Anna Hazare to skip Rajghat visit owing to health reasons

NEW DELHI: Gandhian Anna Hazare who had meditated at Rajghat before launching his fast on August 16 will not visit Mahatma Gandhi's 'samadhi' after ending his hunger strike beacuse of health reasons.

The 74-year-old activist was to head to Rajghat from Ramlila Maidan after breaking his 13-day fast for a strong Lokpal but Team Anna said he would not do so as he needed immediate medical attention.

A Team Anna member said his internal organs were affected and he will directly head to Medanta Medicity in Haryana's Gurgaon for a check-up, skipping Rajghat.

Dr Naresh Trehan of Medicity and his team were monitoring his health during the past 13 days and the physicians were concerned after Hazare's blood pressure dipped and some internal organs were affected.

Hazare had lost at least 7.5 kg since August 16 when he sat on a hunger strike for a strong Lokpal Bill. He now weighs 64.5 kg.

On August 15 afternoon, Delhi Police had rejected permission to Hazare to hold his protest in J P Park following his team's refusal to give an undertaking that he would restrict his protest to three days and number of protesters to 5,000.

As government and Team Anna played hardball, Hazare went to Rajghat unannounced and meditated there. His visit to Rajghat caught police and media unawares and they rushed to the site.