Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday quit the GoM on corruption after anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare's call to keep him away from the Group of Ministers on the Lokpal Bill. Pawar conveyed his decision in a letter written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Earlier, an angry Pawar, who was part of the draft committee on the Lokpal Bill, had said he would not like to be part of any Group of Ministers. "I'd be happy to be relieved of my duties on any GoM, including this one," said Pawar.
Hazare and RTI campaigner Arvind Kejriwal had been demanding that Pawar should not be part of the GoM as the minister had always soft-pedalled the issue of corruption.
Hazare had said that it would be unrealistic to expect Pawar to counter corruption when there are many corruption charges levelled against him.
He said, "Doesn't the government know that Sharad Pawar is involved in land scams in Maharashtra and Kapil Sibal could not see the 2G scam? How we can have faith in such a Group, which consists of people like Pawar, Sibal and Veerappa Moily?"
Kejriwal had said that Pawar's offer to quit the GOM on Lokpal Bill will serve no purpose as there is no dearth of others with corruption cases against them.
Earlier, an angry Pawar, who was part of the draft committee on the Lokpal Bill, had said he would not like to be part of any Group of Ministers. "I'd be happy to be relieved of my duties on any GoM, including this one," said Pawar.
Hazare and RTI campaigner Arvind Kejriwal had been demanding that Pawar should not be part of the GoM as the minister had always soft-pedalled the issue of corruption.
Hazare had said that it would be unrealistic to expect Pawar to counter corruption when there are many corruption charges levelled against him.
He said, "Doesn't the government know that Sharad Pawar is involved in land scams in Maharashtra and Kapil Sibal could not see the 2G scam? How we can have faith in such a Group, which consists of people like Pawar, Sibal and Veerappa Moily?"
Kejriwal had said that Pawar's offer to quit the GOM on Lokpal Bill will serve no purpose as there is no dearth of others with corruption cases against them.
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