.
To another query, he said, "Shinde has taken over only five months back and he could not solve various problems immediately like Aladdin. We should give him adequate time."

Bureau Report