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New Delhi: Team Anna
has been disbanded and the work that had started in its name has
ended, its leader Anna Hazare announced Monday, three days after
the group announced that it would join the political mainstream to
further its fight against corruption.
Hazare, whose declaration through his blog appeared to take even
senior leaders of Team Anna by surprise, added that the
anti-corruption movement would remain alive and he would work to
provide a "political alternative" to serve the people.
Kiran Bedi, former police officer and a key Team Anna member,
tweeted: "Read Anna's blog. Do not know what all it means. For we
all had very useful preparatory meeting with Annaji wherein he
gave useful guidance."
In Bangalore, N. Santosh Hegde, former Supreme Court judge, told a
news channel that he was surprised by the decision to disband the
group.
"I was against the poliltical move... feel sorry for the reason
that the movement started by Anna for a strong Lokpal was need of
the hour.
"It (the movement) had progressed sufficiently and controversy or
difference of opinion in regard to whether Team Anna should
contest elections or not is unfortunate and which must have led to
Anna disbanding the team," he said.
Others appeared perplexed.
"Annaji has written everything in the blog; there is nothing to
add, for more information regarding the decision only Anna can
talk," Manish Sisodia, amongst those fasting along with Hazare,
Arvind Kejriwal and Gopal Rai for a stringent anti-graft Jan
Lokpal bill in Jantar Mantar last week, told IANS.
After the virtual bombshell, Hazare refused to talk to the media.
The 75-year-old, who flew back to Pune, will be back here to join
yoga guru Baba Ramdev's protest against black money Aug 9.
"Today we end the work of Team Anna," he said in his blog, written
in Hindi. He also admitted that he had been criticised by many
people after the Aug 3 announcement of a political alternative.
"Team Anna was formed to work for the Jan Lokpal. We have decided
not to keep any relations with the government. So the work that
started in Team Anna's name has ended here and the Team Anna
committee also ends here."
Hazare, who said he would be travelling across the country to
awaken people, added: "Despite repeated agitations, the government
is not ready to pass the Jan Lokpal bill. We will have to find
good candidates and give an alternative to the people. This is a
good way, I think so, but how will it happen is the question.
"We have to see people's response because Jantar Mantar is not
India," he said.
He also proposed a kind of a referendum on the political
alternative, saying activists would seek the opinion of 6.5 lakh
gram sabhas, or village councils, on whether they would support
such a move.
Hazare said he would "not join the system but will support it from
outside". If he did decide to support a political alternative, he
said he "should be sure that no corrupt person has reached
parliament".
The sudden decision saw similar reactions from the Congress and
the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"Anna himself doesn't have confidence in his team, that is the
reason he has taken this decision. But it is up to him to take any
decision," said Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi.
BJP leader Prakash Javadekar said it was "bound to happen" and
everyone had the right to fight elections.
Author Chetan Bhagat, who was supporting the cause, said: "Just
because you are passionate about a cause does not make up for the
lack of negotiation and leadership skills."
As the controversy swirled, India Against Corruption (IAC) media
coordinator Aswathi Muralidharan said: "Annaji had conducted a
brief meeting yesterday (Sunday) with the team members.
"All the Team Anna members were kept in the loop on the decision
to disband the Team Anna."
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