Anna to Move to Ramlila Ground on Friday
New Delhi, Aug 18 (IANS): Social activist Anna Hazare will continue his indefinite fast at the Ramlila ground from Friday, his close aide said Thursday. While civic authorities were busy preparing the venue, ambiguity continued over when the 74-year-old Gandhian will leave the Tihar jail.
Members of Team Anna said he will leave Tihar Friday, but the jail officials said Hazare was likely to move out in the afternoon.
"I just spoke to Anna-ji in view of condition of Ramlila Maidan. Anna-ji will reach Ramlila Maidan tomorrow," Arvind Kejriwal was quoted as saying in a statement issued by Team Anna.
Kejriwal said that Anna's health is fine. "The jail doctors are looking after him and Dr Naresh Trehan's team is monitoring him 24 hours," he told reporters outside the Tihar Jail.
According to another close aide, Hazare will directly go to Ramlila ground Friday from Tihar. "As of now, we cannot confirm the time when he will reach Ramlila ground Friday," she said.
A Tihar Jail spokesperson told IANS that Hazare was likely to be out of the jail in the afternoon.
According to Team Anna, Delhi Police had granted them permission to hold the fast at Ramlila ground for 15 days.
"We have been given the Ramlila ground for 15 days, and have also been assured by Delhi Police that if we need the ground for more days, we can stay there. The conditions imposed on us earlier have also been withdrawn," said Kejriwal.
Team Anna also submitted a new undertaking to Delhi Police for holding the fast at the Ramlila ground.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was busy carrying out preparation at ground.
"Labourers are preparing the ground as there was rain water stagnated at different places. We are also making arrangements for toilets while loudspeakers and tents will be arranged by them (Team Anna)," said MCD house leader Subhash Arya.
Kiran Bedi, who was overseeing the work at the Ramlila ground, said that a lot of work needs to be done before Anna Hazare moves here.
"The civic authority is working but it will take time for putting mike, tents and some other basic facilities. As soon as the ground will be ready, I will message Anna-ji and then he will take a call when to come here - Thursday evening or Friday morning," Bedi told reporters here.
Hazare, 74, had planned to begin his fast for a stronger Lokpal bill at the J.P. Park in the ITO area Tuesday. However, Delhi Police imposed certain conditions before the protest could be allowed. Hazare refused to sign the undertaking, following which the police detained him and his other team members Tuesday.
He was arrested and subsequently released but he refused to leave the jail until allowed to carry on the protest without any conditions.
Government Melts, Allows Anna to Fast for 14 Days at Ramlila
Daijiworld Media Network
New Delhi, Aug 18: After much negotiation and verbal tug of war between the Delhi police and Team Anna late night on Wednesday August 17, an agreement was reached to allow anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare to fast for 14 days at the Ramlila grounds here.
Though the police on August 17 evening had agreed to relax the conditions for Anna's fast, the duration of the fast was still uncertain. The decision finally came after a 30-minute meeting between Anna aides and the Delhi police.
Hazare is scheduled to undergo a check up at the Tihar Jail at 10 am on Thursday August 18 and will reach the Maidan in an open jeep around 3 pm.
Anna Hazare is likely to visit the Raj Ghat before starting his hunger strike.
"Anna has accepted the DP (Delhi Police) permission for two weeks (of fast). Anna now shall be at the Ramlila Ground post 3 pm," Kiran Bedi tweeted.
Hazare aides Bedi, Prashant Bhushan, Manish Sisodia and Arvind Kejriwal met with Delhi Police commissioner B K Gupta at the latter's residence in Chanakyapuri shortly after midnight.
Bedi said the police commissioner offered permission for 14 days of protest by 73-year-old Hazare at the Ramlila Ground, after which she, along with Bhushan, Sisodia and Kejriwal went back to the Tihar Jail, where the social activist has been staying put ever since her arrest and release on Tuesday, to apprise him of the offer.
Later, Bedi said on the micro-blogging site that Delhi Police "removed the unacceptable conditions and offered 15 days permission. Anna accepted there".
"Anna has accepted the DP permission for two weeks. Anna now shall be at Ramlila grd post 3PM", she added.
An announcement to this effect was also made by an associate of Hazare outside the Tihar jail, which was greeted with lusty cheers by hundreds of supporters by the Gandhian.
"Anna has won. We will get Jan Lokpal Bill", one of the protesters said.
The Anna team met the Delhi Police commissioner in a fresh initiative to end the stalemate over the duration for the Gandhian's protest for a strong Lokpal during which police offered two weeks permission for the hunger strike.
While Delhi Police had climbed down and dropped almost all the conditions it had sought to impose on Hazare's protest, the only sticking point between the two sides has been the duration of the hunger strike.
"We met the police commissioner to help resolve the timeframe", Bedi said.
Kejriwal, who was staying with Hazare at Tihar even after his release from custody, Bhushan, Bedi and Sisodia drove from the prison, where they were holding a series of meetings with Hazare, to meet the police officials.
Police, which had on Tuesday arrested Hazare and his aides on apprehension of breach of peace and foiled his agitation plans, on Wedensday climbed down and dropped most of the conditions including the limit on the number of protesters who can gather at the venue.
In fact, police also offered Ramlila Maidan, a bigger venue than the JP Park which was originally preferred by Hazare, for the protest.
Earlier in the day, Hazare escalated his battle of attrition with the government refusing to come out of Tihar Jail notwithstanding Delhi Police's climb down on the various conditions it had imposed on his indefinite fast in support of a strong Lokpal.
The Gandhian spent a second night in the Tihar jail complex as hectic negotiations had continued between Team Anna and police.
The hard bargaining came on a day when government came under renewed attack in Parliament over Hazare's arrest and rallies in support of the Gandhian continued across the country, including a huge procession from India Gate to Parliament House.
On a day of now-on and now-off announcements, social activists Swami Agnivesh and Medha Patkar told cheering crowd of supporters in the morning that Hazare would come out of the jail anytime and they should be prepared to go to JP Park in a peaceful manner.
However, Hazare, who continued his fast for the second day, seemed to have had other plans when he called Kiran Bedi, Prashant Bhushan and Manish Sisodia and discussed the strategy.
Bedi came out and announced to the crowds that consultations were on and that Hazare was not not coming out anytime soon.
With PTI inputs