Congress-NCP use inquiry against Hazare to hit back

The empire is set to strike back. The ruling Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislators in Maharashtra have asked the state government to act against Anna Hazare and the various trusts founded by him and his associates on charges of corruption.

They are seeking implementation of a report of a Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice PB Sawant that was given on February 22, 2005. The commission, which probed corruption charges against four NCP ministers, also investigated Hazare’s financial dealings. While two ministers resigned, one of them, Suresh Jain, levelled counter-charges against Hazare.

The government appointed the Sukthankar committee to implement the Sawant committee’s recommendations. But this never came to fruition. On a high court order, another committee was appointed to take action against the ministers as well as Hazare. It is yet to give its report.

Hazare, a social worker, is leading a campaign for a strong anti-graft legislation.

“The government will have to ask the committee, comprising the advocate general, an eminent lawyer and Hazare’s representative, to submit its findings at the earliest,” said an NCP minister.

A Congress minister, who hails from western Maharashtra, told Business Standard, “The Congress and NCP are concerned over Hazare’s move to undermine parliamentary democracy and his tall claims against corruption. Maharashtra knows how trusts run by him and his associates were alleged to be involved in corruption and extortion.”

“The government will have to decide about taking action against Hazare and his trusts,” he said. He added the party high command would be consulted before proceeding against Hazare’s trusts and the ministers.

The NCP minister, who did not want to be quoted, said the Sawant Commission had observed that the Bhrashtachar Virodhi Janandolan — one of Hazare’s trusts — was not registered legally as a society under the Societies Registration Act. The andolan could not have legally acted as a trust after 1998 as it did not have the required number of trustees, it said.

Hazare could not be contacted. The trust office-bearers said he was travelling and did not have a mobile.

The commission also rapped the andolan for use of the platform by some workers for extortion, blackmail, grabbing property corruption and harassment. Hazare said not all of them were his workers.

The commission also said the expenditure of Rs 2.20 lakh from the Hind Swaraj Trust’s funds for celebrating Hazare’s birthday was illegal. It also pointed out acceptance of cash loans from parties other than the trustees as well as the repayment of these loans in cash.

The repayment loans above Rs 20,000 taken from the trustees in cash was against the Income Tax Act, it said.

Further, non-submission of the budget of the Sant Yadavbaba Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, except in 1984, was against the Bombay Public Trusts Act, it said. The non-submission of the audited accounts between 1982 and 2002 was also against the law, it said.

The commission also said that the purchase of three land parcels in Ralegan Siddhi village and constructions on these plots were not reported to the Charity Commissioner.