Bhushan regrets that he could not understand Arvind Kejriwal’s character early engough. “I understood it too late by which time we had actually created another Frankestien’s monster,” he said.

By Muslim Mirror Desk

New Delhi: Noted lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who recently made headlines for criticising judiciary on Twitter, has said that the 2011-12 anti-corruption movement that was launched by Anna Hazare, was “propped up” by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to bring down the Congress government and get themselves in power. In an interview with India Today’s Rajdeep Sardesai, Bhushan added that Arvind Kejriwal, who was one of the prominent leaders of the movement and later became Delhi Cheif Minister , was aware of it.

“In hindsight there are two things I do regret. One is not having seen the movement to a large extent was supported and propped up by the BJP-RSS for their own political purposes to bring down the Congress government and get themselves in power,” he said.

He stated that Hazare was “probably” not aware of it. But Arvind (Kejriwal) was aware of it. “I have little doubt of that,” he added.

“The second regret I have is not having understood Arvind’s chacracter early enough. I understood it too late by which time we had actually created another Frankestien’s monster,” he further said. Notably, Bhushan was a founder member of the Aam Aadmi Party, currently led by Kejriwal.

In 2019, Hazare had accused the BJP of using him to win the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. “Everybody knows that it was my agitation for Lokpal that catapulted the BJP and also the Aam Aadmi Party to power,” he had said. “Now I have lost all regards for them.”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday endorsed the remarks of Bhushan. “What was known to us has been confirmed by a founding AAP member,” he tweeted. “The IAC movement and the AAP were propped up by the BJP and the RSS to subvert democracy and bring down the UPA government.”

The anti-corruption movement, spearheaded by social activist Anna Hazare and joined by Bhushan, Kejriwal and Yogendra Yadav, swept the country in 2011 and 2012. It was primarily dominated by strong anti-corruption protests against the UPA government. The AAP originated from the IAC movement.