Anna Hazare to go on hunger strike from January 30, Urges Supporters to Join

On Jan 29, 2021

Mumbai: Two days after the violent tractor rally in the national capital that left many police personnel injured, and one farmer dead, social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday said he will begin a protest over various demands related to farmers in Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra from January 30.

Anna Hazare said that he has been requesting the Central Government to implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission from the year 2018, but it is being ignored. He said that now he has decided to go on fast from January 30 in the Yadav Baba temple of Ralegan Siddhi.

According to sources, the government has already started efforts to convince Anna Hazare. To prevent Anna Hazare from fasting, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Chaudhary will reach Ralegan Siddhi today and talk to Anna Hazare. Before Kailash Chaudhary, several other leaders including former Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Haribhau Bagde, former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Ahmednagar MP Sujay Vikhe Patil have also come to convince Anna Hazare. Although Anna Hazare is not ready to back down at any cost.

It is being told that in view of Anna Hazare’s fast-unto-death, Devendra Fadvanis and Girish Mahajan have talked to Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar and prepared a draft in this matter. These drafts will be shown to Anna Hazare. After this, if Anna Hazare finds any deficiency in this draft, then it will be sent to the Agriculture Minister. After this, if the government agrees to this, then perhaps Anna can withdraw his fast.

Anna Hazare has requested his workers and supporters that there should be no violence in the movement. Expressing sorrow over the violence in Delhi on Republic Day, he said, I always want a non-violent and peaceful movement. He said that in the last 40 years, he has agitated many times. Lakhs of people were involved in the Lokpal movement, but no one even picked up a stone. He said that Gandhiji has taught us that peace is the greatest strength of any movement.

The recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission include giving constitutional status and autonomy to the Agricultural Commission. Along with this, it was assured to set up a High Powered Committee to give MSP by increasing the agricultural produce by 50% on the cost price and adding 50% in C-2. On 29 March 2018, written assurance was given by the Prime Minister’s Office to set up a High Powered Committee to accept these demands.