Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari’s caustic remarks that anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare had “deserted the army”, has left Puneite Shashikant Mendhale fuming.
Mendhale was closely associated with Hazare and his former boss, the late General YD Sashrabudhe.
Hazare, during his 12-year-old stint with the Indian Army, was employed as a driver.
During the 1965 Indo-Pak war, Hazare drove General Sashrabudhe’s jeep. “During my interactions with the general, he used to praise Anna’s patriotic spirit and his bravery,” recalled Mendhale.
Hazare’s mantle was tested when he had to stand beside the general as the latter directed artillery attack on the enemy soldiers in Punjab, he added.
Post-war, both wanted to meet each other, but, the meeting happened only in 2008.
“Though General Sashrabudhe used to stay in Ramnagar colony in Bavdhan and Anna used to often come to Pune, his busy schedule did not allow him to pay a visit to his former boss,” Mendhale added.
In 2008, prior to embarking on his fast at the temple town of Alandi, Hazare expressed a desire to visit the War Memorial in Pune Camp. “I informed General Sashrabudhe about Anna’s visit and asked him to be present at the memorial.”
Mendhale added that when Hazare met his former boss at the memorial, he put on his trademark Gandhi topi and executed a smart salute to the general. When General Sashrabudhe remonstrated him about the salute, Anna said: “How can I forget that you are my former boss?”
Both had tears in their eyes.
Supporting Hazare’s campaign, Mendhale said: “On August 16, I sent a message to Anna asking his personal assistant to tell him that he is now facing the second battle of Basant. But, this time he is fighting internal enemies, not external ones.”
