Anna Hazare calls off fast, ‘jail bharo’

Mumbai: In view of his deteriorating health condition, Anna Hazare on Wednesday called off his fast.

Hazare had started his three-day fast for a strong Lokpal on Tuesday at Mumbai’s MMRDA Ground.

Hazare also announced that the planned ‘jail bharo aandolan’ from December 30 to January 1 is being postponed indefinitely.

Announcing his decision, the Gandhian said it is just the beginning of the fight for a strong Lokpal.


“The fight might take 10 to 20 years,” he told the crowd, while referring to the debate taking place in Parliament on Lokpal Bill.

“We haven’t lost the battle,” he added.

Hazare said the anti-corruption campaign would now focus on the upcoming Assembly elections in five states and the General Election in 2014, where they would campaign against the ruling Congress.

Clarifying why they would campaign only against the Congress, Hazare said it was the government which had cheated them from the beginning.

Ruing what was happening in Parliament, Hazare said, “There is no democracy left in the country. It is now dictatorship.”

“Is this democracy what has been happening in Parliament for the past two days. The government and opposition joined hands and turned it into dictatorship,” he said, speaking from the dais.

“Real democracy is only when we make good laws,” he added.

“We have to bring change legally, not through violence,” he told supporters at the fast venue, asking them to be ready to go to jail.

“The day when there’s no space left in any jail across the country, the government’s eyes would open,” he said.

Hazare said it has been 65 years since Independence but corruption, loot and goondagardi continues to affect the country.

“What has happened after Independence... the only change that happened is the whites went and blacks came,” he said.

Noting the people haven’t got real freedom, Hazare said his only aim is to to get justice for the common man

“I have been fighting for 25 years, not because we get money or funding but for the people,” he stated.

“I had decided long ago to live and die for the society and the country,” the social activist added.

Meanwhile, sources said Hazare, who is unwell, might be admitted to a hospital either in Mumbai or Pune.