Team Anna Fast for Lokpal goes Four day Old

Social Activist Anna Hazare’s fast for bringing an effective Lokpal bill  entered day four on a rain soaked Wednesday with his supporters coming to the venue Jantar Mantar in small batches.

Besides Hazare, three members of his team – Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai – are also on fast. They began their hunger strike for a stringent anti-graft Jan Lokpal bill a week ago.

Kejriwal is a little weak and has mostly been lying down, said a Team Anna supporter.

Hazare and Team Anna members, including Kiran Bedi, were holding a meeting at the venue, said a supporter.

Along with the four Team Anna members, around 450 people are also on fast, said an India Against Corruption, which has organised the protest fast.

Team Anna is holding the protest fast to demand passage of the Jan Lokpal bill for creation of an ombudsman

Fasting Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal, whose health condition has led to concern, said Wednesday that he was feeling weak but would not go to a government hospital where he would surely die.

Kejriwal, a diabetic, told supporters at the fast venue Jantar Mantar in central Delhi that they were going to stop health updates by the state-run Ram Manohar Lohia hospital as he had no faith in the hospital.

“I am weak but the government is saying that they will put me in a hospital as I am trying to commit suicide. But if they do that you people should take me out of hospital,” Kejriwal told supporters.

He added that if he was put in a government hospital he would surely die.

He also said that he was not committing suicide. It was a “sacrifice for the people”, he added.

“People commit suicide if they are facing a problem. But that is not so with Kejriwal,” Anna Hazare told the gathering.

While Hazare’s fast against corruption entered the fourth day, Team Anna members, including Kejriwal, have been off food since a week in support of the cause. Doctors said though they are weak, their condition is stable.

There was a steady stream of supporters. But as it had been drizzling since morning there weren’t too many people at the open air venue. Hazare and fasting members are on a raised stage under a marquee.

Besides, Kejriwal, two other Team Anna members, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai, are also on fast for a stringent anti-graft Jan Lokpal bill.

The three began their hunger strike a week ago. Along with the four Team Anna members, around 450 people are also on fast, said a member of India Against Corruption (IAC).

The condition of Kejriwal and Sisodia caused concern Tuesday when doctors advised that they be hospitalized as their conditioned had deteriorated.

However, a senior doctor at the venue said Wednesday that the condition of the four people was stable and there was “no need to panic”.

“All their parameters are normal, they are stable,” said Sanjeeb Chibber, who described himself as a senior cancer surgeon and is part of the protest against corruption.

He said Kejriwal, a diabetic, the others were drinking water during the fast.

According to Chibber, fasting with water “is safe till three weeks and people with stamina can last till six months”.

He revealed that the blood pressure and sugar levels of the four people was fine.

Kejriwal, Sisodia and Rai were feeling weak and mostly lying down, said an IAC member, adding that “there was nothing to worry”. Rai was suffering from a stomach problem and was a little weak.