Mumbai, December 27: On the eve of Anna Hazare’s three-day protest in Mumbai, his team held a meeting with Muslim organisations on Monday to provide clarifications regarding their alleged links with the RSS and the BJP. Representatives from around 55 Muslim NGOs were present at the closed-door meeting with Team Anna core committee members Manish Sisodia and Arvind Kejriwal, at Swastik Chamber, Crawford Market.
“Some corrupt people are spreading false information to deviate us from the jan lokpal issue,” Kejriwal told the media. “Corruption doesn’t see religion. It affects people from all religions … we all should fight against it together.”
This was not the first time the Team Anna found itself at the receiving end of communal suspicions.
The agitation over the lokpal issue had earlier made the minorities, Dalits and other backward communities jittery. To smooth over the tension and display their inclusiveness, the team had chosen a child each from the Dalit and the minority communities to hand Hazare his glass of juice when he broke his 12-day fast in Delhi in August.
“We asked Kejriwal about their source of funds and their association with the RSS or the BJP. More importantly, we sought his opinion on communal discord faced by the Muslims in Hindu-Muslim riots,” said Azimuddin, president of the NGO Movement for Human Welfare, after the meeting.
Extending their support for the agitation, Moulana Mustaqeem A Azim, president of Jamiat Ulma-e- Maharashtra, said, “The Muslim community has always been against corruption and will continue to support agitation against it.”
Kejriwal said India Against Corruption (IAC) would maintain communal harmony during the protest.
Asked if the IAC will meet other communities or groups who are opposing the bill, Kejriwal said, “We are open to interact with everybody”.
Courtesy: Hindustan Times