Anna Hazare on whose side, Shiv Sena asks after activist calls off hunger strike

A day after activist Anna Hazare called off his proposed hunger strike, Shiv Sena on Saturday asked him to clarify his stand on the three new farm laws and whether he supports the farmers protesting against them. Hazare was to sit on an indefinite hunger strike from January 30 in support of protesting farmers but called it off after meeting BJP leaders.

“What is Anna’s stand on agriculture and farm laws that will destroy the farmers? Does Anna support the farmers who are protesting against these laws on the Singhu border? Whose side Anna is on? At least, Maharashtra should know the answers to all these questions,” said an editorial in the party mouthpiece Saamana. The editorial added that the central government is trying to crush the agitation and has cornered farmers by cutting off water, electricity and food supplies. “The farmers have been issued lookout notices, as if they are economic offenders.

What is Anna’s stand on it?” it asked.

It pointed out that when Manmohan Singh was Prime Minister, Hazare visited New Delhi twice to hold an agitation. “Then BJP added fuel to it.

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In the last seven years, people are frustrated by various decisions of the Modi government – from demonetisation to lockdown. But Anna did not say anything. Does it mean that agitations should be held only during the Congress regime? Has Ramrajya come?” asked the Sena.

Hazare, speaking to the media, said his agitations were for the country and society, irrespective of the party. “It is not about BJP, Shiv Sena or Congress. We held agitations when we saw decisions not in the interest of the country and society,” he added.