Ministers fail to convince Anna Hazare to call off agitation
TNN | Updated: Feb 5, 2019, 06:38 IST
File photo of Social activist Anna Hazare.PUNE: Social activist Anna Hazare’s indefinite fast entered the sixth day on Monday with water resources minister Girish Mahajan and minister of state for defence Subhash Bhamre failing to convince the crusader to call off the agitation after a three-hour meeting with him in Ralegan Siddhi.
“Anna was satisfied with the government’s responses on some issues. But he is firm on issues about the farmers. The ministers will now get in touch with the government and discuss a fresh proposal. It is expected to be submitted to Anna on Tuesday,” Hazare’s assistant, Sanjay Pathade, said.
Mahajan, however, told TOI that he was hopeful of a breakthrough on Tuesday.
Hazare is on an indefinite fast since January 30 to press for appointments of Lokpal and Lokayuktas and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations for the farmers.
In Mumbai, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said many political leaders, who had in the past mocked Hazare, were trying to reap political benefits out of his fast. “They are more concerned about political mileage, than Anna’s health. He should not fall prey to such attempts,” he said.
“Our government has fulfilled most of his demands. As far as the demands related to the Centre are concerned, we have briefed him about the government’s action. We also gave Anna a letter from the PMO and urged him to break his fast. Our ministers are in touch with him,” he said.
In the morning, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray held a closed-door meeting with Hazare at Yadavbaba temple. Thackeray alleged that PM Narendra Modi and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had taken advantage of Hazare’s Lokpal movement in 2011 to come to power. He said, “I requested Anna to break the fast and not to put his life at risk for the undeserving.”
The MNS chief said his party extended full support to Hazare and urged him to fight together. “Before coming to power, Modi had on December 18, 2013, tweeted in favour of the Lokpal. His government has now almost completed its tenure at the Centre. But there is no indication of the Lokpal’s appointment,” he added.
The MNS chief said he was surprised that Kejriwal did not visit the activist and enquire about his health.
Water activist Rajendra Singh and environment activist Vishwambhar Chaudhari met Hazare and expressed their solidarity with his movement. In the afternoon, at least 1,000 villagers from Ralegan Siddhi staged a protest outside the Ahmednagar collector’s office for two hours. Another group of residents staged a protest outside Ahmednagar MP Dilip Gandhi’s house in the evening.
Doctors attending to Hazare thrice a day said he refused to give blood samples. “We have monitored his clinical parameters and His condition is stable,” a doctor said.
“Anna was satisfied with the government’s responses on some issues. But he is firm on issues about the farmers. The ministers will now get in touch with the government and discuss a fresh proposal. It is expected to be submitted to Anna on Tuesday,” Hazare’s assistant, Sanjay Pathade, said.
Mahajan, however, told TOI that he was hopeful of a breakthrough on Tuesday.
Hazare is on an indefinite fast since January 30 to press for appointments of Lokpal and Lokayuktas and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations for the farmers.
In Mumbai, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said many political leaders, who had in the past mocked Hazare, were trying to reap political benefits out of his fast. “They are more concerned about political mileage, than Anna’s health. He should not fall prey to such attempts,” he said.
“Our government has fulfilled most of his demands. As far as the demands related to the Centre are concerned, we have briefed him about the government’s action. We also gave Anna a letter from the PMO and urged him to break his fast. Our ministers are in touch with him,” he said.
In the morning, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray held a closed-door meeting with Hazare at Yadavbaba temple. Thackeray alleged that PM Narendra Modi and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had taken advantage of Hazare’s Lokpal movement in 2011 to come to power. He said, “I requested Anna to break the fast and not to put his life at risk for the undeserving.”
The MNS chief said his party extended full support to Hazare and urged him to fight together. “Before coming to power, Modi had on December 18, 2013, tweeted in favour of the Lokpal. His government has now almost completed its tenure at the Centre. But there is no indication of the Lokpal’s appointment,” he added.
The MNS chief said he was surprised that Kejriwal did not visit the activist and enquire about his health.
Water activist Rajendra Singh and environment activist Vishwambhar Chaudhari met Hazare and expressed their solidarity with his movement. In the afternoon, at least 1,000 villagers from Ralegan Siddhi staged a protest outside the Ahmednagar collector’s office for two hours. Another group of residents staged a protest outside Ahmednagar MP Dilip Gandhi’s house in the evening.
Doctors attending to Hazare thrice a day said he refused to give blood samples. “We have monitored his clinical parameters and His condition is stable,” a doctor said.
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