Author: PTI
Publication: Zeenews.india.com
Date: August 28, 2011
URL: http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/team-anna-targets-agnivesh-over-youtube-video_728816.html
Swami Agnivesh, a close associate of Anna
Hazare, was the target of the core Anna team, which attacked him over a controversial
video posted on 'youtube', where he is purportedly telling a person alleged
to be a Union Minister that government act tough with the fasting Gandhian.
Agnivesh on his part claimed the video footage
was "doctored and concoted" and part of a smear campaign against
him and denied he was talking to Union Minister Kapil Sibal.
The minister was involved in negotiations
during the intitial stages of the stand-off between Team Anna and the Government.
Team Anna member Kiran Bedi alleged that
Agnivesh has been caught on camera, where he is asking a person after addressing
him as "Kapil", "Maharaj aap inko itna kyu de rahe hai(Maharaj,
why are you giving them so much?).
"Who's Maharaj? Whether it is Kapil
Sibal on the other side? He said Sibal sahab, I heard that," she said.
Bedi accused Agnivesh of being absolutely
unethical. The core Anna Team and Agnivesh had developed differences during
the course of Hazare's fast.
Bedi told a news agency, that the footage
has "shocked us all and, we are very uncomfortable" with it. "Only
he can answer this. He should own it or reject.
However, it leaves no doubt. It obviously
tells us of what happened. He should tell us, who the person is and who did
he mentioned in this," she added.
Agnivesh said, "These were lies and
it is a cut and paste job. There are several people in my personal circle,
whose first name is Kapil. I never address political leaders as 'Maharaj'.
Kapil Maharaj could be anyobody" he said, without disclosing the identity
of the person, whom he was seen talking to on the video footage.
In the video, Agnivesh is seen coming out
of the ground floor of a building, which could not be identified, talking
over phone.
He was heard talking about about Parliament's
appeal to Hazare to end his fast and the Gandhian's insistence on continuing
with his hunger strike.
Agnivesh allegedly said, that what the other
side was doing against the government was not proper.
He purportedly tells the person on the other
side that government should not concede anything and deal firmly as they were
toughening their stand, whenever government is conceding something.
In the video, Agnivesh also referred to Parliament's
appeal and said, that if Hazare is not ending his fast even after a "big
appeal" from the whole Parliament, then it was not good.
