Mahoba (Uttar Pradesh), March 23 (IANS): Social activist Tara Patkar on Monday called off his 635-day old fast that he started in 2018 demanding statehood for Bundelkhand.
Patkar called off his fast on the request of the district magistrate. "I have called off my fast in view of the Corona scare for the time being. I will resume the fast once the situation returns to normal," he said.
District Magistrate Avadesh Kumar Tiwari told reporters that it was not advisable to continue with the fast in view of the crowd at the site and the possibility of infection.
Patkar said that he would not resume the fast until the coronavirus was completely eradicated. "However, we will continue to press for statehood for Bundelkhand," he said.
The social activists, before giving up his fast, offered tributes to Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev and also to the 12 jawans who were killed in a naxal attack in Sukuma in Chhattisgarh.