Anna Hazare hospitalised with viral infection, dehydration and kidney problems

Veteran social activist Anna Hazare was hospitalised on Monday after developing a viral infection, acute dehydration and kidney-related complications.

Hazare was admitted to Bombay Hospital and is currently undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) under the supervision of Dr Gautam Bhansali.

The 89-year-old activist was brought to the hospital in a cardiac ambulance from his native village, accompanied by his caretakers. Dr Bhansali said Hazare’s medical tests were being conducted and that the course of treatment would be decided based on the reports.

Hazare shot to national prominence during the India Against Corruption movement in 2011, which campaigned for stronger anti-corruption legislation. However, he had already been widely known in Maharashtra for decades for his social work and efforts to combat corruption and promote rural development.

As recently as July, Hazare addressed a group of Indian Police Service (IPS) probationers, telling them that the country’s youth represented its future and stressing the importance of integrity and selfless service in nation-building.

A group of 20 IPS probationers from different states, undergoing training at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad, had visited Hazare’s native Ralegan Siddhi village in western Maharashtra’s Ahilyanagar district in late July. The trainees studied the village’s watershed development initiatives and model of rural transformation.

Anna Hazare on CJP protest

Hazare had also recently spoken about the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest, stressing that peaceful agitation and democratic dialogue were the only effective ways to address public grievances.

“Any issue gets resolved through dialogue. Dialogue leads to solutions. Creating tension and going down the wrong path will not solve anything. Dialogue is the most crucial thing,” he had said after the CJP protest was called off.

Hazare recalled that he had undertaken 22 hunger strikes during his decades of activism but had never resorted to violence.

“I have conducted 22 hunger strikes, but I never resorted to violence. Things should be resolved through dialogue. The welfare of society, whatever is right, should be done,” he said.

“I did 22 fasts, never used violence, and because of that, 10 laws were enacted. This is essential; creating violence is not right. Whoever the person may be, one should never indulge in violence,” he added.

Hazare also emphasised that governments must listen to citizens and that democratic institutions provide the appropriate avenue for resolving public grievances.

“One has to see what the public is saying. For the public’s welfare, even if we have to step forward, there’s no harm in it. But public interest must happen. Issues are never resolved by violence but by dialogue among people,” he said.

“Whatever happens through democracy happens. One should always follow the path of democracy,” Hazare added.