Mumbai: Social activist Anna Hazare warned on Thursday that he would undertake “maun-vrat” (vow of silence) if the Union agriculture ministry did not convey him, in writing, the points agreed upon during the government’s talks with him. Hazare had sat on a fast for demands including appointment of Lokpal and implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s report for farmers on January 30.
He ended the agitation on February 5 after getting assurances from the Union and Maharashtra governments that his demands would be fulfilled. “I have not received any communication (about his demands regarding farmers) from the Union agriculture ministry about the discussions we had here in Ralegan Siddhi (his village),” Hazare told reporters on Thursday.
“I am a bit frail now, but I can still undertake a vow of silence if the Union government did not convey me the points which we had discussed and agreed on through a letter,” said the 81-year-old activist. “I was expecting some communication from the Union agriculture ministry (following the talks). I broke my fast on Tuesday but till today evening, I have not received any communication. I am now suspicious of their motives,” he said.
Talking about his 2011 agitation for anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal, Hazare took potshots at his former associates Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Puducherry governor Kiran Bedi. “There was a committed ‘Team Anna’ then which had a wider impact on national politics. Later some of them became obsessed with posts of chief minister and governor and forgot the real cause,” Hazare said.
