Anna’s health has dipped below optimum levels, leading to the posting of a permanent medical team by his side.
“We have increased his fluid in-take.. We’ll check today’s blood results and advise him in the evening,” Dr Naresh Trehan, one of country’s most prominent doctors, said after examining Anna Hazare’s health in the morning today.
Anna Hazare’s health had deteriorated yesterday, more than a week after he started his fast in favor of a strong anti-corruption law — the Jan Lokpal bill.
Though Anna has fasted for up to 15 days in his heydays, he is now 74 years old. The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has urged Anna to let the doctors give him in-vitro fluid injection (IV drops). Anna has, however, refused.
Meanwhile, the Government is still refusing to include low-level bureaucrats under the ambit of the anti-corruption ombudsman that the campaigners are pressing for. Government wants only the very top layer of Government officials (called Grade A officers) to be included in the scope of Lokpal.
“The ordinary person is not harassed by the senior officials, but by the street level officials,” Arvind Kerjriwal, Anna’s right hand man, said.
According to the Government’s proposals, officials such as police constables, inspectors, government doctors, clerks, peons, registrars, patwaris etc.. will not be included within the scope of Lokpal investigations.
However, most of the protesters who have thronged the different venues are more bothered about street-level corruption.
Government is also reluctant to bring in State-level ombudsman within the scope of the overall super-structure of the Lokpal. It has, however, agreed to merge the anti-corruption wing of India’s premier investigation agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI, into the Lokpal.
It has agreed, according to the India Against Corruption alliance, that all corruption cases will be investigated by the Lokpal, rather than by the CBI.
Anna started his fast on Tuesday, eight days ago.