Author: Atul Chaurasia
Publication: Tehelka
Date: September 10, 2011
URL: http://www.tehelka.com/story_main50.asp?filename=Ne100911Whose.asp
Was the saffron-clad social activist trapped
or did he betray Anna Hazare's team? Atul Chaurasia finds out
His Reputation hanging rather precariously,
Swami Agnivesh is under severe strain. His video is a hot topic on the Internet
nowadays. Newsrooms are abuzz with this 80- second clip where Agnivesh is
seen talking to a 'Kapil' in the video. Some say the person on the other side
was Union Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal. In the conversation, it is clear that
Agnivesh is opposing Anna Hazare's agitation and advising that the government
shouldn't soften its stand. At the same time, he is also embarrassed by the
soft stand taken by the government.
Not only this, Agnivesh calls the protesters
"mad elephants" and tells "Kapil Muni" that the longer
the leash, the more the demands. In an interview with TEHELKA, Agnivesh pleads
innocence. But our inquiries reveal something else.
Swami Agnivesh was once a member of Team Anna's
core group. But a couple of days before the release of this video, reports
of his differences with Team Anna began to surface and he also stopped going
to Ramlila Maidan. He even criticised the team at a press meet on 26 August,
objecting to the behaviour of Hazare and his colleagues. On his Facebook page,
Agnivesh wrote that there was no point continuing the fast when the prime
minister and the Parliament had requested an end to it. As soon as the media
came to know about the rift, reporters lined up at his house.
The circumstances in which the video was shot
are interesting. TEHELKA tried to make sense of the situation by talking to
reporters from two TV channel who shot it and those who uploaded it online.
After Agnivesh openly expressed his anger
against Hazare and his associates, the two reporters went to his house. Agnivesh
was captured on camera while talking to the reporters.
Agnivesh's aide, who can also be seen on camera,
then brought the swami his phone and according to one of the reporters present
there, said, "Swamiji, Kapilji ka phone hai" (Swamiji, you have
a call from Kapilji). Agnivesh got up while the reporters stepped back but
the cameramen continued to record.
ONE OF the reporters said, "As soon as
I heard that the phone is from Kapilji, I felt something was going on between
swamiji and the government." The reporters say that it was clear that
the 'Kapilji' on the phone was none other than Kapil Sibal. They recorded
the entire conversation.
Back in the studio, both the channel editors
decided not to run the eavesdropped conversation. "I found out later
that the video was being run on India TV and on a website," says one
of the reporters. "I thought that someone from my fellow reporter's office
must have given it to the website Everyone is a friend here." Then someone
uploaded the video on YouTube and millions saw it.
In his defence, however, Swami Agnivesh takes
the standard line of canny politicians.
1. This is a conspiracy against me and the
video has been cut, pasted and spliced.
2. My colleagues have cheated me. They had
the video ready to distribute right after Hazare broke his fast. (He was obviously
pointing to Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi.)
Further, Agnivesh says he was talking to 'Kapil
Muni Maharaj'. On closely observing the tape, this claim seems suspect. In
the beginning of the chat, he says, "Jai ho Kapilji. Jai ho maharaj."
They are separate sentences. And also that, "maharaj" is an oft-used
word in his speech. For example, he greeted this reporter with, "How
are you, Chaurasiaji maharaj?"
Samrendra Singh, who uploaded the video on
his website, points to another fact, "If it had been Kapil Muni Maharaj
on the phone, the first thing he would have asked about would be his well-being.
But he started talking about Anna right away. With who else but Sibal could
he have started talking about the movement from the first sentence? And who
else would he advise to stay firm but a government man? Why would an outsider
be told to stay firm?"
Kejriwal dismisses the allegations made by
Agnivesh. "He's plain wrong. Why would we conspire against him?"
he asks. "That would only harm the movement. But I believe that if the
contents of the video are genuine, it is rather unfortunate."
There are several other such questions, the
replies to which, Agnivesh claims, would put the movement in jeopardy. He
also avoids the question of Kapil Muni Maharaj's identity by saying that he
will take a decision when the time comes. His evasive answers to straight
questions make him all the more suspicious.
Excerpts from an interview:
Swami Agnivesh, Social Activist
'My colleagues have conspired against me'
There are allegations that you were allied
with both the government and Team Anna.
My colleagues have conspired against me. I supported them at every step but
they betrayed me. I defended Shanti and Prashant Bhushan when the CD against
them came up. I told the media that this is a conspiracy. Today, Kiran Bedi
is spewing venom in the media. They didn't even think it important to talk
to me.
Then why aren't you taking legal action against
them?
Being a sanyasi, I don't feel right doing that. Contempt notices don't help.
When I had earlier done that, there were no results. I had even publicly forgiven
the person who attacked me in Hyderabad.
Who conspired against you?
Those associated with the movement, who else? They got the CD made three days
in advance and uploaded it as soon as Anna's fast got over. The media didn't
do its job sincerely.
What did the media do wrong?
Is it not wrong to record someone's personal conversation? If they had something
to say against me then why didn't they check with me first?
Did you appeal to Anna earlier to break his
fast? On what issues did you differ from him?
I was against the fast-untodeath from the beginning. My opinion was that Anna
should only go for an indefinite strike. But others intentionally wanted to
put his life in danger. Later, when Parliament and the PM appealed to Anna
to end his fast, I didn't see any reason for him to continue. This issue led
me away from them. These people were unnecessarily increasing their demands.
When they clubbed three different issues together, I was left with no option
but to go my way.
Let's talk about the video. From your conversation
it is clear that there would be no point in talking that way to anyone except
Kapil Sibal?
Check my phone records. That will prove that I was not talking to Sibal. I
was angry because I didn't see the point in adding new conditions once the
government had appealed (to end the fast). I was telling the same thing to
Kapil Maharaj.
Your reputation is at stake. Why don't you
prove your innocence by producing Kapil Maharaj or show your call details
to prove that you were talking to someone else and not to Kapil Sibal?
I am consulting my people. I will prove my innocence when the time comes.
I will not do anything now or this will greatly harm the movement.
Why can't you just honestly admit you made
a mistake and apologise to Anna?
In all honesty, I have done no wrong. If someone shows me where I have gone
wrong, I will apologise to Anna. I can never call Anna a mad elephant. I have
great respect for him.
- Atul Chaurasia is a Correspondent with Tehelka.
atul@tehelka.com
