Anna wants only core committee to decide on issues

In the wake of the attack on lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan over his Kashmir remarks, Team Anna member Santosh Hegde today said Hazare wants only those issues to be related to the Team that are taken up by the core committee.

Hazare also added that issues raised by individuals do not become "issues" of Team Anna, Hegde told reporters here.

The conversation took place over the phone, Hegde said.

The former Supreme Court judge also said he came to know that "certain persons" were collecting funds for 'India Against Corruption' in his and Bhushan's name.

Ironically, they have been asking for payments to be made only in cheques, he said.

Hegde asserted that nobody has been advised or authorised to collect funds on behalf of India Against Corruption and urged people to guard against such elements.

Team Anna was in turmoil after Hazare wondered whether Prashant Bhushan should continue in their campaign after his controversial remarks on Kashmir.

However, a few of Anna's associates met in Delhi seeking to downplay the issue saying the Gandhian had made no such point about Bhushan's continuance in the team.

"Woh aage jaake hum log tay karenge, rakhna (hai) nahi rakhna (hai) (We will decide later whether he will be in the teamor not)," Hazare had told reporters in his native Ralegan Siddhi when asked whether Bhushan, a key aide in his fight for a strong Lokpal Bill, will remain part of Team Anna.

"Whatever views he has articulated, that is not right," he said, two days after Bhushan was attacked by three youths of a right-wing in his chamber in New Delhi for advocating plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, Anna Hazare has put off his planned 'yatra' against Congress demanding a strong Lokpal Bill and will now wait till the end of Winter Session of Parliament.

"Anna will not say anything now. Wait till the Winter Session is over. He will wait for the Winter Session. Let us see whether Congress brings the bill," Arvind Kejriwal, a key Team Anna member, told reporters.

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