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New Delhi: Team Anna Hazare member Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday left Tihar Jail and confirmed that the veteran Gandhian would leave the high profile jail once the grounds at Ramlila Maidan are ready for the fast. Calling this move just the beginning of their fight against corruption, Kejriwal added that the he along with his team would go to the venue to take stock of the preparations.
Kejriwal added this morning that it may not be possible for Hazare to launch his protest from the Ramlila Ground today as the venue was full of muck and needs cleaning up.
"I have just spoken to Commissioner of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (K S Mehra) who has promised me that a Deputy Commissioner would supervise the cleaning up operations at the Maidan," Kejriwal said.
He said Hazare going to the protest venue "looked difficult" as of now. "We can`t give a time as to whether it would start today...if it is possible, (he may do it)."
He also said that the Delhi Police have given the venue for 15 days now and will extend the same if needed.
In a late night breakthrough in the deadlock between Anna Hazare and Delhi police over the duration of his anti-corruption protest, the Gandhian accepted the offer for 2 weeks of hunger strike beginning Thursday (August 18) at the Ramlila Maidan.
The breakthrough came after a nearly 30-minute meeting Hazare aides Bedi, Prashant Bhushan, Manish Sisodia and Arvind Kejriwal had with Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta at the latter`s residence in Chanakyapuri shortly after midnight.
Bedi had earlier said that Hazare would go to Rajghat before starting his protest in the Maidan after 3 PM. Confirming the deal, Home Secretary R K Singh said, "Delhi Police and Anna Hazare Team have agreed on the venue, duration, conditions etc."
"Delhi Police and the Anna Hazare team worked out between themselves this agreement. The Delhi Police has no problem in giving 15 days time and the 15 days also suits the Anna Team," he said.
Kejriwal said Hazare does not want to go before proper arrangements are made at the fast venue because once the crowd gather, it would be difficult to put in place proper facilities. Arrangements like erection of tents and provision of drinking water facilities were being made.
He said that Hazare`s health was perfectly okay and doctors from Medanta Medicity headed by Naresh Trehan have already checked him and certified him fit.
"I am fine, I am ready to walk two kilometres just now," Hazare was quoted as saying by Kejriwal whose remarks were loudly cheered by hundreds of the Gandhian`s supporters gathered outside Tihar.
Last night, Hazare refused a check up by doctors from GB Pant hospital apprehending that they may remove him from the jail on health grounds.
Asserting that the government has bowed down to people`s pressure, Kejriwal said, "we have just entered the battle, a long fight remains."
He appealed to the government to give a chance to the Jan Lokpal draft prepared by the civil society for Parliament to discuss.
"People have a right to say what draft will go to Parliament. They are supreme in democracy," he said rejecting government`s contention that civil society cannot make law.
