Stalemate ENDS: Hazare to leave Tihar Jail at 3 pm

Activist Anna Hazare will leave Tihar jail on Thursday afternoon. He is likely to visit Rajghat before starting his hunger strike for the Jan Lokpal Bill at the Ramlila Ground at 3 pm, his aide Kiran Bedi said on Wednesday night.

Bedi said the government should get a fresh Lokpal Bill introduced in Parliament and have it passed "in accordance with the aspirations of the people".

Hazare will undergo a medical test in Tihar Jail on Thursday morning before he sets out for Ramlila Maidan, where he will launch his protest for a strong Lokpal.

Jail sources said the 73-year-old anti-corruption crusader will be examined by doctors from the jail and doctors from a government hospital.

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Hazare had refused to leave Tihar Jail after being released from detention on Wednesday, demanding that he be allowed to continue with his protest in the capital without any conditions.

After a late night meeting with Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta, the Hazare team said the Gandhian activist decided to accept the city police's offer of permitting him to stage his protest for 14 days, which could be extended later.

Meanwhile, bomb disposal teams and dog squads conducted a surprise check outside Tihar Jail early on Thursday morning. The teams reached the jail at nearly 3:30 am, conducted a thorough check and sanitised the area.

Euphoric scenes were witnessed outside Tihar Jail on Thursday night as Hazare's supporters received the news about him accepting the Delhi police's offer for a 14-day hunger strike.

"Anna has won. We will get the Jan Lokpal Bill," one of the protesters said.

Nearly 200 protesters, who were waiting outside Tihar Jail, erupted into thunderous applause and showered flower petals to celebrate the moment.

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Expressing happiness at the turn of events, former law minister Shanti Bhushan on Thursday said the decision to allow Hazare to fast proved that his demands were reasonable. The government should bring in a new Lokpal Bill after consulting the activist, he said.

"I am very happy that ultimately good sense has prevailed on the government and it has agreed to permit Anna to fast for 14 days. This shows that Anna was never unreasonable in his demands," Bhushan said.

He claimed the provisions of the Lokpal Bill put forward by Hazare's team were "totally" Constitutional.

"I can certify that they are Constitutional and I think it would be wise for the government to withdraw the (present) bill from Parliament and move a fresh bill after talking to Anna," he said.