Anna Hazare plans another anti-Land Bill protest

Pune: Social activist Anna Hazare, who is opposing the controversial Land Acquisition Bill, is said to be keen on undertaking a fast in Delhi on the issue, but he is being dissuaded by activists from doing so on health grounds.

"Anna is very keen on undertaking a fast at Jantar Mantar in Delhi but in view of his health and hot climate we have requested him to refrain from the same," said Vishwambhar Choudhary, an associate of Hazare, here today.

Choudhary, who attended a closed-door meeting held by Hazare with like-minded organisations on the land issue here yesterday, told PTI that a country-wide protest was being planned to oppose the Bill, actual format and dates of the proposed agitation were, however, yet to be finalised.

The anti-corruption crusader, who in February staged a sit-in in Delhi opposing the NDA government's legislation terming it as " anti-farmer and pro-industrialist", might opt for a "jail bharo (fill prisons) or a "dharna" after undertaking a nation-wide tour, Choudhary said.

The septuagenarian Gandhian had a few days back also called for a public debate with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the disputed clauses of the Bill, which had been passed by Lok Sabha with nine amendments.