NEW DELHI/ LUCKNOW: An RTI response has called Congress spokesman Manish Tiwari's bluff against anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare.
The RTI reply from Dakshin ASC records (South) dated August 3 puts the record straight that Anna "never deserted" the Army, and that he was "honourably" discharged from the armed forces on completion of the 12 years of his service.
The response following a Delhi-based RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal's plea came a week after Tiwari had made several serious allegations of corruption against Anna. It states that five medals were notified to Anna - Sainya Seva Medal, Nine Years Long Service Medal, Sangram Medal, 25th Independent Anniversary Medal and Paschimi Star - during his tenure with the Army.
Tiwari had said, "Annaji keeps saying that the Indian Army is investigating into his records. A few days ago, the Army received an RTI seeking past records of Anna. The Army wrote to Anna to find if he has any objection against it giving those records to the RTI applicant. Anna has not replied to the Army's query to date." He had also challenged Anna's right to lead the fight against graft, citing "corruption" charges against him. The Congress spokesperson had also claimed that Anna had refused to come clean on his Army record.
Army's principal information officer (ASC records, South, Bangalore) Lt Col Arun Kumar had dispatched the replies to Agrawal on August 3. The response says Anna had enrolled with the Army on April 14, 1963. He had completed his training at Aurangabad in Maharashtra. He had joined the service as a recruit. "He was attested as a soldier on November 16, 1963. He was holding the rank of sepoy at the time of leaving the service," the letter says.
The RTI reply states that no punishment was accorded to Anna Hazare as per service records.
Agrawal, though, is surprised with the twist in the response tale. He said he had asked only six questions in his April 13 plea. But he received the replies in response to a July 18 query, which he had never applied for. The RTI activist has sought a copy of his "alleged" petition.
He, however, said that he was unable to understand how his correspondence with the Central Principal Information Officer was leaked out to Tiwari. He has sought a probe into the matter.
TIMES OF INDIA
The RTI reply from Dakshin ASC records (South) dated August 3 puts the record straight that Anna "never deserted" the Army, and that he was "honourably" discharged from the armed forces on completion of the 12 years of his service.
The response following a Delhi-based RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal's plea came a week after Tiwari had made several serious allegations of corruption against Anna. It states that five medals were notified to Anna - Sainya Seva Medal, Nine Years Long Service Medal, Sangram Medal, 25th Independent Anniversary Medal and Paschimi Star - during his tenure with the Army.
Tiwari had said, "Annaji keeps saying that the Indian Army is investigating into his records. A few days ago, the Army received an RTI seeking past records of Anna. The Army wrote to Anna to find if he has any objection against it giving those records to the RTI applicant. Anna has not replied to the Army's query to date." He had also challenged Anna's right to lead the fight against graft, citing "corruption" charges against him. The Congress spokesperson had also claimed that Anna had refused to come clean on his Army record.
Army's principal information officer (ASC records, South, Bangalore) Lt Col Arun Kumar had dispatched the replies to Agrawal on August 3. The response says Anna had enrolled with the Army on April 14, 1963. He had completed his training at Aurangabad in Maharashtra. He had joined the service as a recruit. "He was attested as a soldier on November 16, 1963. He was holding the rank of sepoy at the time of leaving the service," the letter says.
The RTI reply states that no punishment was accorded to Anna Hazare as per service records.
Agrawal, though, is surprised with the twist in the response tale. He said he had asked only six questions in his April 13 plea. But he received the replies in response to a July 18 query, which he had never applied for. The RTI activist has sought a copy of his "alleged" petition.
He, however, said that he was unable to understand how his correspondence with the Central Principal Information Officer was leaked out to Tiwari. He has sought a probe into the matter.
TIMES OF INDIA
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