In Maharashtra, both the Shiv Sena-BJP and the Congress-NCP alliances have often exploited his crusade against corruption to their political advantage.
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has often been used and misused by the political parties to serve their vested interests. The ruling Congress-NCP alliance has dismissed Hazare’s protest against the Lokpal bill as anti-democratic.
In Maharashtra, both the Shiv Sena-BJP and the Congress-NCP alliances have often exploited his crusade against corruption to their political advantage.
Sources in the Democratic Front government said, “Former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh was the only leader who had mastered the art of tackling Hazare without hurting his self dignity nor inviting trouble to the ruling combine. When Hazare walked in and out of Mantralaya with a series of corruption cases in various departments, Deshmukh would never dismiss it lightly. He would summon the bureaucrats in his presence and take up the issues.”
On one occasion, Deshmukh summoned all top bureaucrats for a meeting at his official residence. He also invited Hazare. He asked Hazare to take up all issues related to corruption. The meeting lasted for almost eight hours as Hazare interacted with the officials at length. At the end Hazare expressed satisfaction.
In the past, former chief minister Sushil Kumar Shinde (2003) was confronted with a similar dilemma when Hazare went on an indefinite fast demanding the sacking of four ministers in the DF government. Shinde formed a commission under a retired judge to probe the allegations.
Three ministers-Sureshdada Jain, Nawab Mulik and Padmasinh Patil—all belonging to the NCP were asked to resign. However, Vijaykumar Gavit got a clean chit.
During the Sena-BJP government (1995-99), similar issues related to corruption were raised by Hazare. Former CM Manohar Joshi considered Hazare’s plea. Since early 1990s, Hazare’s association with the political forum came into public.
Till then the social reformer had restricted him to welfare schemes such as ban on liquor drinking, road construction in his native Ahmednagar.
NCP ministers Ramraje Nimbalkar and Jayant Patil have often tried to mediate between the Congress-NCP government and Hazare.
“When in power the Sena tried to use Hazare to harass Gopinath Munde. Later, the BJP turned the tables against the Sena by exposing corruption through Hazare’s agitation.” The trend continues even today as Congress and NCP ministers have become victims of the Hazare agitation.
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