Ralegan Siddhi (Maharashtra): Social activist Anna Hazare’s indefinite hunger strike entered the fifth day Sunday even as villagers blocked a state highway in support of his agitation in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, leading to huge traffic jams in the area.
Hazare has been on a hunger strike since Wednesday here in Ahmednagar demanding appointment of anti-corruption watchdogs at the Centre and in Maharashtra and resolution of farmers’ issue.
In support of the 81-year-old Army man-turned-activist’s demands, farmers and youth blocked the Ahmednagar-Pune state highway at Supa village in Parner tehsil, located about 38 km from here, in the morning.
They supported Hazare’s demands for immediate appointment of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states where such statutory anti-corruption watchdogs do not exist, implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations on ways to address agrarian distress, besides some electoral reforms, the protest’s convener, Shahir Gaikwad, told this agency.
The police detained around 110 protesters in the afternoon to clear the blockade and later let them off, informed Supa police station’s inspector Rajendra Bhosale.
Dr Dhananjay Pote, who conducted a health check-up of Hazare in the morning Sunday, said the anti-corruption crusader has lost around 3.8 kg weight in the last five days and that his blood pressure, blood sugar and creatinine level in the urine have gone up.
Around 5,000 farmers from the district are likely to stage a protest outside the Ahmednagar collector’s office Monday to support Hazare’s agitation.
Hazare however, has appealed people to protest in a non-violent manner and also asked them to use decent and respectful language while expressing their feelings.
PTI