Veteran social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday hit back at senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s claims that the former’s ‘India against Corruption’ movement had “covert support from the BJP and RSS”, saying that Gandhi should instead think about the country’s welfare.

The Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) Chairperson in her memoir, ‘Belonging: A Journey of Love’, said that Baburao “Anna” Hazare, a prominent social activist from Maharashtra, emerged as the leading figure of a movement called “India Against Corruption”.

According to Sonia Gandhi, some prominent figures involved in the movement later claimed that the movement had “covert support from the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh”.

She wrote that Anna Hazare was brought to Delhi with much “fanfare and publicity”, where he began a hunger strike.

Speaking to reporters, Anna Hazare said: “Several people from the RSS and BJP also went home because of my movement. I do not think about any political party. For me, only society and the country matter. It is not right to have such a narrow outlook. Think about the country, the direction it is heading in and the condition of our nation and not about such petty things.”

He asserted that he does not have any association with either the Congress or the BJP.

“I think only about the interests of society and the country. Like during drought, I use my pension money for those being affected from it. You should think about such issues and work for society,” he said.

The activist likened Sonia Gandhi’s criticism to stones being thrown at a tree which bears fruits, saying: “Why would someone throw stones at a tree which doesn’t bear fruits?”

“I have dedicated my entire life for the society and the country, so it does not matter what people say. I will keep shouldering my responsibility,” Anna Hazare added.

He also spoke about his upcoming book, ‘Anna Hazare: Gram Yogi’, saying that it details his life story.

“People should read it, they will learn from it… I do not concern myself with what others write about me,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sonia Gandhi in her book mentioned that Hazare’s movement attracted massive crowds, putting the then UPA government and Congress on the backfoot.

The veteran Congress leader in her memoir also said, “Once our opponents achieved their real objective, which was to dislodge our (UPA) government, nothing more was heard or written about Anna Hazare.”

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday lent support to the bursting of firecrackers during Diwali celebrations and also called out the political opponents over ‘meltdown’ on its impact on pollution levels.

“If the people set off fireworks, many raised an alarm over air pollution. If it has happened, it will also dissipate,” the Chief Minister said, addressing the audience.

Calling out Opposition’s track record, Chief Minister Adityanath questioned as to why similar concern was not raised against those who “polluted the entire system with their misdeeds”.

The Chief Minister also said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Uttar Pradesh government had decided against imposing any restrictions or prohibitions, so that people could celebrate the festival “wholeheartedly” even if it led to some rise in air pollution.

“We decided not to impose any prohibitions. I, too, was in the middle of fireworks in Ayodhya,” he remarked.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s endorsement of firecrackers for Diwali celebrations came during his address at an appointment letter distribution program, where he handed over letters to more than 1,000 newly recruited junior assistants in the Revenue department.

The Chief Minister’s comments came amid the raging national debate over the need and urgency to ban firecrackers for making the cities livable.

He compared the criticism against one day of celebrations to what he termed “silence over systemic wrongdoing”.

Slamming the previous dispensations, Chief Minister Adityanath said that before the BJP government formation in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, riots would break out beforehand even before the onstart of festivals like Holi, Diwali, Dussehra, Janmashtami, Shivratri, Christmas, Eid, Guru Purab, or Makar Sankranti.

He also said that ‘Munna Bhais’ operated in the government recruitment system, before 2017.

“Before 2017, ‘Munna Bhais’ were operating in the government and the recruitment process. One person would appear for the examination, while someone else would receive the appointment letter. Several such appointments took place before 2017,” the Chief Minister claimed.

Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav, in a scathing critique of the BJP-led dispensation, described the demonetisation (note ban) as the “most corrupt decision in the world’s history” and warned that this will prove to be a “vote ban” for the ruling party in the state.

Addressing a press conference here, Akhilesh Yadav said that the country’s economy suffered a death blow due to the note ban, imposed by the Narendra Modi government in 2016, and the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) witnessed the worst setback.

He alleged that demonetisation failed to achieve its stated objectives, hurt small businesses and MSMEs, and damaged the country’s banking system.

Notably, the Central government had brought demonetisation of high-value currency notes, effective from November 8, 2016, for reining in rampant tax evasion and curbing the influence of black money.

Akhilesh Yadav claimed that the demonetisation will lead to a ‘vote ban’ for the BJP, asserting that the electoral battle in Uttar Pradesh would not be an ’80-20′ or ’20-80′ contest, rather, it would be ’95-5′ now, implying that the BJP would be completely wiped out.

He also took a ‘Khazanchi’ dig at the BJP, stating that the boy born during demonetisation has now turned ten years old, yet the BJP never once celebrated his birthday.

“The BJP should now ‘adopt’ him—though not in the same way its leaders ‘adopted’ villages. To this day, it is the Samajwadi family that continues to look after Khazanchi and his education,” he remarked.

Calling out the economic failures under the present government, he said that BJP leaders talk about 2047 but decisions like demonetisation have actually set the country’s economy back, much to what it looks like 1947. He also challenged the BJP leadership for an open debate on the issue.

The SP President targeted the Yogi Adityanath government over the state’s law and order situation, asserting that corruption in Uttar Pradesh has reached its peak and cited instances like Hathras and others to question the law and order situation in the state.

He further claimed that the people of Uttar Pradesh have made up their minds in favour of the Samajwadi Party. He reiterated that the BJP will face a crushing defeat in the upcoming elections and that the state’s political landscape is set to change.