Digvijaya praises Hazare's 'good work' at Ralegan Siddhi

While senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said on Tuesday that Anna Hazare must be praised for the 'good work' he has done in his native village Ralegan Siddhi, he continued his tirade against the social activist's movement and Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal.

"Anna Hazare has done a good job in his native village, but Team Anna is political and close to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha given by the statement of RSS chief (Mohan Bhagwat) who said the Sangh was working for Team Anna," Singh said in Guwahati.

"If Team Anna is not political, then why is it still opposed to the Congress, even after the United Progressive Alliance government had accepted all the three conditions – appoint Lokayukta in all states, citizens charter, bringing central government employees under the ambit of Lokpal  -- put by Anna to end his fast," Singh sought to point out.

He also wondered, "Why does Team Anna see corruption only in Congress-ruled state and not in BJP-ruled states like Karanataka, where the former CM B S Yedyurappa has been arrested on corruption charges? Why does Anna Hazare appreciate Gujarat CM Narendra Modi though he is yet to appoint a Lokayukta ?"

He said the UPA government is committed to table Lokpal Bill in the Parliament in the next winter session and reiterated that the government was not in favour of having an organization (Jan Lokpal) where the same person would deal with complaints, investigation and adjudication.

The Congress leader continued with his tirade against Anna's associate Arvind Kejriwal saying, "Kejriwal is still a government servant as his resignation was not accepted for his failure to fulfill certain conditions he had accepted before going abroad on study leave. He has to explain how could he form an NGO despite being a government servant and accept money from foreign funding agencies like Ford Foundation."

Digvijaya Singh also said that BJP leader L K Advani's rath yatra had run out of steam after the arrest of former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.

"Advaniji has to explain why the NDA government did not take any action against Bangaru Lakshman after he was caught taking bribe in camera in a sting operation. What action did the NDA government take to punish those involved in coffin scam?" he asked.

The senior Congress leader, however, refrained from making any comment on Anna Hazare's invitation to Rahul Gandhi to visit Ralegaon Siddhi, and only said, "It is between Anna and Rahul Gandhi, I have nothing to comment on it. But I have to say Anna has done a good job at Ralegaon Siddhi in the sectors of rural development, water management and environment protection."

In view of raging debate over possibility of the UPA government resorting to amendment of the Right To Information Act, the Congress leader said the RTI Act would not be altered as the prime minister had already ruled out the possibility of making amendment to it.