Anti-corruption forum holds meet in Uttarakhand

Dehradun, Aug 14 (PTI) A group of retired army officers led by BJP leader Lt Gen (retd) T P S Rawat, who have formed an anti-corruption forum in Uttarakhand, today held the first meeting to rake up corruption issues rocking India and Uttarakhand in particular. "Our main resolve was to fight corruption in Uttarakhand as well as in the country," said Rawat, who is a close confidant of former Chief Minister B C Khanduri. Nearly 1,000 retired army officers at Defence Colony here participated in the meeting of the 'Uttarakhand Raksha Morcha'. Significantly, the meeting came despite objections being raised by the state ruling BJP. Rawat also said the forum also decided to extend its all support to Anna Hazare, who has threatened to go on indefinite hunger strike at New Delhi on the issue of Lokpal Bill. BJP had been trying to persuade Rawat not to convene the today's meeting. Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and state BJP President Bishan Singh Chufal had met Rawat urging him not to hold such meeting this week. The BJP is of view that all senior BJP leaders should not hold separate forums since the party is already fighting against corruption.PTI