Glad Team Anna's intentions are now in the open: Soni

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With Team Anna deciding to end their fast and come out with a political alternative, Government on Thursday claimed that its stand that their movement was "inspired by politics" had been vindicated and their real intention has come out in the open.

Asserting that nobody can hold the government to ransom, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said, "We have always said that these people seemed inspired by politics. It is good that whatever the intention was has come out clear. Many of the stances they took seem to suggest this. I am glad that they have gone ahead."

Her reaction came after Anna Hazare announced that he will give support for a political alternative in the country. Soni also said that if Team Anna enter politics, "then they will themselves understand, the compulsions, responsibilities of politics, how much you have to work in politics and especially that if we work honestly in politics, it is not easy."

Soni said that it was not correct for anyone to use defamatory language against MPs or anyone holding constitutional position. The Minister said that it was everyone's right to enter public life and Team Anna should go ahead and contest elections if they wanted to change the system.

"Everyone has right to enter politics and fight elections. If they think that every member of parliament has a bad reputation (I don't want to use the words they had used) then they themselves should fight to become a member of Parliament," Soni told reporters here. Soni also said that she was happy that the fast had been called off and that it was not proper that a democratically elected government is held to ransom by such agitations.

"I am glad that they have agreed to call up their fast, its a good thing because things can't work under pressure in a democracy. You can't hold the government to a ransom. A government elected to office by people of the country," she said.

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh, a bitter critic of Team Anna, also took a jibe at them, saying his opinion about their real intentions has now been confirmed.

"Just as I always said, Team Anna's political ambitions are out in open! People should see for themselves the reality behind this 'MOVEMENT'!" Singh said on his Twitter handle.

Soni was asked by reporters if she thought the decision to announce launching of a political alternative was an exit strategy used by Team Anna to end their fast.

"Only they know what was their motive to sit for fast. I had on two or three occasions in my personal capacity asked them that they should please clear their motives - whether they want to join politics or end the fast," she said.

Soni also said that those accusing the government of not having brought the Lokpal should understand that the Bill was now a property of the Parliament.

"Now they have made their point and accuse the government of not bringing the Lokpal. This isn't the truth. Lokpal Bill was passed by Lok Sabha, Lokpal Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha by government in office," she said.

"It wasn't passed because everybody wanted to discuss it further and further, Lokpal Bill is with a select committee of Parliament. It is the property of the Parliament, so they must understand before accusing the government from morning till night," Soni added.

Meanwhile, Team Anna on Thursday announced that it would end the indefinite fast on Thursday evening. Anna Hazare's announcement on calling off the agitation demanding Lokpal Bill at 5 PM Thursday came on a day when a group of eminent personalities, including jurist V R Krishna Iyer and former Army Chief Gen V K Singh, appealed for an end to the fast as the health of Arvind Kejriwal and two others deteriorated.