Hazare foxed by choice of venue for anti-graft meet

AKOLA, July 31: Social crusader Anna Hazare found himself in an awkward situation recently when he discovered that the district-level meeti...

AKOLA, July 31: Social crusader Anna Hazare found himself in an awkward situation recently when he discovered that the district-level meeting he had addressed, speaking against corruption and politicians, was held at the headquarters of the District Congress Committee.

Addressing a press conference immediately after the meeting, Hazare explained that he was not aware that Swarajya Bhavan was the party’s headquarters. To organise a meeting against corruption at the Congress office was “a mistake committed by the organisers”, he remarked.

The meeting was organised under the auspices of the Akola District Anti-Corruption Public Agitation Committee. Veteran freedom fighter Shankarrao Guhe presided.

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Hazare, who is touring the State to guide anti-corruption activists, has so far visited 14 districts.

The cases submitted to Anna against corruption included those against the Akola municipal council overseer, Deulgaonkar, by former council member Surendra Shah, it was learnt.

Though corruption could not be completely weeded out from public life, it was “possible to check it”, Hazare said. He added that office-bearers of any political party would not be elected as office-bearer of the anti-corruption agitation committee.