Anna ignored fever and fatigue in fight against corruption

Mumbai: 3.46 An ill Anna Hazare has ignored doctor’s advice and has continued with his fast despite suffering from a viral fever. Hazare has also had a taxing few days, having travelled by road from Ralegan Siddhi to Mumbai and having fasted for the past three days. This morning he travelled in an open truck, which meant that he was standing for the entire duration of the journey to MMRDA grounds from Juhu.

Within an hour of Anna Hazare begining his three-day fast, his prominent supporters Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi had appealed to him to end the hunger strike taking into consideration his ill health but the activist remained adamant on continuing his protest. “He has fever, let us request him to stop his fast. Anna can continue his dharna,” Bedi had said addressing supporters at the MMRDA ground where Hazare was sitting on fast.

3.41 Never in the last 62 years he ever heard the slogan ‘Bharat Mata Ki’.

3.35 Actor Anupam Kher takes the stage. The actor said people want to see the actor as a real human being moving beyond his career of 27 years on the silver screen.

3.32 That’s it for today as far as Anna Hazare is concerned. He says he’s got more to say tomorrow, but the fact is that he had nothing new to say today. Team Anna’s media managers have some thinking to do.

3.31 Anna Hazare said to his supporters gathered at the MMRDA grounds that the Lokpal Bill would not be passed now. He said that the anti-corruption movement would be extended to the next Lok Sabha elections, when he would campaign across the country.

3.25 The pressure must be maintained on the government, says Anna Hazare, and called on his supporters to court arrest once his three-day fast was over.

Once a strong Lokpal bill is passed, Team Anna will focus their energies on the Right to Reject. Hazare said that this bill would automatically improve the prestige of parliament. Says that the media has been responsible for creating awareness of the battle for a strong Lokpal bill.

3.15. Talks of the need to improve the quality of politicians, says that there are more than 150 criminals in parliament. Says he will work on the right to reject. Explains the concept of the right to reject. Says that MLAs and the MPs exist to serve their masters – the citizens of the country. Instead, the politicians have turned the tables on the citizens. Says that things have changed since March 2011, and the citizens are now masters again. Warns the gathering to stay aware and ensure that the olde order does not return.

3.12. Anna Hazare reiterates his intention to campaign in the election bolund states. Comes back to the ‘village’ parliament, the gram sabha, and says that this institution is greater than the institution of parliament. Rambles about farmers’ land being acquired. Gets into a complicated theory of land acquisition of villagers’ land. Not sure that this will work in a metro like Mumbai.

3.05 pm. Anna Hazare says that doctors discovered some ‘gadbad’ in his temperature, but that he will fast on nevertheless, that he is willing to die, that he does not fear death. He says he is inspired by seeing the gathered crowds, as he was inspired to fast by the crowds at Ramlila when he fasted in August.

Hazare reminds the gathering that the government is cheating all the people of the country.

Fundamentally, he is not saying anything new. This will not make for good television. This has been said before and heard before.

3.00 pm. Anna Hazare starts speaking. He certainly sounds weak. Sacrifices have to be made if the country is to be improved, he says, quoting Bhagat Singh. We got out freedom and independence because of such sacrifices he says. (Sharad Yadav’s audio is cut-off so that Anna may be heard). Talks about his personal sacrifices – the fact that he has no great bank balance, the fact that he decided not to marry.

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2.52 pm**.** CNN IBN reports the crowd size as ‘a few thousand’. Reports that Kiran Bedi calls on attendees to come tomorrow with ‘friends and families’. Clearly, attendance is way short of expectations. Meanwhile the channels cut back to live Lok Sabha proceedings as Sharad Yadav speaks. Finally, TV channels begun reporting proceedings from MMRDA on their tickers.

2.43 pm. Medha Patkar launches a broadside at the ‘corruption’ in big business in the form of income tax, customs and excise rebates, calling this the biggest scam, costing the country Rs. 3,50,000 crores last year.

2.38 pm. Medha Patkar has it better than Kiran Bedi; we see AND hear her on TV. She says that the battle would be long, but the fact that the bill is being discussed in parliament is a victory in itself. And, as she continues speaking, the channel cuts to an advertising break. Justice Katju will not be amused.

By now, it’s clear that the popular support is significantly short of Team Anna’s expectations. Let’s take a look at the twittersphere:

Reaching MMRDA grounds, Mumbai. Jai Ho.:), tweets Anupam Kher. Kitna bhaada waste @SachinKalbag: RT @calamur: At bkc. Mmrda grounds. Sparse crowds. People walking aimlessly. Kejriwal is spewing.” And so I went for my bit of political tourism. Walked up to the enclosure to see the man and his minions. More media than supporters. #MMRDA 2.20 pm. Medha Patkar is on stage, and she’s very, very animated, but we have no clue what she’s saying, as the audio we hear is of Mulayam Singh’s position on the government version of the Lokpal bill. The way things are going, it looks like we’ll get audio from MMRDA only when the Lok Sabha adjourns for the day. Could it be a day wasted for Team Anna? For once, have they got their media management all wrong? Should they have waited for the end of the winter session of parliament? Lots of speeches, and, except for the one by Arvind Kejriwal, we haven’t heard a word.

2.oo pm. Arvind Kejriwal says, “The government should be embarrassed about their version of the Lokpal Bill. While teachers and doctors come under the ambit of Lokpal,  ministers get free lawyers if they commit any crime.” Kejriwal also demanded Citizen’s Charter for all the government departments.

1.56 pm. Kejriwal recounts all that has happened from the first fast of Anna Hazare in April, all the way to the current debate in the Lok Sabha. Right now, he speaks of the ‘sense of the house’ and the promises made by the houses of parliament. Reminds all that there is corruption at every level; at the passport office, at the ration office, and therefore, why the need for a citizen’s charter. He details the fine points of the citizens’ charter as defined by Anna Hazare. Now he comes to Group C and D and asks why they are left out. Finally, he reminds all that the government went back on the word to include the Lok Ayukta within the Lok Pal.

1.50 pm. Arvind Kejriwal says that they have no battle with Parliament, that they are pleading with them with folded hands to pass a strong and effective Lokpal Bill. No wait, he’s getting aggressive again. He’s reading the cap on text messages and Kapil Sibal’s views on pre-screeing of offensive content on the Internet and on social media sites as attempts to muzzle the anti-corruption movement. he reiterates that the government cheated the citizens of the country as far as the Lokpal Bill is concerned. He recounts all the instances of government ‘cheating’ from August 15 onward.  He calls the joint drafting committe a sham to get Anna Hazare to end his fast.

1.46 pm. It’s not all well at MMRDA. The sun – and the lack of action to some extent, one suspects – is causing a steady trickle of Team Anna’s supporters to leave the venue. Let’s see what happens now – Arvind Kejriwal is speaking and, unlike Kiran Bedi, he has the benefit of audio as well.

1.35 pm. There’s nothing more boring than watching an F1 race with the audio turned off. No engine sounds, no tyres screeching and no commentary, just cars going round and round for an hour and a half. So far, that’s what Anna Hazare’s event at MMRDA grounds has been: death by boredom. The cameras pan to the crowds, they focus on Anna Hazare for a few seconds, move to Kiran Bedi (who is speaking, it seems) and back to the crowds, in a loop. We cannot hear a word, as all the news TV channels opt for the audio from the Lok Sabha debate rather than the proceedings at MMRDA grounds. We see two live video feeds, one from the Lok Sabha and one from MMRDA grounds – but since only one audio feed is possible, Team Anna is getting dumped.

1.22 pm. It’s bad enough that the MMRDA protest is being covered sans audio on news television, but the speeches are not making it to the tickers either. That’s a lot of effort being wasted. Will the channels interrupt Lok Sabha debates on the Lok Pal Bill when Anna Hazare speaks? We’ll have to wait and watch.

1.20 pm. Kiran Bedi speaks, and we can see her on TV, but we cannot hear what she is saying. Our colleague at MMRDA says that Bedi thanks all those, even those watching TV in their houses, for their support. Does she know that no on ehas a clue what she is saying? One suspects not.

1.10 pm. Up to now, all of Team Anna’s protests have been made-for-television events. They’ve chosen a day that they could dominate the news, even when they surprised all on August 15. Today, they seem to have got it wrong, as editors of news channels have chosen to broadcast the debates in the Lok Sabha rather than focus on the bit players at the Team Anna protest. That’s a first; till now, all of Anna’s protests have received uninterrupted coverage…

1.06 pm. All news television channels are splitting the screen, with the Lok Sabha proceedings dominating visually. But the audio is all Lok Sabha, and now we hear Kapil Sibal’s spirited reply to Sushma Swaraj. We’ll wait and watch till Anna Hazare comes to speak. But, as of now, it’s Lok Sabha 1, Team Anna 0**.**

1.00 pm. Still waiting for Anna to start. Kiran Bedi all over the stage, waving the tri-colour and grinning from ear to ear. Suddenly, she stops; they’re playing the national anthem. Anna’s ready.

Listen to live audio update from MMRDA:

12.46 pm**.** Anna’s yet to begin. Bhajans to entertain the gathering. The crowd’s getting bigger, but still way short of capacity. And where is youth, the mainstay of Team Anna’s movement? They’re there, but in small numbers.

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12.37 pm. What do news TV editors choose to broadcast now? In the Lok Sabha, we have, arguably, the most important discussion in decades, and Sushma Swaraj is making her arguments on the Lokpal Bill. In Mumbai, at the MMRDA grounds, Anna Hazare is set to speak. Who is more newsworthy?

12.30 They’re running 1 hour 29 minutes late, but Team Anna has reached the MMRDA grounds. Get ready for the speeches now. BTW, will the fast be extended by an equal length of time at the end of the day? On another front, the MMRDA grounds are still far from being filled. Some cause for concern for Team Anna, and solace for the Congress party.

12.23 pm. As Anna Hazare nears the MMRDA grounds (he’s about a kilometer away), Sachin Tendulkar is out on 73, and Rahul Dravid on 68 not out. Anna will get all the attention once his fast begins.

12.19 am. If Ramlila is an indicator, Team Anna has a few worries. “The protest relay fast was scheduled to start at 10 AM but it started only 90 minutes later as the crowd was not as huge as witnessed during the earlier agitation when Hazare was at the centre stage. The leader of the protest Shanti Bhushan himself came to the podium at 10:30 AM though another Team Anna member and his son Prashant Bhushan was at the venue before explaining to media persons about the protest and the delayed start,” says PTI.

12.13 pm. As Anna’s cavalcade ambles along (now over one hour late), the stage is utilised by bit players trying to keep the crowd energised. The crowd still way short of capacity. They’re sitting, disciplined, as they wait for Anna (and the puri sabji). Which reminds me, why do they have food for only 10,000 people? Or is that all that Team Anna really expect?

12.00 noon. It’s not cool Nike, adidas or Apple merchandise, but, to Anna’s supporters, there’s no brand they’d rather wear than Anna.

“Main hoon Anna (I am Anna)” caps and badges are alsobeing sold for Rs 10 each. Raja, a young boy from Sadar Bazarin Delhi has come down to the metropolis to sell themerchandise. “In Delhi, I sold about 1000 caps every day,” he said, says a PTI report.

.11.58 am. Everyone’s got to eat; so do Anna’s supporters. What do you get at MMRDA grounds? "

‘Poha’ for snacks and ‘puri-sabji’ for lunch and dinner are some of the items being dished out by some organisations who have set up base at the sprawling MMRDA ground here, the venue of the fast.

“We have made arrangements to provide snacks, tea and food to 10,000 people,” said Sumit Gupta from Giriraj Seva Samiti, who has set up ‘Anna ki Rasoi along’ with Janseva Sansthan, an NGO from Rohtak, says a PTI report.

11.45 am. Team Anna will be disappointed at the turnout at Ramlila, where the crowds are ’not as huge as witnessed during the earlier agitation’, says PTI. Is it the temperature, or is it the fact that Sachin Tendulkar is on 64 not out?

The crowd at the MMRDA grounds is still considerably short of capacity and the grounds look empty-ish. Is this a tactical mistake by Team Anna, opting for a venue that they cannot fill? Will they fill up later in the day? The point is, if the fast had started on the scheduled time, it would have been embarassing for the Gandhian.

11:15 am- The cavalcade is still on SV Road, so the fast will be delayed even further. Anna is followed, says reports, by a train of followers that has become a kilometer long.

10:45 am- Going by what little we’ve seen till now, Team Anna’s supporters could easily have been supporters of any political party. They’re noisy and unruly, with little regard for the other traffic on the roads. Is this a harbinger of things to come today? Meanwhile, it’s still far from being a full house at MMRDA grounds. Anna should be reaching there shortly.

The top billing is not enough; side-shows are required as well. Till such time as crowds come in to Ramlila grounds at Delhi, those supporters who are already there are entertained by street plays. Not quite the cheeerleaders of the IPL, but a side-show nevertheless. Meanwhile, Anna is reported to be 20 minutes away from MMRDA. Sachin Tendulkar is on 44, having overtaken Dravid who is on 42.

Anna’s cavalcade is running at least 45 minutes late, as it has only just reached Mithibai college and SV Road. So there’s still time for the Team Anna’s supporters  to reach MMRDA grounds.

Crowds still sparse at MMRDA. Is it that Mumbaikars are, as usual, fashionably late? The moment of truth as far as the visible support for Team Anna is less than 15 minutes away. Similar lethargy in Delhi at Ramlila…

As there are still 20 minutes to go for the official beginning of Anna Hazare’s fast at MMRDA grounds, Dravid (38) and Sachin (32) are at the crease as India soldiers on to 142/2. Cricket is dividing the TV audiences. In 20 minutes, it will be Anna Hazare Vs Lok Sabha Vs cricket.

News television is covering every minute detail of Anna Hazare’s fast. Now, TV channels show Anna waving at the crowds on the roadside as the cavalcade juggernauts its way to MMRDA grounds in an open top vehicle. Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal wave a la royalty, basking in the glory.

It’s a running commentary; now we hear that Anna Hazare has finished with the cermony at Juhu, where he prayed at, and garlanded, Gandhi’s statue. As he is driven to the MMRDA grounds, the crowds are still a bit disappointing from Team Anna’s point of view. Prashant Bhushan is confident that the crowds will come in…

Still 45 minutes to go, and the TV channels are focused on Anna Hazare’s fast and the impact it will have on the political classes. At the moment, cricket is being ignored on news television. However,  at Delhi, the response at Ramlila seems to be lukewarm – thanks to the cold?

Anna arrived in Mumbai last night from his native village Ralegon Siddhi.

Amid concerns over his health, Hazare had yesterday said he will go ahead with his protest and claimed that his movement was not against any side, person or party.

The security at the fast venue is tight as Team Anna predicts the turnout will be larger than the Ramlila Grounds. Crowds have already begun gathering at the venue.

Earlier, hundreds of villagers gathered to see him off at Ralegan Siddhi as he left by road for Alandi, where he paid tributes at Sant Dnyaneshwar Samadhi before reaching Mumbai.

To a query on his health, a Hazare said, “I’m fine”.

He refused to take further questions from the media saying, “I’ll be talking to you for the next three days.”

Anna has been suffering from fever for the past three days, and people from his village have been quite concerened about his health. PM Satpute, the ex-sarpanch of the adjoining village of Pimplenar told DNA that it was Hazare’s frail health that concerned him. “While addressing the Gram Sabha on Sunday, Anna was in pain while talking. This shows how weak he is. This fast has worried us no end,” he lamented. Manish Sisodia, a Team Anna member informed the media that Anna had insisted on the fast although his health has deteriorated.

Incidentally, the guest house where Anna is staying is near the residence of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, whose party has been opposing Hazare on the Lokpal Bill.

Arrangements at the MMRDA ground include the deployment of over 2,000 policemen to provide security,  six emergency exits, 16 fire extinguishers, and six metal detector units. A fire engine has been deployed 24x7 at a cost of Rs 3.5 lakh.   Team Anna expects nearly 1 lakh people to show up.

Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi, are scheduled to fast with Hazare in Mumbai, while some others will undertake the fast in Delhi.

With inputs from PTI