Arvind Kejriwal appeals to supporters to hold protest outside Prime Minister's residence

Gandhian activist Anna Hazare's fast entered its 10th day on Thursday. Team Anna gave a call to people across the country to come and camp in Delhi until the Jan Lokpal Bill is passed.


Better late than never: MCD water tanker finally reaches Ramlila
Maidan, in New Delhi on Thursday. Pic/Subhash Barolia

Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal appealed to protesters at Ramlila Maidan to hold the protest outside official residence of the Prime Minister. Meanwhile, people from all walks of life thronged to the protest venue. A Sadhu, named Pagal Das Baba, came all the way from Uttar Pradesh, dressed in a loincloth.

A group of eunuchs, led by Boby Kumari, also paid a visit to Ramlila Maidan. They were part of the Yuva Samaj Ekta Aur Atankwad Samiti and said Anna's demands should be immediately met. Singer Manoj Tiwari, actor Sambhavna Seth and RTI activist SC Agrawal also visited the venue to express solidarity with Anna.

No water
Meanwhile, supporters, mostly students, were seen running helter-skelter in search of water on Thursday. Reportedly, 12 water tankers on way to the venue from Noida were stopped by government officials. No official, however, was available for comments.

"People started arguing with each other for a bottle of water," said Ravi, an Anna supporter. Scene at the medical-aid tent was also chaotic. People who had fallen ill had no water to drink. Dr Chhiber said water was made available after an hour and the situation was under control.u00a0

UPA climbs down
The way appears to have been cleared for Anna Hazare to end his fast possibly today when Parliament will discuss the Jan Lokpal Bill along with other civil society drafts on the subject after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made the ice-breaking offer. Hazare set three conditions to break his ten-day fast declaring publicly that all civil servants should be brought under Lokpal, a Citizen Charter should be displayed at all government offices and all states should have Lokayuktas.