Hazare should focus on corruption not politics: Praful Patel

Union Minister Praful Patel today asked Anna Hazare to stay focused on his objective of a corruption free India, instead of interfering in politics.

"I believe that a social reformer or activist should keep his objective limited to social issues and should not interfere in politics," Patel told reporters after inaugurating a school in Ransol village here.

"It is not right on Hazare's part to interfere in politics because if he does this he would not succeed in his main goal. People of the country believe in him because he has stayed away from politics," he added.

The NCP leader was reacting to the Gandhian's reported statement that he would campaign against the Congress if the Jan Lokpal Bill was not passed in the winter session of Parliament.

The Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprise said the BJP should introspect first before raising the issue of corruption as some of its party-men were themselves accused in graft cases.

"The party, whose members are themselves facing corruption charges and whose Chief Minister (referring to former Karnataka CM B S Yeddyurappa) has recently come out of jail, need to first introspect if they can speak on the issue," he said.

"If they (BJP) can speak they should know what to speak. We do not need to advise them on this," he added.