Anna Hazare orders AAP leader Gopal Rai to leave fast venue after spat with Gen V K Singh

Ralegan Siddhi (Maharashtra): In a dramatic twist to the four-day-old indefinite fast by social activist Anna Hazare, the octagenarian leader today ordered Aam Aadmi Party leader Gopal Rai to leave Ralegan Siddhi village if he did not agree to what the former Army Chief Gen V K Singh was saying from the dais. The retired army chief had castigated AAP, without naming the party, for "ditching" Anna Hazare in the fight for Jan Lok Pal. As AAP leader Gopal Rai who was sitting below the dais, Anna Hazare sternly intervened and ordered the AAP leader to leave the village if he did not agree with the speeches being made from the dais. A miffed AAP leader Gopal Rai, immediately left Ralegan Siddhi and told the mediapersons that he was leaving the village to obey the orders of Anna Hazare. "I will however continue my fast. My fast is for Jan Lok Pal bill. I will be returning to Delhi via Pune.", said Gopal Rai. Gopal Rai alleged that he had to sit and listen to charges from a person (V K Singh) who was persuading Modi for a Lok Sabha ticket. "We are leaving the village, but will not abandon the fast. We will not leave Anna's side. We had come yesterday and had spoken to Anna. "Actually, many people do not like Aam Aadmi Party and Anna to come closer. The man who is speaking about Jan Lokpal is himself hankering for a ticket from Modi".Replying to queries from mediapersons, Gopal Rai said: " There is no question of distancing from Anna. Both our objectives are the same, Jan Lok Pal. This fight is not only for Ralegan Siddhi, it is for the whole country."The spat spilled out in the open at the fast venue on Day 4, when former Army Chief retd Gen V K Singh began to criticize Aam Aadmi Party for leaving Anna in the lurch. It was left to Anna Hazare to shout down Gopal Rai, and asked him to leave the meeting if he did not agree with Gen Singh's remarks.Gen. Singh was addressing a small gathering outside Yadav Baba temple, where Anna is on Day 4 of his indefinite fast. The former army chief said, "When Anna launched his Jan Lok Pal agitation, many people were with him. Some people left his in the midst, and today such people are claiming that Anna was because of them, and not the other way. Nobody can run down the issue that Anna raised. All of us are with Anna. Let Anna give us guidance, and we will fight to root out corruption from the country collectively, not by setting up separate groups or parties."It was then that Gopal Rai sitting below the dais on fast, objected to Gen Singh's remarks and started speaking loudly. Gen Singh told Gopal Rai, "if you have misgivings you can keep them in your heart."Security guards surrounding Anna suddenly became alert, and Anna had to intervene. Anna Hazare told Gopal Rai: "I told you yesterday not to sit on fast here, but you sat. Now you are interjecting in the speech of a speaker. If you don't agree with Gen Singh, you can't obstruct his speech. You are free to go out of this village and say what you want to say."Gen VK Singh, later on, said that Lokpal Bill has been tabled in parliament for 9th time and now it should be passed in its present format. He termed Gopal Rai's behavoiur uncivilised and said that he was not aware of what exactly Gopal Rai was saying.Gopal Rai had alleged that Gen V K Singh was hankering for a BJP ticket in next Lok Sabha elections. "They should know that VK Singh has no political ambitions," said Gen V K Singh."The public meeting that I attended with Narendra Modi was meant for raising the issues of ex-servicemen.I will support the cause of ex-servicemen even in the case it is raised by a Yamaraj's party. Gopal Rai loses his temper on petty issues and makes uncivilised comments," added Gen V K Singh. Speaking from the dais in the evening, Anna Hazare said that the people of this country will respond to Samajwadi Party for obstructing Lokpal Bill. Anna said that Raj Thackeray had called him up to extend his support.Talking about Arvind Kejriwal, Anna said that he has made sacrifices and has worked hard and that's why he has won.Refusing to take the credit for AAP's victory in delhi assembly polls, Anna said,” They have won because of their work. Why should I take the credit?”