New Delhi:
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare told NDTV today that he does not support BJP leader LK Advani's rath yatra against corruption. He said, "I do not support Advani's yatra; if the BJP is serious about corruption let them start with strong Lokayuyktas in their states."
The BJP says that's perfectly fine.
"Anna Hazare is a well-known and respected social activist. He has the right to have his opinion on the yatra. People have the liberty to support or not to support the yatra. But we have also not sought his support," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.
Anna said to NDTV today that what India needs is a party of "clean leaders" and that a non-Congress, non-BJP front should be supported in politics. "Willing to support a political group of like-minded, clean individuals, not the BJP or Congress," he said.
Anna's 12-day fast in Delhi last month, demanding that political parties debate his vision of a new anti-corruption agency called the Lokpal, was publicly supported by the BJP; the party's president Nitin Gadkari wrote a strongly-worded letter to Anna praising his effort. In Parliament, the BJP pledged its support to three must-have powers for the Lokpal dictated by Anna.
"It is not necessary for us (BJP and Hazare) to agree on every issue. Though I have not heard of Hazare saying he will not support, we know that a lot of people are going to come out in support of Advani's yatra," Javadekar said.