IAC rejects Congress's conspiracy charge against forum

The India Against Corruption forum today rejected the Congress party's charge that it was a "political weapon" used against the previous UPA government, saying the IAC has "always been a non-political" movement.
"The IAC categorically refutes false statement that it was a political weapon used against the then UPA. It is reiterated that IAC has always been a non-political movement since 2007," its convener Sarbajit Roy said.
The IAC is "active" in the anti-corruption space, he said.
Yesterday, Deepak Babaria, Congress general-secretary and party in-charge of Madhya Pradesh, said the IAC movement was used against the previous UPA government at the Centre.

"IAC was a conspiracy, as evident by the fact that the people like Kiran Bedi who were associated with it later joined hands with the BJP," Babaria told reporters.
Alleging that there were reports of corruption against BJP governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, he asked: "Why such crusaders are silent now, and where is the IAC."
The anti-corruption movement - led by a group of prominent social activists - played a key role in shaping the public opinion against graft ahead of the 2014 general elections, which the BJP won with an overwhelming majority.
The movement, however, fizzled out after some partners joined hands to form a political party.