Pune/New Delhi, June 4: Anna Hazare, who had announced plans of joining the fast of Baba Ramdev here on Sunday, today appeared non-committal about it. "I will go to Delhi tomorrow and will discuss then what would be the form and direction of the Satyagraha," he told reporters today.
With a number of saffron outfits joining Baba Ramdev's anti-corruption fast, speculation is rife whether Gandhian Anna Hazare would participate in the protest as his camp had indicated it would be uncomfortable joining ranks with ‘communal' groups.
Sangh Parivar's firebrand actvisit Sadhvi Ritambhara joined Ramdev at the Ramlila Maidan today while RSS and VHP leaders, including Ashok Singhal, have announced their intention to join the protest during the day giving rise to specualtion whether Hazare would make an appearance at the protest tomorrow.
Civil society member in the Lokpal Bill drafting committee, Justice Santosh hegde, downplayed Sadhvi Ritambhara's presence, saying there is nothing wrong in it. “Suppose Muslim League comes out tomorrow to support, will they say the same thing”? Hegde said. “So far as the presence Sadhvi Ritambhara is concerned, she may be an accused in Ayodhya (Babri Masjid demolition) case but we are not supporting that cause. We are supporting only the fight against corruption. If she wants to fight against corruption, I do not see why she should not be allowed to do that,” he added.
Another civil society activist Kiran Bedi said that it was Baba Ramdev's protest and it was upto him to choose who gets on to the stage. “We are in an anti-corruption movement together,” she said.
Social activist Arvind Kejriwal had said yesterday that he had spoken to Ramdev who had assured them that “communal elements” would not share the dais with him. PTI
