Agnivesh accuses Kejriwal of deceit

From Deccan Herald

Social activist Swami Agnivesh levelled serious allegations against Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of diverting over Rs 80 lakh donated by people for Anna Hazare’s agitation to the account of a private trust run by him.

“Donations amounting to Rs 70-80 lakh made for India Against Corruption during Anna Hazare’s 12-day fast at Ramlila Ground in August were diverted into Kejriwal’s private trust Public Cause Research Foundation,” said Agnivesh, who has now parted ways with anti-graft movement. Agnivesh lamented that it is a sad situation and the movement that began to fight corruption is involved in corrupt practices. Agnivesh, who was one of the founding members of the IAC claimed that Kejriwal deliberately delayed the operating of an account in the name of IAC despite several directions from the core committee to do so. “Kejriwal instead saw to it that the contributions to the anti-corruption movement are received in the accounts of his private trust,” he said. According to him, veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare during IAC core committee meeting in his village Ralegan Sidhi in September said that donations should have been received in a proper account of the IAC. Agnivesh’s comments come amidst infighting amongst Team Anna core members, which has deepened in recent days after its anti-Congress stance in the Hisar by-elections and Prashant Bhushan’s position on Kashmir. Earlier on Thursday, an English daily reported that former cop Kiran Bedi, who is a key member of Team Anna, had inflated travel bills when invited by NGOs and other institutions for seminars or meetings. Already two members of the 26 member core committee - Magsaysay award winner Rajendra Singh and Gandhian activist P V Rajagopal resigned from the IAC earlier this week to protest the politicisation of the movement by Kejriwal. Rajendra Singh also described Kejriwal as “autocratic”. Meanwhile, Kejriwal on Saturday said: “Anna Hazare will fast again if the Lokpal bill is not passed in the winter session of Parliament,” warned Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal here Saturday. He said a few days back he had met Anna Hazare “and he told me he was prepared for another fast if the promises made were not kept”.