Mumbai:
Anna Hazare, 74, said he was fit to fast and left his village for Mumbai by road this afternoon. Tomorrow, he will begin a three-day hunger strike for a strong Lokpal Bill at 11 am, exactly the same time that the Lok Sabha reconvenes to debate and vote on the anti-corruption Bill in an extended Winter Session.
Anna had fever for the last two days, but that has subsided now, doctors said. In Mumbai tomorrow, Anna plans to visit the Gandhi statue at Juhu at 9.30 am, before proceeding to the MMRDA Grounds in the Bandra-Kurla complex on a motorcycle to be able to navigate the notorious Mumbai office traffic better and save on time.
Team Anna's Kiran Bedi said today, "Even a three-day fast for Anna is not safe. So therefore there will be no indefinite fast...Even if Anna can't continue with his fast because of health reasons, the protest will continue."
Speaking at the MMRDA Grounds in Mumbai, Ms Bedi added, "Two massive things happening here tomorrow - a massive rally and Anna
ji's fast. We have suffered in our homes for long. Now is the time to act. The govt will not move till we affect them politically, and each one of you is a vote. Stand up and be counted."
Before setting out for Mumbai, Anna duly hit out at the government: "The government has become blind and that is why we have to repeatedly fast...Crores of people did not come on the streets because of Anna, they came because corruption has made their lives difficult....This government is only after money and power." And he asked people to abstain from violence during the next few days of protest.
Anna, who has rejected the Bill tabled by the government and says he trusts Parliament will deliver a strong version through discussion this week, has his plans beyond his three-day fast ready too.
Anna has said that if the law that is brought is not in consonance with his demands, he will begin a "jail bharo" movement, starting with him sitting in protest outside the homes of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi from December 30. But he hastened to add that his protest was not aimed at "any specific party or person."
Over the weekend, Team Anna opened online and sms registration for people to sign up for a "jail bharo campaign" planned after Anna Hazare's fourth hunger strike of the year. At last count, over 1.25 lakh people had already signed up online, the maximum number from Delhi.
In Mumbai, the MMRDA Grounds, for which the activists will pay Rs. 2.6 lakh a day and where Anna will fast with one eye on Parliament, is being readied. After the Lok Sabha has voted on the bill, the Rajya Sabha will discuss and vote on it before it can become law. On reaching Mumbai, Kiran Bedi said, "Parliament will have to rewrite this bill. It is drafted to fail. This will need strong amendments...it will be a big
dhoka (betrayal) if this weak bill is passed by Parliament."
The Maharashtra government has deployed 2000 police constables and 200 sub-inspectors at the MMRDA Grounds, which can hold over 60,000 people. There will also be six platoons of the state reserve police force, three teams of Quick Response Team and two Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads.
(Read)A 12-feet stage has been erected for the Gandhian which has a rest room and an attached washroom adjoining it. The ground will have six emergency exits, 16 fire extinguishers and six metal detector units, besides round-the-clock ambulance services and 12 doctors stationed. The grounds will have 32 mobile toilets.
In Delhi, Team Anna members Shanti and Prashant Bhushan will lead protests and a fast at the Ramlila Maidan. Prashant Bhushan said since it was bitterly cold in the Capital, protesters would only gather from 10 am to 6 pm there.
Team Anna also mounted more pressure on the government yesterday with an open letter to the Prime Minister and all MPs, pledging faith in Parliament but asking for their version of the Lokpal Bill.
(Read: Team Anna writes to PM, MPs)
The government is adamant that it will not be arm-twisted. Congress president Sonia Gandhi set the tone for that last week when she said she was "ready for a fight." Union Finance Minister and Leader of House in the Lok Sabha, Pranab Mukherjee, has said that Parliament will discuss the Lokpal Bill and will have the final word.
"We had several rounds of discussion with Anna Hazare and his team. We know their viewpoints. But it is for the Parliament to decide what would be the final say of the legislation. We have brought the legislation for the consideration of the House. I cannot make premature comments on what would happen and how the various people of the Parliament will respond to the various provisions of the bill," said Mr Mukherjee.
Parties across the political spectrum have said they will act in Parliament tomorrow, so watch that space. The main opposition party the BJP has promised a strong Lokpal Bill and in its objections as the Bill was tabled on Friday demonstrated that it will demand key amendments to it. Today, senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu said, "We will decide our strategy on the floor of the house. We want a strong Lokpal."
Left leader Sitaram Yechury said his party the CPM was not happy with the bill tabled and would seek amendments during the discussion in parliament tomorrow.
On the sidelines of the main battle, a slugfest is on between the Congress and Team Anna. Kiran Bedi went straight for the jugular today saying, "Why did Rahul Gandhi not come to Jantar Mantar to listen to the
aam aadmi? The Congress is not there to listen to the
aam aadmi..."
The team has been kept busy deflecting the Congress' newest set of allegations that Anna Hazare has links with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal today appeared before cameras flanked by local community leaders who endorsed Anna's secular credentials as Mr Kejriwal hit out at the government for "indulging in propaganda that our protest is being done by the RSS."