Self-proclaimed activist Anna Hazare is facing widespread condemnation for threatening to launch a fast against the Maharashtra government over an issue raised by the BJP 10 days ago. Hazare is now being mocked as an ‘RSS stooge’ for finally dropping his mask as an activist.
This was after Hazare reportedly asked people to stage protests against Maharashtra’s non-BJP government if it did not open Hindu temples that have been closed due to the pandemic. “If bars can be opened, why not temples?” Hazare was quoted by India Today as saying.
Hazare’s demand to open temples came just a day after Health Secretary in the Narendra Modi government, Rajesh Bhushan, wrote to the Maharashtra government to consider imposing local restrictions to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Interestingly, only 10 days ago, the BJP had also slammed the Maharashtra government for not opening Hindu temples. “I do not understand the reason why temples are not being allowed to reopen. I think there will be less crowding in temples than in bars and malls… Reopening temples is not needed just for religious reasons, but there is a large section of population that depends on temples and related activities for their livelihood,” Hindustan Times had quoted former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as saying.
Hazare threatening a non-BJP government over an issue raised by the BJP made him a target of incessant criticism with many calling him an RRS stooge. Others felt that Hazare had finally dropped his mask of being a civil rights activist.
Anna Hazare is a rss stooge.
— Mediarama (@Mediarama2) August 30, 2021
Anna proves that he is a #rss stooge .
for them temples are more important than school, college, markets, sports, health, etc.@CMOMaharashtra pic.twitter.com/MCj4BJUk6l— Bankim Mistry, President, Bombay SSI Association (@BankiMistry) August 30, 2021
Just to reiterate:
1. I never fell for the Anna Hazare's RSS sponsored circus
2. Never fell for stooge Rai's 176000 Crores presumptive loss boogey
3. Stopped trusting Kejriwal during the Anna Tamasha
4. Got disgusted with media when it began carpet bombing Anna in our homes https://t.co/Gy8uRZZtmC— Adv. Manoj (@RURALINDIA) August 29, 2021
Anna Hazare is a RSS stooge. https://t.co/vwcnslNpKN
— Secular_Indian (@sensible56) August 29, 2021
In 2011, Hazare led a countrywide agitation against the then Congress-led government at the Centre vowing to make India free from corruption. He, however, mysteriously went silent immediately after Narendra Modi became India’s prime minister in 2014. His associate, Arvind Kejriwal, later became Delhi’s chief minister. His other colleague Kiran Bedi was made the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.