Anna to fast from tomorrow, threatens 'jail bharo'

Reversing his earlier decision, Anna Hazare today said he will sit on an indefinite fast along with his team from tomorrow even as he issued an ultimatum to the government to concede to their demands in three-four days or face a fresh 'jail bharo' agitation.

Reversing his earlier decision, Anna Hazare on Tuesday said he will sit on an indefinite fast along with his team from Wednesday even as he issued an ultimatum to the government to concede to their demands in three-four days or face a fresh 'jail bharo' agitation.

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"Anna arrives in Delhi. He says he will also be fasting," his close aide Arvind Kejriwal tweeted this afternoon. A Team Anna spokesperson said Hazare will sit on an indefinite hunger strike along with Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai.

Earlier, Hazare had announced that he will not sit on fast owing to health problems while his three Team Anna members will go on hunger strike to demand setting up of a Special Investigation Team to probe corruption allegations levelled by them against Ministers, a fast track court to try cases against MPs and for bringing a strong Lokpal Bill.

The reversal of his decision seems to be part of a Team Anna strategy to step up pressure on the government and drum up support for the protest at Jantar Mantar, the dharna hot spot in the national capital.

Earlier in a video message, Hazare asked the government to take decisions on their demands in three-four days.

In his recorded message, Hazare said, "Let us see what the government does during the fast. If the government does not take any decision (on the demands raised by us) in the first three-four days of the agitation, I will tell people across the country to go on a jail bharo agitation.

"Not a single prison in the country should remain vacant," he said and added that going to jail for the sake of the country is an "embellishment for your life".

He said people should consider this protest as a second freedom struggle as the the government was "not doing anything" to bring a strong Lokpal Bill or taking action against corruption.

"Why they are not bringing Lokpal bill. Because 15 of the 35 ministers face corruption allegations. Probe them. Punish them if they are guilty. But the government is not willing to do so. We are left with only one way (to protest)," he said.