Talking an ‘exertion’,Anna Hazare to continue ‘maun vrat’

74-year-old Gandhian has been on vow of silence since Oct 16 at his Maharashtra village.

Social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday said he would continue his ‘maun vrat (vow of silence)’ on health grounds.

“My health still does not permit me to give up my ‘maun vrat’. There is still some swelling on my feet and the knee troubles me a lot. ‘Maun vrat’ helps me heal my body from within and outside,” Hazare wrote on his blog.

“Verbal Communication with people is an exertion for me,leaving me very weak. Hence,keeping my physical condition in mind,I have taken the decision to go on with ‘maun vrat’,” he wrote.

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The 74-year-old Gandhian has been on a vow of silence since October 16 at his village Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra for “atma shanti (peace of soul)”.

His decision comes two days before Team Anna’s core committee is set to meet and at a time when the team is mired in controversies.

The latest to land in a controversy is Kiran Bedi,who is accused of inflating travel bills. In his recent written communications,Hazare had defended Bedi.

“To accuse and humiliate seems to be the mantra of the few. This is not the first time that such accusations have been levelled against Kiran Bedi. Every member of Team Anna had to face accusations and character assassination by the ‘gang of four’. Who are these people? Those are the very same people who are not in favour of Jan Lokpal Bill,” he had said.

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Sources in Team Anna said Hazare will not attend the core committee meeting scheduled in the national capital Saturday.

The meeting also comes after the resignation of two prominent activists P V Rajagopal and Rajinder Singh from the core committee,apparently unhappy over the movement taking a political turn.