The remarks were allegedly made by activist Arvind Kejriwal yesterday in Delhi where 74-year-old Anna Hazare was on a one-day hunger strike. Mr Kejriwal had said 165 members of parliament, including 14 ministers, were corrupt and rapists.
Mr Kejriwal is Anna's closest aide; they have fronted the campaign for new anti-corruption legislation or the Lokpal Bill.
"Team Anna has lost its focus, crossed all limits," said Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj, whose party has lent support to Anna's call for the Lokpal Bill. "How can you call us murderers"?" asked Sharad Yadav of the Janata Dal (United).
Today, Mr Kejriwal hit back at the MPs. "When Rajneeti Prasad tore the Lokpal bill, no one objects. When Women's Bill was torn, no one objected. Chairs are hurled and mikes are thrown in Parliament but no one objects. MPs are bought and is it not denigrating Parliament? ...I haven't said anything wrong. I am worried about Parliament," he claimed, adding that 1,176 MLAs also have cases registered against them.
Yesterday, Anna who was on his fifth hunger strike in the last year said the government should be prepared to be voted out of power in 2014 if it does not pass the Lokpal bill, which provides for a national anti-corruption agency.
Anna also asked for FIRs or police cases to be filed by August against 14 ministers who he accuses of corruption.
Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Basudeb Acharia and Samajwadi Party MP Shailendra Kumar termed Team Anna's allegations condemnable.
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