The health condition of Team Anna members Arvind Kejriwal and Gopal Rai, who have been sitting on an indefinite fast since July 25 at Jantar Mantar here along with Manish Sisodia, deteriorated further on Wednesday.
Doctors have advised both to get hospitalised as ketone levels in their body have increased, but the duo have refused to do so.
Kejriwal, who had yesterday warned the government against force-feeding or forcefully shifting him to hospital, today said it was a government conspiracy to forcefully hospitalise those Team Anna members who have been sitting on fast since July 25.
“All my parameters are all right, but there is weakness due to which there is a difficulty in walking and talking,” Kejriwal said. “This would happen as it the eighth day of my fast,” he added.
The activist said that from today they will not give daily health reports to government doctors as the government was conspiring to scuttle their fast.
“If the government forcefully shifts us to hospital, then it is your duty to bring us back,” he told his supporters.
Addressing the crowd, Anna Hazare said, “When does a person commit suicide? He does so when he is in trouble, but Arvind is fighting for the people of the country.”
The government is in trouble that’s why they may forcefully arrest him on charge of trying to commit suicide, he added.
Making his resolve clear, Anna said, “We will continue the fast till we have the last breath.”
Speaking from the stage, Hazare had said earlier on day four of his indefinite fast that they will not end the protest till their demands are met.
According to doctors, elevated ketone levels could affect the activists’ vital organs. In fact, Rai’s ketone level has already entered the danger zone and he has been vomiting frequently.
Addressing protesters this morning, Team Anna member Kumar Vishwas said the health condition of Kejriwal and Rai was serious. “The whole country is concerned about their health,” he said.
Concerned over the deteriorating condition of the activists, the team went into a huddle this morning on the future course of action.
Asked what they are planning to do, a Team Anna member said, “Wait and watch.”
Hazare had earlier this morning chaired a meeting of the Team Anna core group to discuss the situation, including Kejriwal and Rai’s health condition.
The government’s stand that it would not hold any more talks with Team Anna has also worried the activists.
The crowd count at Jantar Mantar in the morning was low as rains kept the protesters away from the venue.
Miffed over government not initiating any dialogue process, Hazare yesterday ruled out talks with even the Prime Minister to end their stir. He also threatened to return Padma Bhushan bestowed on him as protest.
Prashant Bhushan targeted government for not initiating a dialogue with Team Anna alleging that they want people like Hazare to die so that they can continue to loot the country.
“Government said they were not ready to talk to us. This is their attitude. They have utmost disrespect for people. They want people like Anna, Arvind, Manish and others to die so that they can continue their loot,” he charged.
–PTI