NEW DELHI: Veteran activist Anna Hazare has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing his pain over the violence during the recent protest in Delhi and calling on the government to adopt positive communication to resolve the ongoing agitation.This is the second time in the past week that Hazare has voiced support for dialogue and a peaceful resolution to the protests over alleged irregularities and the paper leak controversy surrounding the NEET examination.On July 18, Hazare had urged the Centre to initiate talks with educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike for the past 25 days.“Government should not wait for a tragic outcome, and there is no harm in holding discussions,” Hazare had said.“During Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike, he was taken away and admitted to a hospital… This is a matter concerning society, and as much as possible, the situation should be handled peacefully. If there is any forceful action or pulling and dragging, the issue only becomes more complicated,” Hazare said.Wangchuk has been demanding the resignation of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities and the paper leak controversy surrounding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).Wangchuk was taken from Delhi’s Jantar Mantar to VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital early on Saturday as his indefinite hunger strike over irregularities in the NEET examination entered its 21st day.The move came 48 hours before his proposed march to Parliament, scheduled for the opening day of the monsoon session on Monday.Hazare’s latest intervention comes against the backdrop of his own history of leading a major anti-corruption movement in the national capital.In 2011, Hazare led a 13-day hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar and Ramlila Maidan as part of the “India Against Corruption” movement.The agitation became one of the largest public mobilisations witnessed in the capital, with thousands gathering outside Tihar Jail after Hazare’s arrest.He later shifted to Ramlila Maidan, where his 13-day fast drew large crowds demanding a stronger Lokpal law.Hazare eventually ended his strike after the then Congress-led UPA government agreed to constitute a joint drafting committee for the Lokpal Bill.(With agency inputs)
