Anna Hazare’s aide slams Arvind Kejriwal, calls him liar

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: With standoff between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal and social activist Anna Hazare over Lokpal Bill continuing, Anna’s aide Santosh Bhartiya called the AAP leader as a liar on Monday. Hitting out at Kejriwal, Bhartiya said that Anna knows what he is doing and no one can misguide him. He further said that none other than Kejriwal would have attempted to misguide Anna. Accusing Kejriwal of being a liar, Bhartiya said that the AAP leader has visited his office thrice in the past, but pretends as if he doesn’t recognises him. The rift between the Kejriwal and Anna, who was earlier Kejriwal`s mentor, has deepened over the Lokpal Bill. While Anna, who has been sitting on a hunger strike for the past five days for the passage of the bill, is supporting the anti-graft bill, AAP is still maintaining the stand that the bill in its current form is a ‘jokepal’ bill. Kejriwal said that such a weak bill will not be able to send mouse to jail and expressed unhappiness over Anna’s support for the current form of the Lokpal Bill. Kejriwal also appealed to Hazare to call off the hunger strike for the bill, saying he (Hazare) was under the influence of some Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party men. Anna parted ways with Kejriwal last year after the latter formed a politcal party. The Lokpal Bill, passed by the Lok Sabha and greatly amended by a select committee of the Rajya Sabha, was tabled for debate in the upper house Friday. The bill, once passed by the house of elders, will be sent back to the Lok Sabha for its approval again. The government has said it is committed to the passage of the bill in this session of parliament, which ends Friday.