Anna leaves Tihar, moves towards Ramlila

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare came out of Tihar Jail on Friday (August 19) to launch a fortnight-long protest demanding a strong Lokpal bill declaring that the fight against graft will continue whether he was "alive or not".
Looking fit on his fourth day of fast, the 74-year old Gandhian came out of the jail premises and made a brief address to the waiting supporters that the "second freedom struggle" has started.
"We got freedom in 1947. Now the second freedom struggle has begun on August 16. A revolution has started. The fight against corruption will continue whether I am alive or not," he said as the hundreds of supporters waiting for him since early morning cheered and clapped.
Escorted by police officials, Hazare came out and mounted a small podium erected just outside one of the gates of the prison that was his home for over 67 hours. He had refused to come out of the jail on Tuesday despite government ordering his unconditional release after his arrest in the morning to foil his indefinite hunger strike.
In the short speech, he declared that his campaign was aimed at making the country corruption-free.
Before getting on to a mini-truck heading a procession for a short distance, he appealed to his supporters not to indulge in violence or damage public property.
Flanked by his aides Arvind Kejriwal and Suresh Pathare, the Gandhian also invited them to join his protest that he would begin from the historic Ramlila grounds.
Greeted by rains, the procession made a slow progress as Anna waved to his supporters on his way towards Rajghat where he will pay obeisance to Mahatma Gandhi before proceeding to Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate. From there he will go to Ramlila ground, the protest venue.
After two days of hard negotiations, the stand-off between the Gandhian and the government ended early yesterday with the two sides agreeing that Hazare will undertake a fast for 15 days at the Ramlila Ground subject to certain conditions.
Hazare got from Delhi Police the spacious Ramlila Ground for his fast instead of the smaller J P Park.
Significantly, Team Hazare made it clear that his fast would not be a fast-unto-death and he will be on hunger strike only till his health permits.