M A I N   N E W S

Setback for Team Anna as two key members quit
PV Rajagopal and “Waterman” Rajinder Singh object to “noble anti-corruption cause” turning into a “political” venture
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

Anna now seems to be changing. What happened in the past few days is wrong. I am not in favour of party politics. — Rajinder Singh Individuals were speaking their mind and that became the Team's decision. There was no core group decision on Hisar. I have difficulty in owning up to decisions of other individuals. — PV Rajagopal Kejriwal attacked Lucknow: A slipper was thrown at Arvind Kejriwal, at a public meeting here. Just as Kejriwal was alighting from his car after arriving at Jhulelal Park on the banks of the Gomti around 6.40 pm, a man, in his 40s, threw a slipper at Kejriwal. The footwear missed the target by inches. The man was immediately nabbed by volunteers.

New Delhi, October 18
A day after Team Anna claimed victory in the wake of Hisar bypoll and warned Congress to be prepared for more such setbacks in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, the group today received a major setback with two prominent members - PV Rajagopal and “Waterman” Rajinder Singh - leaving the Anna Hazare-led movement, objecting to the way a “noble anti-corruption cause” was turning into a “political” venture.

“I have decided to dissociate myself from the Team...it is turning political. I did not join the group for such petty causes,” Singh told The Tribune, openly accusing the social activist of falling prey to his and others’ “political ambitions” and “sacrificing a noble social cause for personal gains”.

“The way they campaigned in Hisar for petty political gain grossly undermined the sanctity of the movement, especially among the youth,” Singh said.

In response to whether he was leaving the group because others, like Arvind Kejriwal, had gained more prominence, the Magsaysay award winner said he had never worked for any fame or gains so there was no reason to feel isolated.

“I have known Anna for the past 30 years and as far as I know he too never had any such ambitions. But he now seems to be changing. What happened in the past few days is wrong. I am not in favour of party politics. Every movement is political in nature but not in this way and I don’t want to be a member of a team which is involved in party politics,” he said.

It is not only the political posture of Hazare and a part of Team Anna that seems to have upset his associates. Senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan's continuance in the Team even after his controversial remarks calling for plebiscite in Kashmir Valley is another cause for widespread dissent in the group.

Even though Team Anna members said they had clarified and all was well with the group, the development is certainly a major blow to the group and music to the ears of Congress-led UPA government. The Team is trying to convince the duo not to leave the group.

It goes without saying that other members of the core committee tried to dismiss the event as “a natural part of dynamics of any big social movement”.

Core group member Devinder Sharma said leaving of the two members was a part of the “churning and cleansing process” taking place in the group. “We are in the process of cleansing. If they leave some new persons will join. We are in the process of expanding the core group from 25 to 30 members,” he said, dismissing the allegation that the decision to launch an anti-Congress campaign in Hisar was not taken by the core committee.

“He (Singh) hardly attended any meetings while Rajagopal is busy with his yatra,” Sharma said.