Anna episode 'mishandled': UP Congress MP

Raising serious objections against the manner in which the entire Anna Hazare episode was handled by the Congress leadership during the absence of its President Sonia Gandhi, a Congress member of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh has shot off a letter to party General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, urging him to get the whole affair investigated by a panel of seasoned Congressmen.

Praveen Singh Aron, a Lok Sabha member from Barielly has sought to sound Rahul that those handling the Anna affair failed to show any kind of political farsightedness or maturity, and that their approach was typically bureaucratic and technical rather than pragmatic.

"In my personal view, the entire issue has been handled inappropriately to the extent that a matter, which had obvious political overtones and implications, was dealt with in a purely technical manner," he said.

"Experienced ministers such as Human Source Development Minister Kapil Sibal had said that Hazare's campaign was not as innocent as was being projected by his team, and had ulterior motives," he said.

"Still the issue was handled with a technico-legal approach, and not political far-sightedness." Aron said in the letter, that was sent on August 19, but was kept under wraps so far.

He said, "Perhaps the persons responsible to decide matters could not see the widespread, public support and socio-political aspects of Hazare's movement. Hence, the matter was left to authorities, who in turn took to arresting him, whereas this matter should have been dealt with by the political executive."

Fifty-year old Aron, who had earlier gone to the extent of himself submitting Hazare's Jan Lokpal Bill before the Parliament Standing Committee, felt that some 'opportunistic forces' were trying to take advantage of Sonia's absence on account of her illness, due to which even Rahul was away.

While Aron declined to speak on the subject, asserting, "Whatever I wished to say is an internal matter of the party and I would not like to share the details of my letter with the media", sources in the Congress gave a copy of the letter to this scribe.

It sought to point out, "Although all the leaders in our party are working sincerely on whatever assignments they are entrusted with by the leadership, the manner in which  Hazare's movement and related events have been handled, it certainly needs a re-look and also calls for a thorough inquiry within the party as well as in the ministries concerned."

He went on to add, "We must also look into whether there is a deliberate attempt to damage our visionary and unquestionably honest prime minister."

The party MP has raised doubts over the sincerity and commitment of a section of the Congress leaders too.

"There could possibly be a very small section of the leaders within Congress too, who willingly or unwillingly might be playing in the hands of these forces and thereby mishandling such sensitive situations", he suspects, while adding, "This  aspect in my view, needs to be investigated thoroughly by a special panel of senior Congress Leaders."

Aron went on to clarify, "In my view, while being very much within the ambit of the Indian Constitution, which was of course even supreme to the Parliament, we need to help change the government's course of action in sync with popular aspirations and befitting the high moral and pro-people policies of our great party and also the Nehru-Gandhi family."

Asked what was his intent behind writing such a letter, he said, "For me, the party is above self, therefore whenever I feel the necessity to draw Rahulji's attention to something in the larger interest of the party, I make it a point to write to him."