New Delhi, Sept 2 : Gandhian Anna Hazare, after disbanding his 22-member core team, has now decided to set up a nationwide network of "selfless and non-political" volunteers to carry on his fight against corruption, The Hindustan Times reported today.
Anna has reportedly set out to go apolitical to raise a corps of volunteers that would be monitored only him, independent of the momvement that has now embraced a political agenda, with former Team Anna members planning to float a political outfit, the report said.
“Our new team will take ahead Annaji's andolan (agitation) by forming teams in their respective places. People who have political interest will have to explore other options,” said Hazare's close aide Suresh Pathare from Ralegan Siddhi.
Although some former members of the core team, led by Arvind Kejriwal, plan to float a political outfit on October 2, some other senior activists, such as Kiran Bedi and Santosh Hegde, reportedly developed differences with Kejriwal.
Asked about his views on Hazare's new move, Kejriwal refused to either deny or confirm the information.
He said, “The reality will be known to the world soon.”
Hazare, now at a naturopahy hospital on the outskirts of Bangalore, however, refuesed to speak about "any political issues or the team.”
However one of the other members of the core team said, requesting anonymity: “That (forming a team of volunteers) does not change anything about the plan to broad-base and take the movement to different levels. The focus remains on fighting corruption — whether it is through cleansing the political system or through agitations.”
Hazare also wants his recruits to have a strong belief in clean character, good thinking and the need to sacrifice for the country.
More than 1,000 people, including former defence and police personnel, bureaucrats, doctors and engineers offered themselves to the Hazare brand of agitations against corruption.
Another close Hazare aide, Dattatray Awari, told HT from Ralegan that Hazare's office has received applications from almost all states.
Prominent among them are Jammu & Kashmir, the NCR region, UP, Haryana, Punjab, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, MP and Maharashtra.
Awari said Hazare had written back to the applicants appreciating their willingness to join him, but asked them to reaffirm their commitment to the cause. “Annaji wants his volunteers to strengthen their resolve before taking the plunge.”
Hazare is scheduled to return to Ralegan from Bangalore by September 8 and will personally supervise the selection process during the next couple of months.
