Activist Anna Hazare on Tuesday sought answers from Arvind Kejriwal over “misuse” of his name in Aam Aadmi Party’s election campaign, even as party leaders alleged that “vested interests” were misinforming Hazare on the issue.
A day after Kejriwal demanded an open probe into Hazare’s allegation of AAP spending funds collected during the Jan Lokpal movement saying that the Gandhian had written to him on the issue, Hazare said he was mainly concerned about the “misuse” of his name in the poll campaign and maintained the two were “not enemies“.
“We are not enemies of each other. Even today I am happy that he is a man of character.... The issue is not of funds. Some delegations told me that SIM cards were issued in my name during the India Against Corruption (IAC) movement, the sale of which led to collection of funds…. I have no connection in this regard but if somebody files a case then I may be made an accused. This is what I am worried about that without having any connection to it, my name could be dragged,” Hazare told reporters in his village Ralengan Siddhi in Maharashtra.
He had written a letter to Kejriwal saying he had received reports about use of his name in election campaign, use of fund collected during the anti-graft movement and on implementation of Janlokpal Bill on December 29 after convening an open session at Ramlila Maidan
“They say that they will pass Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal Bill in Ramlila Maidan on December 29. Here again they are using my name and I did not understand that how are they claiming to pass a Bill in the Assembly which can be passed only in Parliament,” Hazare said.
“I wrote this letter just to seek clarification on these two issues as I felt my name was being misused. I have no interest in the money, just my name should not be misused,” he added.