Fasting Anna almost gets his way, but govt still holding out

The Delhi Police yo-yoed between an unrelenting Anna Hazare and the central government on Wednesday, ferrying messages back and forth on the several preconditions that Hazare wants lifted from his fast, but the government is reluctant to let go of.

It has become clear that Hazare will not come out from his self-imposed stay in the Tihar Jail – where his fast entered the second day Wednesday – unless the government gives in to all his demands, the foremost among which is permission to fast for a month.

By evening, the Delhi Police – which had kept an uneasy eye on the mounting public pressure – had said 'yes' to several demands that it had rejected outright till yesterday. The police offered Hazare 10 days to fast at the Ramlila Maidan, with the convenient rider that it could be extended if necessary.

It removed the cap on the number of protesters who could gather at the fast venue, as well as the number of vehicles that could be parked there. Police had earlier denied permission to Hazare to hold his indefinite fast at Jai Prakash Narain Park near Ferozeshah Kotla Ground after the 73-year-old Gandhian refused to give an undertaking that he would restrict his protest to three days and the number of protesters to 5,000.

The fresh proposals came during marathon discussions between Hazare, his team and the police. Initially, the police insisted they could allow only five days of protest though Team Anna wanted a month.

The police have also said a medical team will monitor the Hazare's health and that of his supporters. A government doctor will be part of the team, and the other private medic could be chosen by the Hazare team. Earlier, the police had insisted on an all-government medical team.

The government has conveyed there should be no demand for a fast-unto-death, sources said.

... contd.

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