Anna Hazare tells Aap Ki Adalat, Kejriwal is now dreaming of becoming PM

New Delhi: Gandhian activist Anna Hazare has said that Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal is now dreaming of becoming the Prime Minister."I told him (Kejriwal) to first make Delhi a model state and then tell the country about it. "If the nation finds a new model, it's effect would have been greater, but instead of creating a model, he suddenly started dreaming about entering the Prime Minister's House. This is not good."Hazare was replying to questions from Rajat Sharma in India TV's show Aap Ki Adalat, to be telecast on Saturday and Sunday.About Kejriwal staying in government accomodation, Hazare said: "I asked him whether he was staying in a bungalow. He said, it's a small one. "It doesn't matter whether it's smaller or bigger. When it was decided that we would not be taking government bungalows and cars, they why did he take?""I got so many offers from the government, but I refused all. I thought he (Kejriwal) was a tyaagi (selfless), that he doesn't crave for worldly things, has left his home, everything. but when he became the CM, I found he lacked these qualities..Now he is dreaming of entering the Prime Minister's House. I am very much surprised."Hazare had praise for West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, to whose party, Trinamool Congress, he has extended his support in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Hazare said: "She is the chief minister of a state, but wears hawai chappals and a simple saree. She did not take government accomodation and stays in a small room in her father's house. If such people come to power, the face of the nation will change."The Gandhian activist said, he had sent 17 points to all major political parties seeking their promise to implement them, if they came to power. None of the parties replied. Only Mamata Banerjee replied promising to implement them if he came to power. I sent her a message. Make an affidavit before the people that if I fail to implement those promises, I will resign."On Aam Aadmi Party's plans to collect Rs 200 crore for the forthcoming polls, Hazare said: "This is not good..How can they create an ideal before the people by doing this.. This is not a correct ideal.. To collect Rs 200 crore and then spend, then what is the difference between their party and others?"On being asked why politicians are reluctant once they occupy a chair, Hazare replied: "This is the problem with this country. When a Hindu dies, people take him to the crematorium on four shoulders. When a Muslim dies, he is also taken on a bier. When a Christian dies, he is taken in a coffin to the burial ground. But in politics, there are many who feel they should be taken to the cremation ground sitting on a chair."On Kejriwal's charge that the Lokpal Bill passed by Parliament will only benefit the Congress and Rahul Gandhi, Hazare replied: "Some people look at things with coloured lenses. I agree the bill is not 100 pc of what I had planned, but at least the poor will get justice. At least 50 pc corruption will be reduced."Asked about his views about Narendra Modi, the Gandhian activist said: "No doubt Narendra Modi gets good crowds at his rallies. He also gives good speeches. He speaks well, but his thinking about the economy is not correct. "The nation's economy and planning must take the village as a unit, but he speaks no such thing. He only thinks about big corporates. So long as we do not plan with village as a unit, our economy will not change for the better. Mahatma Gandhi used to say that the village economy will have to be changed, if the nation's economy has to change."Aap Ki Adalat will be telecast on India TV on Feb 22 (Saturday) at 10 pm, and on Feb 23 (Sunday) at 10 am and 10 pm.