Anna Hazare's health deteriorates further, no response from government yet on demands

Anna Hazare's routine press conference was also called off due to his poor health.

New Delhi: The health parameters of noted anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare deteriorated on Wednesday - the sixth day of his ongoing hunger strike in support of a strong Lokpal. However, there has been no response from the Narendra Modi-led government to his demands as yet.  

According to his doctor Dhanajay Pote, Hazare's blood pressure was high and sugar levels low, which made him feel exhausted.

"When Anna ji's check-up was done at 3 pm, his blood pressure had gone up to 186/100. Also, the blood sugar level was low, as per Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital doctors," Pote said.

Pote has come from Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra to monitor the social activist's health.

Hazare's routine press conference fixed for 5 pm was also called off as he faced difficulty in speaking, Pote added. 

Hazare had on Tuesday indicated that the Centre would come up with an action plan on his demands soon, but no formal communication from authorities during the day took place, said Sushil Bhatt, a core committee member of Team Anna. 

Hazare has been pressing for the setting up of a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states to probe corruption cases, bring in new electoral reforms and implementation of the MS Swaminathan Committee report to address the agrarian crisis in the country. 

According to informed sources, the government is ready to accept almost all of the demands but it has reservations about the implementation of the demands in a time-bound manner. 

A former Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nana Patole, who resigned from the Lok Sabha last year and joined the Congress, called on Hazare on Wednesday. 

After a surge in the number of protesters a day earlier, there was a visible drop on Wednesday as roughly 2,000 persons were seen at the protest site at the Ramlila Maidan here. 

Bhatt, however, said the numbers will increase to 10,000 on Thursday when many farmers will arrive in Delhi to join the hunger strike.

Also, Team Anna also held a march at the Connaught Place in central Delhi on Wednesday evening to sensitise people about the ongoing protest but were detained by police.