HVK Archives: ABVP comes to Anna's aid as corruption row goes on
ABVP comes to Anna's aid as corruption row goes on - The Mumbai Age
Posted By Ashok V Chowgule (ashokvc@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in)
23 November 1996
Title :ABVP comes to Anna's aid as corruption row goes on
Author :
Publication : The Mumbai Age
Date : November 23, 1996
The on-going row between social worker Anna Hazare and
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray took an interesting turn on
Friday, when the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad state
unit declared its full support to the fight against cor-
ruption launched by Mr Hazare.
In a related development, leader of the Opposition in the
Maharashtra Legislative Council Chhagan Bhujbal demanded
action against state agriculture minister Shashikant
Sutar for breach of oath of secretary.
The ABVP, the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh Parivar, in a statement issued by the Mumbai of-
fice, said that the state government should take note of
the social worker's charges and take action against the
guilty.
Mr Hazare is presently on a protest fast against the
government's apathy towards the charges of corruption
levelled by him against two ministers of the Manohar
Joshi cabinet - agriculture minister belonging to the
Shiv Sena Shashikant Sutar and irrigation minister Maha-
devrao Shivankar of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Mr Sutar,
who called on Mr Thackeray on Thursday, alleged that Mr
Hazare's charges were motivated because he (the minister)
had demanded an inquiry into the accounts of the Hindu
Swaraj Trust run by Mr Hazare with a government grant.
Mr. Hazare had even demanded an inquiry into the assets
held by the Sena chief and his family members. The Mahar-
ashtra Youth Congress has already supported the agitation
launched by the social worker.
The ABVP release further said that Mr Hazare's selfless
service in Ralegaon Siddhi in Ahmednagar had put the
region on the development map of the nation. Mr Hazare,
who has been honoured with a Padmashree for his efforts
in rural development, is well aware of the debilitating
effect government corruption can have on the developmen-
tal works. Hence his fight against corruption is totally
justified and would result in the development of rural
Maharashtra. The state government should immediately look
into the charges made by Mr Hazare and take immediate
action against the corrupt persons, the release issued on
behalf of ABVP state secretary Sudhakar Bhoir said.
Mr Bhujbal urged the state governor, Dr P. C. Alexander,
to take action against Mr Sutar who has been accused by
noted social activist. Anna Hazare of corruption, had
revealed some government documents to Shiv Sena chief in
violation of the oath of secrecy.
Quoting the minister's statement to reporters that he had
shown the government files to Mr Thackeray to prove his
innocence. Mr Bhujbal said, "Mr Sutar showed the docu-
ments to Mr Thackeray, an extra-constitutional authority,
which amounts to breach of oath of secrecy." Mr Bhujbal
said.
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