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Stage was set for the third round of showdown between Team Anna and UPA Government over the Lokpal on Monday night, as Anna Hazare arrived in the metropolis to embark upon his three-day fast at the MMRDA ground at Bandra-Kurla complex here on Tuesday morning.
Escorted by a group of youngsters riding Royal Enfield motorcycles, 74-year-old Hazare will arrive in style at the MMRDA ground in north-east Mumbai from Juhu-Santa Cruz, where he will offer prayers at the Gandhi statue before beginning his fast.
Hazare, who arrived in the city from his native village of Ralegan Siddhi in the night, has recovered fully from cold, cough and viral fever that he had suffering for the past three days. “I was slightly indisposed for two days, because of my recent travel to different places… Now I am fine and fully fit for my fast,” the Gandhian told mediapersons at Ralegan Siddhi before he left for Mumbai.
Not wanting to take any chances -- especially after intelligence reports suggesting threat to Hazare’s life and likely untoward incidents at the venue, the city police have made very tight security arrangements at the MMRDA ground, where the police have deployed 2,000 constables and 200 sub-inspectors. In addition, 12 platoons of State Reserve Police (SRP) personnel and four quick response teams will be stationed at the venue to take of the security needs.
Sniffer dogs, metal detectors and bomb squads have also been pressed at the MMRDA Ground, where the organisers are expecting over a lakh of people during the next three days to extend support to Hazare in his crusade for a strong Lokpal Bill.
Having continuously worked for more than 36 hours, India Against Corruption (IAC) activists, helped by hired workers, readied the MMRDA ground by Monday evening. Apart from setting up a huge and an imposing stage, the IAC volunteers have set up a toilet-attached rest room for Hazare, a registration counter, sitting rooms for core Team Anna and IAC members and prominent visitors, separate rooms for security, medical and police personnel and a media centre.
Talking to persons at Hazare’s fasting venue, Team Anna member Kiran Bedi said: “It is sad that a 74-year-old man has to undertake fast inorder to get a bill cleared which would bring the country out from the dirty state of corruption. India is today ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world and that is why the clearing of a strong anti-graft bill is extremely important.”
Bedi appealed people to turn out in large numbers “historic” rally. “India has suffered enough since last 64 years to be now counted amongst the most corrupt countries in the world. Now, is the time to come out in large numbers onto the streets,” she said.
“It is important for each of us to recognize the importance of our participation as an individual. Everyone counts! If we collectively don’t exert pressure on our parliamentarians to give us a strong Lokpal bill, we will never be able to succeed,” she added.
Meanwhile, the media-savvy IAC has made elaborate arrangement for the media at the MMRDA ground,
Earlier on Monday evening, Hazare was accorded warm welcome on his arrival in the temple town of Alandi in Pune district, where he offered prayers to Sant Dnyaneshwar, en route to Mumbai.
Leaving Alandi around 5.30 pm, Hazare’s cavalcade of cars reached Mumbai at around 9 pm. The Gandhian will stay overnight at a government guest house at Bandra in north-west Mumbai, where IAC has booked several rooms for Hazare and core Team Anna members. Before arriving at the fasting venue, Hazare will first offer prayers at the Gandhi statue at Juhu-Santa Cruz.
Escorted by a group of youngsters riding Royal Enfield motorcycles, 74-year-old Hazare will arrive in style at the MMRDA ground in north-east Mumbai from Juhu-Santa Cruz, where he will offer prayers at the Gandhi statue before beginning his fast.
Hazare, who arrived in the city from his native village of Ralegan Siddhi in the night, has recovered fully from cold, cough and viral fever that he had suffering for the past three days. “I was slightly indisposed for two days, because of my recent travel to different places… Now I am fine and fully fit for my fast,” the Gandhian told mediapersons at Ralegan Siddhi before he left for Mumbai.
Not wanting to take any chances -- especially after intelligence reports suggesting threat to Hazare’s life and likely untoward incidents at the venue, the city police have made very tight security arrangements at the MMRDA ground, where the police have deployed 2,000 constables and 200 sub-inspectors. In addition, 12 platoons of State Reserve Police (SRP) personnel and four quick response teams will be stationed at the venue to take of the security needs.
Sniffer dogs, metal detectors and bomb squads have also been pressed at the MMRDA Ground, where the organisers are expecting over a lakh of people during the next three days to extend support to Hazare in his crusade for a strong Lokpal Bill.
Having continuously worked for more than 36 hours, India Against Corruption (IAC) activists, helped by hired workers, readied the MMRDA ground by Monday evening. Apart from setting up a huge and an imposing stage, the IAC volunteers have set up a toilet-attached rest room for Hazare, a registration counter, sitting rooms for core Team Anna and IAC members and prominent visitors, separate rooms for security, medical and police personnel and a media centre.
Talking to persons at Hazare’s fasting venue, Team Anna member Kiran Bedi said: “It is sad that a 74-year-old man has to undertake fast inorder to get a bill cleared which would bring the country out from the dirty state of corruption. India is today ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the world and that is why the clearing of a strong anti-graft bill is extremely important.”
Bedi appealed people to turn out in large numbers “historic” rally. “India has suffered enough since last 64 years to be now counted amongst the most corrupt countries in the world. Now, is the time to come out in large numbers onto the streets,” she said.
“It is important for each of us to recognize the importance of our participation as an individual. Everyone counts! If we collectively don’t exert pressure on our parliamentarians to give us a strong Lokpal bill, we will never be able to succeed,” she added.
Meanwhile, the media-savvy IAC has made elaborate arrangement for the media at the MMRDA ground,
Earlier on Monday evening, Hazare was accorded warm welcome on his arrival in the temple town of Alandi in Pune district, where he offered prayers to Sant Dnyaneshwar, en route to Mumbai.
Leaving Alandi around 5.30 pm, Hazare’s cavalcade of cars reached Mumbai at around 9 pm. The Gandhian will stay overnight at a government guest house at Bandra in north-west Mumbai, where IAC has booked several rooms for Hazare and core Team Anna members. Before arriving at the fasting venue, Hazare will first offer prayers at the Gandhi statue at Juhu-Santa Cruz.
