Anna Hazare begins his fast today, stage set for confrontation

New Delhi: Anna Hazare is all set to join his protesting team at the Jantar Mantar on Sunday, beginning his fast for a strong Lokpal Bill. Since it is a Sunday, the crowds too are expected to be strong. Anna joins the fast despite requests from his team against it.

"I appeal to Anna not to go on a fast. His life is too precious," Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal had said on Saturday.

Despite much campaigning, the crowds this year have been thin at Anna's protests. And Team Anna is not unaware of the fact. Kiran Bedi has admitted that while the crowds may be thinning, it could not be seen as an indicator of diminishing support for Anna and his anti-corruption movement.

With Anna joining the protest at the Jantar Mantar on Sunday, crowds are expected to swell. His team, however, has advised him not to fast.

The team also seems to have realised that public support cannot be taken for granted.

Saturday saw people steadily streaming into the Jantar Mantar where Kejriwal and other team members have been on a fast since April 25. It saw dedicated Anna supporters throng the protest site. Most of them had come from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

The middle class also made its presence felt on the weekend.

The Anna movement has been described as primarily a middle-class movement, but people who turned up in the past three days are mainly from rural and semi urban areas. Saturday saw a fair number of middle class professionals but the question is - Will it remain loyal to Anna Hazare?

While Team Anna continued to target the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the President, a group of protesting Anna supporters threw chunks of coal outside 7 RCR.

When asked, Anna denied knowledge of the incident.

Sunday will see Anna fast yet again, but with the government remaining cold to the movement, the stage is set for a long confrontation.

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