Team Anna works on a rulebook for self-discipline

Anna Hazare’s country-wide anti-graft movement, forced to do an introspection following allegations of corruption against its members, has decided to chart a constitution for itself. The norms would be binding on all the members.

The members of the team took this decision, meant to promote self-discipline, after a meeting with their guiding force, Anna Hazare, at his native Ralegan Siddhi village in Maharashtra.

Later, while addressing a press conference, India Against Corruption’s frontline leader Arvind Kejriwal said they would reconstitute their core committee and working committee once the proposed constitution was ready.

The core committee would remain unchanged for the time being. The meeting with Hazare follows a core committee meeting yesterday in the national capital, amid speculation and demands from some members about its dissolution.

On Sunday, Kejriwal said: “Neither Anna nor any of us are in favour of dissolving the committee.” The young activist was accompanied by senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan and former supercop Kiran Bedi.

Earlier this month, resignations by two members, accusing Bedi and Kejriwal of arrogance and autocracy, had marred the movement’s image. This was preceded by the exit of Arya Samaj leader Swami Agnivesh from the team and followed by allegations of shady practices by Bedi and an income-tax notice slapped on Kejriwal. All these had seen some tension and doubts among the members. Many like former Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde had made it clear that his support was confined to the Lok Pal issue and did not go any further than that, indicating his strong displeasure at the allegations of financial misdemeanour against Bedi. Kumar Vishwas, another member wrote to Anna that the team itself should be disbanded so that fingers are not raised at individual members which, in turn, would affect the movement.

Some other members had been feeling that key members were “using” them and that their own views were not being counted. However, yesterday’s meeting saw a resurgence of confidence among members, as they seemed to have thrashed out differences. Also, members -- like Bedi -- seemed to have mellowed, thanks to constant public scrutiny.

Hazare, 75, said the movement stood “united” and there was no question of dissolving the committee for fear of accusations by the Congress or any opponent. In a statement, he reiterated the group’s resolve to take on the Congress in the coming elections in states if the Lok Pal Bill was not passed in the winter session of Parliament. The group would wait till the next session to start trips to the states facing elections.

“Neither do we have the Congress nor do we have any special love for (Uttar Pradesh’s BSP chief minister) Mayawati,” Kejriwal said, explaining their proposed campaign in the country’s most populous state that is facing polls next year.