New Delhi, February 24 - In a big show of support for anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal shared the stage with him at Parliament Street where Anna has organised a rally, demanding that the government withdraw the land acquisition ordinance.
Kejriwal also invited Anna to the Delhi Secretariat to address a gathering of head of departments of the Delhi Government.
The AAP’s 66 MLAs and other party leaders also reached Parliament Street to support Anna. Anna and Kejriwal were the two most-famous faces of the Lokpal movement in 2011. They later fell apart over Kejriwal’s decision to launch a political party.
Anna has been sitting on protest since yesterday at Jantar Mantar and today, he held a rally at Parliament Street against the Centre’s land acquisition ordinance.
Besides, CPI and MDMK leaders also shared the stage though Anna, in the morning, said that people from political parties were welcome to join the agitators, but would not share the stage with him. He made it clear that he would not allow the lending of any political colour to the agitation.
Kejriwal bowed to Hazare as he walked into the venue followed by the leaders of his party. He later joined Anna on stage and sat next to him.
As the BJP-led central government grapples with widespread political opposition to the changes it is seeking to make in the law on land acquisition for big projects, it also has to counter Anna Hazare’s protest on what he calls an “anti-farmer ordinance.”
Anna’s agitation today drew thousands of farmers from all over the country to Delhi who gathered at Parliament Street as well as Jantar Mantar.
Hundreds of farmers marched from Faridabad to Delhi to join Anna’s protest but they were stopped near the Boat Club. Later, they were allowed to go ahead after intervention by social activist Medha Patekar.
Addressing the gathering, 77-year-old Anna said he would not give up the movement. He would fight for the cause of farmers throughout his life. He appealed to the people to leave the venue this evening and launch ‘padyatra’ in their states and districts with an idea to launch “jail bharo andolan” (fill-jail movement) after four months.
He said, “No more hunger strikes for me. I will fight by living.”
