Foreign hand in campaign? Prove it, says Anna to Prime Minister’s Office

Ralegan Siddhi: Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare said today that he would like the Prime Minister’s Office to furnish evidence that there is a “foreign hand” involved in his movement against graft. “It is not alright for the Prime Minister’s office to make these sort of remarks,” he said.

“They have said we are anti-national  and have support from abroad but that is not the case,” Mr Hazare added.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) wrote to the Gandhian on the weekend rejecting his demand for a Special Investigation Team or SIT to handle allegations of graft levelled by his aides against the Prime Minister and 14 senior ministers. The letter was sent by Minister of State in the PMO, V Narayansamy. He later told reporters in Chennai that Anna is influenced by  “anti-national elements” and bolstered by “foreign forces”.

In May, Anna and his group of activists had written to the Prime Minister asking for an independent inquiry to determine whether 14 ministers, including himself, are guilty of graft.

They allege that between 2006 and 2009, the PM, who was in charge of the coal ministry, allocated  coal fields to private players instead of holding an auction. They say that decision – which amounted to him abusing his office – cost the country thousands of crores.  The Prime Minister has said he will resign if “even an iota of truth” is found in the allegations.