Anna to fast till Lokpal bill is passed

Doctors visit hunger-strike venue to monitor health of anti-corruption crusader

“The government can do whatever they want, but I will continue my fast till Jan Lokpal Bill is passed in Parliament,” Anna Hazare said while addressing a crowd of almost 10,000 people at Ramlila Maidan in the national capital.

“You should not allow this torch of struggle to be put out whether Anna is alive or not," he told the cheering crowd.

Asked if he was shifting the goalpost after agreeing to the government condition of restricting the fast to a fortnight, Anna’s close aide and RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal said: “Anna Hazare will be here” and informed that the Delhi Police Commissioner agreed that the fast can be extended by a week on four days’ notice”.

A team of doctors led by renowned cardiovascular and cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Naresh Trehan visited Ramlila Maida to check the health of the 74-year-old Hazare. Trehan declared that Hazare is in good health though he has lost 3 kgs in last three days.

The Gandhian activist reached the sprawling Ramlila Maidan almost three hours after being released from Tihar Jail at 11:40am. The anti-corruption campaigner was greeted by a huge crowd that had gathered at the ground despite heavy downpour in the morning.

The crowd swelled as convoy of Anna Hazare passed though some of the important landmarks on New Delhi including Mahatma Gandhi's Samadhi at Rajghat.