Credit for anti-graft stir's success only Anna’s: RSS

Weeks after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement that RSS cadre had actively participated in the Anna Hazare movement sparked a row, the Sangh on Friday gave him sole credit for the movement’s success.

Weeks after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement that RSS cadre had actively participated in the Anna Hazare movement sparked a row, the Sangh on Friday gave him sole credit for the movement’s success.

HT Image

It, however, said it was pained that Anna had called its support to his movement as an attempt at “defaming” him, cautioning him against harming his own campaign by falling prey to a “conspiracy” to derail it.

Bhagwat’s earlier statement had been seen by Congress as the RSS’ endorsement that it was the force behind the Anna movement.

“Shri Anna Hazare is a man committed to noble ideals. He has been leading a massive popular movement against corruption… Entire credit for the success of this movement goes to him only,” RSS general secretary Suresh Joshi said at the organisation’s executive meet at Gorakhpur.

Joshi said he was pained that a “political conspiracy” had influenced Hazare: “In his reply to the redundant controversy raked up by general secretary of the Congress, Sri Anna had made some comments on the RSS chief and also indicated that he viewed the letter written by me in support of his movement as a political conspiracy. These views… go beyond my comprehension and cause immense pain to me. It is tragic that a person of Anna’s stature too has got influenced by narrow political conspiracy.”

He added, “The views expressed in his letter would prove detrimental to the anti-corruption movement only.”