Quitting GoM not enough, Pawar must quit as minister: Hazare

NEW DELHI: Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare tonight stepped up attack on Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar saying he resigning from Group of Ministers on corruption will not serve purpose and he should quit the Union Council of Ministers too.

"So what if he resigned from GoM, Pawar should resign as Minister also. When he was Chief Minister, I returned the Padmashri. Our problem has not been resolved by Pawar resigning from GoM.

"One Pawar goes, another will come. We want a joint committee," Hazare, who is on a fast-unto-death on Lokpal Bill issue, told reporters reacting to Pawar's resignation from the GoM.

Pawar earlier said that he has written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh informing him that he does not want to be remain with the Ministerial panel. The panel is headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Pawar's action came hours after he said that he would be happy to be relieved from all ministerial panels, including that on corruption.

Hazare(72) had said on Monday, "A minister like Sharad Pawar, who is known for possessing large amounts of land in Maharashtra, is heading a committee that will draft the (Lok Pal) Bill."