My stir won’t give rise to another Kejri, says Hazare

New Delhi, Feb. 5: Social activist Anna Hazare on Monday said that his planned agitation against the Centre would not give rise to “another Kejriwal”, referring to his one- time protege Arvind Kejriwal who later went on to become the Delhi chief minister.

The anti- corruption crusader said he was going to take affidavits from those joining his movement in March that they would not join politics later.

Mr Hazare also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his promise of “achche din” in the run- up to the 2014 general elections.

He alleged that rather than appointing an anticorruption ombudsman, the Centre brought amendments that weakened the Lokpal Act.

“No, no other Kejriwal will emerge from my protest now. I am getting affidavits from those supporting me that they will not join politics,” he said on the sidelines of an event here.

He was delivering the keynote address, titled “Towards Corruption Free India”, at a Business Conclave at SRCC Sports Complex here.

The 80- year- old activist said that his anti- graft movement during the UPA government had seen three of his aides turning into a chief minister, a governor and a minister, in an oblique reference to Mr Kejriwal, Puducherry lieutenantgovernor Kiran Bedi and Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.

Mr Hazare exhorted the youth to join his protest beginning March 23 against the Centre, which he said had “once given us hope to bring achche din”.