Terming his team member Prashant Bhushan’s views on Kashmir as “wrong”, Anna Hazare said Kashmir is an integral part of India. Reiterating Hazare’s view that the senior advocate’s remark on Kashmir were his own, Team Anna cleared said Bhushan is an “integral” and “inseparable” part of their group.
They also hinted at possibility of a deeper “conspiracy” behind attack on Bhushan on Wednesday which was followed by bashing of their supporters outside a Delhi court on Thursday. They said it needs to be probed in detail and these actions could be to divide their team and affect the Lokpal movement.
“Today our core committee met and we discussed several issues including our member Prashant Bhushan’s remark on Kashmir. He is an inseparable and integral part of our team. However, his views on Kashmir are his personal views,” team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal said through Anna Hazare was not present in
the meeting physically, they were talking to him on phone constantly.
Asked about their view on whole issue including Kashmir, Kejriwal read a statement which said: “IAC stands for unity and integrity of India. We believe Kashmir is an integral part of India. Kashmir is a complex problem and should be solved through peaceful means and dialogue within the four walls of our constitution.”
A controversy over Bhushan’s continuance in the team broke out when Anna while talking to mediapersons in Ralegan Siddhi said Bhushan’s remarks were his own and the team doesn’t agree with it. “Woh aage jaake hum log tay karenge, rakhna (hai) nahi rakhna (We will decide later whether he will be in the team),” Hazare told reporters. Kejriwal said the confusion started because during this interaction some one asked him if Bhushan would be removed from the team.
