Putting to rest speculation regarding his health, Anna Hazare arrived in Mumbai on Monday evening. Before leaving for Mumbai from his village Ralegan Siddhi, he announced that he was fit to fast and his agitation starting on Tuesday will go ahead as per the plans.
“My agitation is against corruption and not against any political party or person. In spite of asking several times, the government is not preparing an anti-corruption law,” said Mr Hazare.
Mr Hazare stated that the government formed a joint committee and then in the joint committee it took a u-turn. “The Prime Minister also assured in writing that the bill will be passed in this session, but the government did a u-turn,” he said.
Emphasising that his agitation is to fight corruption and not against the Congress, Mr Hazare said, “I have been fighting corruption from the past 25 years. The Congress feels that the agitation is against them. Tell me how many times have we done movement against you (Congress).”
Expecting a huge turnout to the event, Mr Hazare said that people from Maharashtra will come to Mumbai and people from other states would reach Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan.
Mr Hazare ones again said that after the Mumbai fast, he will proceed to New Delhi for a dharna outside the residences of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Rahul Gandhi. “After the hungerstrike from December 27-29, we will stage a dharna in front of Sonia Gandhi’s residence (in Delhi) on December 30. It will continue for three days. We know that the government is very powerful. People saw what happened with Baba Ramdev. I know that it can happen with us too, but I am not scared of death,” he said.
Putting an end to his health concerns, Mr Hazare stated that he is fit enough to sit for the fast. Earlier in the day, Dr Daulat Pote inspected him at Ralegan Siddhi. “His fever has come down and blood pressure is normal. He has taken medicines and will be fit to fast in Mumbai,” said Dr Pote.
Mr Hazare reached Mumbai from Ralegan Siddhi on Monday night by road to participate in his fast along with his frontliners Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia. Security was beefed up on his route by the police and was further escalated by the Mumbai police when the 74-year-old Gandhian reached the guesthouse at Bandra. Mr Hazare will participate in a vehicle rally from the Gandhi statue at Juhu beach to the MMRDA ground in Bandra after which he will proceed for his three-day fast at MMRDA grounds on Tuesday.