By Rehan Ansari, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: Denying the alleged link with RSS, Team Anna core committee member Arvind Kejriwal while meeting with Muslim Ulemas and leaders in Mumbai on Monday clarified: “Congress led Government is organising false propaganda against a public movement against corruption. Photographs with someone do not lead to any conclusion as can be seen by our dossier of Congress leaders including Prime Minister with the RSS leaders.”
He also denied being American Agent, “India Against corruption did not receive any fund from the foreign countries. Even we did not register under FCRA, Foreign Contribution Regulation act and our accounts are available on our website.”
Arvind Kejriwal (in middle) with Muslim leaders
Defending the allegation that Muslims are not the part of the movement, he said: “Muslims have played an important role in the freedom struggle and in August, 2011 many Muslim leaders joined this movement against corruption in Azad Maidan, Mumbai and also in Ramlila ground, Delhi.”
He said that by this movement Muslims and other economically and socially backward communities will be benefited as other countrymen. He said, “In our Janlokpal we have proposed double punishments and penalties if the weaker sections of the society have suffered.”
He said that even minority will be benefited with the proposed citizen’s charter which the present government has declined.
Answering a question that in the proposed Janlokpal, The authorities are answerable to Public and the majority of Indians are Hindus so is there a chance of Hindu Rashtra, he said: “It’s not possible because lokpal will work under the Constitution of India which is secular.”
He added, “Even the Parliament can’t go against the Constitution of India and make this secular country into Hindu Rashtra.”
Arvind Kejriwal (in middle) talking to media after meeting with Muslim leaders
Echoing the same sentiments, Maulana Mehmood Daryabadi, Mumbai Aman Committee said: “We are with Team Anna in fight against corruption.We had a good and full fledge meeting with Arvind Kejriwal on communalism and corruption and are satisfied with his clarifications.”
Explaining about the Anna’s statement in favor of Gujarat Chief minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, Kejriwal said: “Anna ji has been selectively quoted.” He said, “He made the wrong statements based on wrong perceptions created by the media.”
“After this statement, Anna and our team toured the Gujarat and visited many places along with Malikasarabhai and all the facts were placed before Anna and then he claimed that he had never seen such a mass level corruption anywhere in his life and the use of liquor in Gandhiji’s state is highly condemnable, but these statements were not reported by the national media” Kejriwal added.
On the issue of reservation in Lokpal he said: “The issue of reservations is a deliberate attempt of the government to divide the people. We are not against the reservations but the selection process should be independent and transparent otherwise all the pro- government Hindus and Muslims will be nominated.”
Answering the debate of the superiority of Parliament, he said: “The people are superior and the first five words of our constitution states we the People of India.” Explaining the superiority he said, “First the people of India are Superior then the Constitution and then come the Parliament.”
Mr. Kejriwal termed the government proposed Lokpal as draconian and anti people. He said: “By the government’s Lokpal only 5% of the governments employees and 10% of political leaders are covered whereas all the NGOs’ mosques, temples, churches, trusts and their employees that includes Imams and Muazzins will be treated as deem government employees and can be prosecuted.”
Anna Hazare will start his 3 days fast from 27th Dec. 2011 with a rally from Juhu and then through SV Road he will reach to MMRDA ground, Bandra Kurla Complex.