UPA's gang of four targeting team members: Anna

Ralegan Siddhi: Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Monday wrote another blog targeting the government over recent attacks and allegations on Team Anna members.

The social activist hit out at the "gang of four" within the UPA government for targeting members of Team Anna.

He said that the "gang of four" was acting like ruffians to oppose those who wanted the Jan Lokpal Bill.

Anna further said that the government had planned to send him to Pune when he was arrested before his Ramlila Maidan agitation.

The anti-corruption crusader also appealed to people across the country to send 40 lakh resolutions to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking for the passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill in the winter session of Parliament.

He warned that government that if the bill was not passed, then not only would he campaign in election-bound states, but would also campaign in the general elections.

Observing that to accuse and humiliate seemed to be the mantra of "the few", the anti-corruption crusader said they were afraid of a Jan Lokpal taking shape fearing that the legislation would strip them of power.

"To accuse and humiliate seems to be the mantra of the few. This is not the first time that such accusations have been levelled against Kiran Bedi. Every member of Team Anna had to face accusations and character assassination by the gang of four. Who are these people? Those are the very same people who are not in favor of Jan Lokpal Bill," he said.

Recalling the formation of the Joint Committee to draft Lokpal Bill, he said these people did not want the Jan Lokpal bill passed.

Bedi, a former IPS officer, is under attack for overcharging organisations by inflating her travel bills though she claimed the money went to her NGO. She had offered to return the excess money collected from her hosts.

"I do not blame all the ministers from the Congress party or the Government as a whole. There are some righteous and committed people in the Government but they cannot raise their voice because of this 'gang of four'," Hazare said.

Claiming that the number of Ministers who are opposing Jan Lokpal Bill in Cabinet was handful, he said it was similar to a village where there are "two to four goons" who hold the entire village to ransom.

(With Additional Inputs from PTI)