ANNA HAZARE ended his 12-day fast yesterday morning before thousands of cheering supporters at Ramlila Maidan.

    The 74-year-old Gandhian accepted a glass of tender coconut water mixed with honey from a Dalit and a Muslim girl — Simran and Ikrah — at 10:20 a.m. on the dais at the Ramlila Ground ending over 288 hours of fasting that began Aug. 16.

    After a brief address, Hazare was driven straight to Medanta Medicity run by eminent cardiologist Dr. Naresh Trehan who was attending to him along with his team during his entire period of fast. Hazare will stay in the hospital for two-three days.

    “I will not rest until all the changes that I look to are achieved,” he said to thunderous applause from thousands of his supporters waving tricolor and shouting slogans like “Anna Hazare Zindabad. (Long Live Anna Hazare.)”

    Hazare said what has been achieved in Parliament on Saturday was a victory for the people of India, democracy and those assembled in Ramlila Ground.

    “This movement has created a faith that the country can be rid of corruption and we can go ahead with implementing laws and the Constitution made by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar,” he said.

    Referring to Parliament’s decision to refer three of his demands — Citizen’s charter, inclusion of lower bureaucracy and creation of Lokayuktas through Lokpal bill — for Standing Committee’s consideration, he said, the country can be proud of this moment. Thirteen days of agitation has yielded fruits, he said.

    Around 80 volunteers were in action at the ground all day and night to provide security to Hazare, said activist Atul Kumar.

    The volunteers, both men and women, worked in shifts to ensure that some volunteers were always at Ramlila ground. “We worked in shifts,” said Praveen Deshmukh, another volunteer.

    History was made in Parliament on Saturday when the two Houses bowed to Anna Hazare’s campaign, powered by a groundswell of popular support, for a strong and independent Lokpal.

    The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha unanimously resolved that the Standing Committee would consider Anna’s three demands — including the lower bureaucracy in the Lokpal’s purview. This finally paved the way for Hazare’s 12-day fast to end. (SD-Agencies)