Anti-corruption crusader and Padma Bhushan recipient Anna Hazare, speaking at the poster launch of a biopic based on him, has said he has no links whatsoever with his protégé Arvind Kejiriwal.
"It's good that I left Arvind's company, or else I would also be facing a similar predicament," said the 79-year-old Hazare, who had endorsed Kejiriwal as late as January this year as a man of "clean character and an idealist," and one who changed the "common man's approach"
Hazare reportedly took a u-turn after witnessing Arvind Kejriwal and Lalu Prasad Yadav share a warm embrace during Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's oath-taking ceremony in Patna this year. Lalu Prasad has been found guilty of corruption and has been convicted in the fodder scam case.
"Now I have no relations with Arvind Kejriwal. I don't know what is right or wrong but it hurts me whenever I read about him in newspapers," he was quoted saying by the Hindu while speaking at the poster launch ceremony of Shashank Udapurkar's film, due to be released later.
The film, titled "Anna Kisan Baburao Hazare," that will show pivotal moments from Anna's life, such as his days in the Indian army, his life as a social activist and the fight against corruption, began shooting in September last year at Anna's native village Ralegan Siddhi in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
