Noida (Uttar Pradesh), June 4 (ANI): Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal on Monday clarified that there is no difference of opinion between him and yoga guru Baba Ramdev, but emphasized that the naming of persons involved in various charges of corruption is essential.
Kejriwal defended Baba Ramdev's opinion, saying the yoga guru was right in this own way.
"I believe that it is view on an issue and a strategy. I feel that this is a political war where we will have to pinpoint that certain individuals are charged for corruption like Kalmadi, Raja, Mulayam Singh, Lalu Prasad Yadav and we will have to clearly take their names. Naming and shaming are both essential," said Kejriwal.
"Swamiji (Baba Ramdev) is a saint and comes from a different background. He feels that names should not be taken from a philosophical point of view and we should only address issues. He is also right in his own way and my point of view is correct. This agitation will continue and there is no dissention," he added.
Former Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde, who lent his support to Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare's joint fast against corruption on Sunday, also rebutted allegations of internal rift within the team.
He said everyone had the right to express one's opinion, and added it is common within a democratic system.
"Absolutely nothing, every time press asks me I say there's no rift. The fact that I am not in the core committee meeting or that I have expressed certain views which will be contrary to the views expressed by any one of the core committee members doesn't indicate a rift at all," said Hegde.
"In a democratic set up, different thinkings are ...common. There is nothing new about that," he added.
Baba Ramdev had earlier on Sunday clarified that Arvind Kejriwal left the anti-graft agitation venue at Parliament Street here because he was ill.
Media reports earlier said that Kejriwal had stormed out of the venue after Baba Ramdev appeared to pull him up over name calling of individuals.
Kejriwal, who joined the day-long fast at the Parliament Street in New Delhi on Sunday, took potshots at both the Prime Minister and his other Cabinet colleagues over their corrupt ways.
Baba Ramdev, however, said that the fight against graft was not against individuals.
"Arvind Kejriwal should not have taken names. It could create controversy. Please don't see it as personal attack. This fight is not against any individual," Baba Ramdev told the gathering soon after Kejriwal's comments.
"Today, we thought that we will not take anybody's name. But Arvind took the name. We don't want any controversies. Arvind does not have any enmity with anyone. The names have been taken in some context. We are against personal criticism," he added.
Kejriwal had earlier said that no political party wanted a strong Lokpal Bill.
"There are serious allegations against 15 ministers out of 34. That is why they are not passing the Lokpal Bill. Manmohan Singh is the leader of those 34 ministers. There is allegation against Manmohan Singh in coal allocation scam. 155 mines were given to the private companies without bidding and Manmohan Singh was the coal minister that time," said Kejriwal.
"None of the investigating agency is neutral, all comes under the government. All cases should be handed over to special investigation team. We have written to the Prime Minister that all the cases should be handed over to fast track court," he added.
Kejriwal had also stated the Parliament will never pass the Lokpal Bill because MPs like RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Commonwealth Games (CWG) Organising Committee chief Suresh Kalmadi and former telecom minister A. Raja are sitting in the House.
Team Anna met in Noida today amid reports of a rift between them and Baba Ramdev over the treatment meted out to Arvind Kejriwal in public and differences within them over attacking Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Anna Hazare and Justice Santosh Hegde, who had earlier expressed reservations about targeting the Prime Minister, attended the meeting that is expected to reassess its strategy. (ANI)
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