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Hazare not to campaign in Assembly elections due to poor health
New Delhi, January 5, 2012
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Veteran social activist Anna Hazare, who has been spearheading a movement for a strong Lokpal Bill for an anti-corruption ombudsman, has dropped plans to compaign in the coming Assembly elections in five states because of poor heath, a key member of his team said today.
Former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Kiran Bedi, a senior member of Team Anna, told mediapersons in Pune after meeting Hazare, 74, in hospital that he needed complete rest and would not be campaigning in the elections.
Earlier, Hazare had said that he would campaign in the elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Manipur and Goa and urge people not to vote for parties which had not supported the Jan Lokpal Bill, his version of the proposed law.
This was, by and large, seen as an anti-Congress move. The Congress has been attacking Hazare on this, saying he was leaning towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and that his campaign was propped up by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Hazare has denied this charge.
However, the latest announcement will provide some relief to the Congress, which has attracted a lot of flak for not being able to get the Lokpal Bill passed in the Rajya Sabha after it was cleared by the Lok Sabha.
Hazare had started a three-day hunger strike on the Lokpal Bill in Mumbai on December 27, but had to give it up the next day because of his deteriorating health. He went back to his village, Ralegan Siddhi, but was later admitted to a hospital in Pune on December 31.
Apart from his fast, Hazare also called off a "jail bharo" campaign he had planned from December 30 across the country.
Doctors treating him have advised him complete rest and told him that he should not undertake any fast or exert himself in any other way for at least a month.
"Anna needs complete rest. Doctors have advised him not to travel. My opinion is also that Anna should be taking rest. So he won't be travelling or campaigning," Bedi said.
"Anna is not going to campaign in the states. Anna is not going to travel, which we have urged him not to. Doctors are not allowing any more fasts, any more exposure through travel at the moment," she added.
Bedi said the Core Committee of Team Anna would meet on Saturday to work out its strategy.
NNN
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