http://www.hindustantimes.com/Agnivesh-says-no-democracy-in-Team-Anna/H1-Article1-758045.aspx
Agnivesh says no democracy in Team Anna
Press Trust Of India
New Delhi, October 16, 2011
Describing Anna Hazare's campaign as 'brahminvaad', activist Swami
Agnivesh on Sunday hit out at the Gandhian saying there was "no
democracy" in his agitation and dissenting voices were thrown out of
the team. Agnivesh, who was marginalised by Team Anna as they
suspected him to be a
"government mole", also claimed that the RSS stamp was "very much
evident" in the campaign and that he had argued for better
representation of Muslims and Dalits to counter this.
He said many of the crucial decisions like opposing Congress in Hisar
elections and holding referendum in Kapil Sibal's constituency were
not taken by the core committee and it was like "Anna and Arvind
(Kejriwal) were taking all decisions".
Claiming that he had argued for better representation of Muslims and
Dalits in the anti-corruption movement, Agnivesh said, "It was
brahminvaad. They were not ready to treat everybody as equal. We did
not see Dalits or Muslims in Jantar Mantar or Ramlila Maidan where
Anna sat on fast".
Targeting Hazare, he said, "Anna is very individualistic. He never
functions in a democratic way. It is like 'if you fall in line, then
it is okay'."
"None of the big social workers from Maharashtra were part of his
campaign," Agnivesh told PTI in an interview.
He said he had objected to building a "cult around Anna" in the
meetings but no one listened.
"People used to say we were foot soldiers. Somebody said Anna is
'Doosra Gandhi', then there was Anna is India and India is Anna. When
I pointed out these, they did not find any fault with it," he said.
Agnivesh, who was in the eye of a controversy after a video footage
surfaced in which he was heard telling someone that Anna agitation
should be dealt with strictly, said there was no democratic way of
decision making in Team Anna.
A number of Team Anna members, who attended the September 10-11 Core
meeting in Hazare's village Ralegan Siddhi, said that there no
decision was taken to oppose Congress, he claimed.
On allegations that he was a "government mole", Agnivesh said how can
Team Anna assume so when he himself opened the doors of World Council
of Arya Samaj office in Sadar Bazar in north Delhi to keep the
referendum questionnaire to be distributed in Chandni Chowk, Sibal's
constituency.
"There was no Core Committee decision to hold a referendum in Chandni
Chowk. But one day Kejriwal told me they don't have space to keep the
questionnaire.
"I opened the doors of Arya Samaj for them. Sibal was upset that I was
supporting them. But now they are calling me government mole."
"In another instance, another member asked me to talk to Law Minister
Salman Khurshid as I knew him.I did so at the instance of that member.
During the whole Ramlila Maidan agitation, I did not talk to Sibal. Is
it a reason to call me a mole?" Agnivesh said.
He also accused Kejriwal of misinforming public about the role of
Standing Committee in law-making process.
"I spoke to constitutional expert Subhash Kashyap and eminent lawyer
Ram Jethmalani. They both said it was an effective platform to improve
the Bill.
"When I presented this viewpoint in the Core Committee on August 13, I
was asked why did I speak to these people," he claimed.
"There was a deliberate misinformation campaign against the role of
Standing Committee. One should remember that RTI Bill had 156
amendments in the Standing Committee. This is what Kashap told me,"
he said.
He said he was the lone voice of dissent against Hazare going on a
fast-unto-death agitation at Ramlila Maidan.
"It was recorded in the minutes. I insisted that. But Anna was
adamant. He was saying one may die of heart attack also, so what is
the difference. He was adamant."
"I was for a fast for 5-6 days but not fast-unto-death. I was
concerned about Anna's health."
On RSS involvement, he said Sangh itself has come out in open on its
role in the agitation when Hazare tried to distance himself from the
organisation.
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