Ralegan Siddhi:
One youth named Harvinder Singh slapped the Agriculture Minister of India, Sharad Pawar, and this has caused a lot of hue and cry amongst some people. Someone asked me that Sharad Pawar has been slapped on his face by a youth. I said - Just one slap? And the people held the person who asked this question more guilty than the person who had actually slapped.
I have said many times in the past that it is incorrect to compare Anna Hazare with Mahatma Gandhi. I am not even eligible to sit at the feet of Mahatma Gandhi but his thoughts have influenced my life in a very small way because of which I have been able to do some work in the field of rural development and non-violent struggle for the development of the country. I have said many times that I consider Mahatma Gandhi as my ideal but sometimes I keep Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj also as my ideal. I do not want to hurt anyone with a sword, I do not want to use arms, I am against any kind of fist fight. But Gandhiji would describe use of strong words also as violence.
For the betterment of the society and the country, I have used strong words many times in the past. "Just One Slap?" - I admit that I committed violence when I said that. But for the betterment of society, I do not consider this violence as wrong. Many politicians felt very bad about the slapping incident. Many of them got very angry also. But it is important to discuss as to why did that youth slap.
Today, the corruption is rising day-by-day. This corruption has made it difficult for the ordinary people to live. So much inflation is due to corruption only. It is increasingly becoming difficult for people to run their families. When the limit to patience ends, then some people take law in their own hands and commit such acts. What this young man did was wrong - there are no two opinions about it. And I have also condemned it. But why did he slap - we need to think about it. One slap on the face made politicians so angry. For no fault of theirs, the farmers are lathi-charged, shot at and killed when they demand their rights. But this does not cause any anger in our agriculture based country. This is unfortunate. Many farmers have committed suicide in Maharashtra. But this did not make any politician angry? This is unfortunate.
In 1989 Maharashtra went through severe power crises. The electric pumps of farmers were not getting proper voltage. Their crop was getting burnt, the electric pumps were getting burnt because of low voltage, transformers were getting burnt. I tried for three to four years for the improvement of electricity conditions. The government kept on giving assurances. However, there was no improvement. Therefore I started indefinite fast. After 8 days, the government forcibly admitted me to a hospital.
Due to this, the farmers got angry against the government. Near Wadegwan village of Ahmednagar district, the people blocked roads and the government fired at farmers because of which 4 farmers died and many of them were wounded. But none of the politicians got angry? Sharad Pawar was the Chief Minister of the state at that time. It is 22 years since that protest and the electricity problem is still there, it is not yet over.
Today, Sharad Pawar is the agriculture minister at the centre and the power minister of the state is from his own party. Today after 22 years, the electric pumps of the farmers still get burnt due to low voltage, the crops get burnt, the transformers get burnt, but the politicians still don't get angry. This is unfortunate. The farmers protested at Mawal near Pune. They were shot at. Three farmers died. But the politicians still did not get angry about it.
As Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar imported rotten wheat and since it was not edible, the wheat was buried in huge pits. Crores of public money was wasted but none of the politicians got angry about it? Padmasingh Patil, a relative of Sharad Pawarji, who was a minister in Sharad Pawar's cabinet, indulged in corruption while he was minister. I demanded an enquiry. When enquiry did not take place, I started a movement because of which the enquiry had to be ordered. The minister was found guilty and he had to be removed from the cabinet. To take revenge, this minister gave Rs 30 lakhs supari to someone to kill me. When this person was caught, he admitted before the judge that he had been paid supari by that minister to kill Anna Hazare. Due to this, the Minister had to go to jail. At that time, none of these politicians got angry who have now got so angry due to the slap on Sharad Pawar's face? Padmasingh Patil was corrupt - this was proved. He gave supari to kill me - this was also proved. Despite this, Sharad Pawar went to his programs during elections and appealed to the people and to all workers to support Padamsingh Patil. Despite the fact that he was so corrupt and Sharad Pawar supported him - these politicians still did not get angry? That is why I had said Sharad Pawar has an old habit of keeping the company of corrupt people. The politicians got so angry with that one slap that many buses were burnt, national property was destroyed, many shops were damaged, many private vehicles were damaged - but this did not make anyone angry. This is unfortunate.
We have run so many movements in the last 20 years with thousands of workers. But we never allowed any national property or private property to be damaged. On 16 August, 2011, crores of people came on the streets but not even a single person picked up a stone. There is nothing wrong in participating in movements but the movements should be non-violent. Any damage to national property is our personal loss. This should be the spirit of activists. Those who go to Rajghat to offer their prayers should keep this in mind. Padamsingh Patil's corruption was proved and he went to jail. You support him and then go to Rajghat and offer prayers?
In 1991-92, Sharad Pawar was the Chief Minister when many senior officers of forest department indulged in big ticket corruption. When I got the evidence, I requested Sharad Pawar for an enquiry and strong action against guilty officers. But no enquiry was ordered. I kept on trying for 2 years. Finally I returned Indira Gandhi Vrikshmitra Award given to me by Shri Rajiv Gandhi. Even then, Sharad Pawar did not take any action. Finally, I returned the Padam Shri Award given to me by the President of India. Then the government woke up, ordered an enquiry and had to take action against guilty officers. At that time, the government fell due to GR Khairnar and our movement. In 50 years, thousands of acres of forests have vanished for which Sharad Pawar is responsible. I have been demanding an enquiry over this for the last 3 years but no enquiry has been ordered. If an enquiry were ordered, it would become clear who has been responsible.
This shows that Sharad Pawar has an old habit of protecting corrupt people. In 2003, four of his ministers indulged in corruption. When I got its evidence, I demanded an enquiry against the corruption of these four ministers. When the government refused, I again had to start a movement. I threatened to return the Padam Bhushan Award to the President, then the government agreed for an enquiry. Justice PB Sawant Commission was set up. One minister complained against us also and demanded an enquiry against Anna Hazare simultaneously. I agreed to a simultaneous enquiry against me and my organizations. When I had not done anything wrong, why should I be afraid?
Sharad Pawar arranged and planned for advocates for these ministers. Justice PB Sawant Commission started its work on 21.10.2003. They would work everyday from 11 am to 5 pm. After one year two months, their work completed on 24.12.2004. And they submitted their report to the government on 23.2.2005. The report indicted 3 out of 4 ministers. These ministers asked the Commission for obtaining documents related to Anna Hazare's organizations. The Commission asked us and we immediately agreed. Six chartered accountants kept on scrutinizing documents related to our organizations for 6 days and took away half tempo load of xerox copies of documents. We made arrangements for their stay and fooding at Ralegaon Siddhi but they could not find corruption even of 100 rupees. That we had not submitted some documents to the government departments in time - this was the only irregularity detected. But they could not find any corruption. And the dream of Sharad Pawar's team of declaring me guilty and sending me to jail remained unfulfilled. They had thought that they would corner Anna Hazare and send him to jail. Three ministers had to resign against whom corruption had been proved in Justice Sawant's report. Last 5-6 years, I have been demanding that action should be taken under law against these ministers, who Justice Sawant Commission has found guilty of corruption. The government is still not willing to take action against them under law. Why? Because they are Sharad Pawar's ministers.
After Janlokpal Bill is enacted, we will have to start a movement for action against these ministers. I have written several times to the Chief Minister for taking action against these ministers but it is an old habit to protect corrupt people. What will happen to this state? And to this country? I live in Sant Yadavbaba's temple in my village. I own nothing other than a bed to sleep and a plate. I was involved in the implementation of schemes worth several crores of rupees but do not have any bank balance. I have devoted my entire life for the development of society and country. Many ministers of Sharad Pawar have filed several cases against me in many courts. I do not have any money to fight these cases but 9-10 advocates are fighting these cases for me without charging a single rupee. Today also many cases are going on in courts and I have to be present in these courts. Being a fakir, it does not affect me at all. Serving the people and country gives me immense joy, therefore I never feel sad.
Many people got angry due to one slap, but when the people who have dedicated their entire life for the society and country are victimized, then no one gets angry. This is unfortunate. I have a request - if you have anger against me and want to burn my effigies, then continue doing that as you have been doing till now. Do whatever you want to insult me, but do not damage national property because it belongs to all of us. Protect it. Sharad Pawar's supporters hurled dirtiest abuses against me, I have kept a CD of the same for my record. At an appropriate time, I will play it before the public. They are free to continue abusing me, it does not hurt me at all. But when the national property is damaged, I am hurt and feel very sad.
Thanking you
Yours sincerely
Anna Hazare