Anna Hazare encouraging violence: Sharad Pawar

NEW DELHI: The confrontation between agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and Anna Hazare intensified on Wednesday with the NCP supremo hitting out at Hazare for his attempts to justify the physical attack on him, saying any further acts of violence unleashed against him would make it amply clear who the source of the instigation was.

At the same, Pawar advised his followers to show restraint and said that Hazare's views and utterances should be addressed maturely. He asked his party activists not to indulge in any retaliatory attack.

Pawar's statement came in response to a blog posted a day earlier by Hazare, where he attacked the NCP chief saying he has an "old habit of protecting corrupt people" and one should think why he was slapped.

"I have no objection to Shri Hazare expressing his thoughts regarding me or my actions. However, in the event of any further physical assault on me, it would be amply clear from where the instigation or encouragement for such acts emanates,'' Pawar said.