Farmer groups to join Anna’s stir from August 9

Farmers groups, including Maharashtra’s Shetkari Sanghatana led by former MP Sharad Joshi, will join forces with social Qactivist Anna Hazare and yoga guru Baba Ramdev in their agitation against corruption and black money in New Delhi from August 9.

Ravi Devang, state president of the Shetkari Sanghatana, told DNA that the Kisan Co- ordination Committee, an umbrella organisation of 14 farmers bodies from across India, would participate in the agitation.

“Lakhs of farmers will be in Delhi on August 9 to participate in the movement,” said Devang, adding that Joshi would also share the dais.

“As long as the farmers movement does not associate itself with them (Hazare and Ramdev’s agitation), they will not be able to convert it into a national agitation in the true sense,” he added.

Meanwhile, Hazare, whose fast entered third day on Tuesday, ruled out any talks with the government or even the prime minister to end their stir. He also expressed readiness to return the Padma Bhushan award bestowed on him.

“The government has said they would not send their representatives to come to meet us. I want to tell them that corrupt ministers need not come and meet me,” Hazare said.

Meanwhile, doctors advised Arvind Kejriwal and Gopal Rai to be hospitalized on the seventh day of the team’s fast. However, Kejriwal warned the government “not to resort to force-feeding them at any count. We are not trying to commit suicide here… we are sitting here committed to a cause”.

Hazare said, “Till the system doesn’t change, the andloan will not end. We are waiting to change the system”. Kiran Bedi and Prashant Bhushan too echoed this. Bedi said, “Our fight will go on till 2014. Till the next election doesn’t come, we will go on spreading our ideas. Ours is a long fight.”

—With inputs from Delhi bureau