Veteran social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday, 11 November sharply rebutted senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's assertion that his 'India Against Corruption' (IAC) movement had received “covert support from the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh,” urging Gandhi to focus on the country's welfare instead. Speaking to reporters in Ahilyanagar, Maharashtra, Hazare insisted he has never aligned himself with any political party.

What Sonia Gandhi Wrote

In her memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love', Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi described how Baburao “Anna” Hazare, a prominent social activist from Maharashtra, emerged as the leading figure of the India Against Corruption movement. She wrote that Hazare was brought to Delhi with considerable “fanfare and publicity,” where he launched a hunger strike that put the then-UPA government and the Congress party firmly on the backfoot.

Gandhi further claimed that some prominent figures involved in the movement later acknowledged it had “covert support” from the BJP and the RSS. She added: “Once our opponents achieved their real objective, which was to dislodge our (UPA) government, nothing more was heard or written about Anna Hazare.”

Hazare's Rebuttal

Hazare pushed back firmly, telling reporters: “Several people from the RSS and BJP also went home because of my movement. I do not think about any political party. For me, only society and the country matter. It is not right to have such a narrow outlook. Think about the country, the direction it is heading in and the condition of our nation and not about such petty things.”

He reiterated that he holds no association with either the Congress or the BJP. “I think only about the interests of society and the country. Like during drought, I use my pension money for those being affected from it. You should think about such issues and work for society,” he said.

The 'Fruit-Bearing Tree' Analogy

Hazare reached for a colourful metaphor to dismiss the criticism, likening it to stones being hurled at a productive tree. “Why would someone throw stones at a tree which doesn’t bear fruits?” he said, implying that only those who have made a meaningful contribution attract such attacks. He added: “I have dedicated my entire life for the society and the country, so it does not matter what people say. I will keep shouldering my responsibility.”

Hazare's Upcoming Book

The activist also used the occasion to announce his forthcoming autobiography, titled 'Anna Hazare: Gram Yogi', which he said chronicles his life story. “People should read it, they will learn from it... I do not concern myself with what others write about me,” he said.

Context and Background

The India Against Corruption movement, which peaked around 2011–2012, galvanised unprecedented urban crowds around demands for a strong Lokpal (anti-corruption ombudsman). Critics at the time alleged it had covert political backing, charges the movement's leaders consistently denied. The movement is widely seen as a precursor to the electoral rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), founded by several former IAC activists including Arvind Kejriwal. Gandhi’s memoir, now reviving those allegations, has reignited a debate that has simmered for over a decade. Hazare’s swift and categorical response signals that the activist, now in his 80s, has no intention of allowing those characterisations to go unchallenged.