Anna Hazare needs no special introduction. His hunger strike at Ramlila Maidan in 2011 united and inspired the whole country to fight against corruption and demand for the Jan Lokpal Bill to be passed in Parliament. In the capital to promote a biopic on his life titled Anna, Kisan Baburao Hazare spoke about his love for the country, Arvind Kejriwal and why he is all ready for another hunger strike.
A war veteran who fought the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965, Anna said he is ready to defend his country even today. He shared, “I took a bullet during the 1965 war and survived. I realised that it was my second birth and I needed to do more for my country, and thus started working for the development of Ralegan Siddhi. As Mahatma Gandhi said, ‘Desh ko badalna hai to pehle gaon ko badalna hoga.’ I believe if the youth of our country work with pure thoughts and intentions, they can bring a change in the society.”
The film captures the life of Kisan Baburao Hazare from his early years and how he transformed into a youth icon. “When the producer of the film approached me with the idea of making a film on my life, I agreed because I believe that a film like this will motivate the country’s youth to work towards developing their motherland. The film showcases my journey, how I brought development at Ralegan Siddhi, and my fight against corruption. It also talks about how a person who lives like a fakir, does not have any political affiliation nor powerful monetary backup, can bring change in the society through sheer determination,” shared Anna.
Talking about his 2011 hunger strike and its impact, the 79-year-old said, “The youth of the country supported me at that time and came in large numbers to the Ramlila grounds. It was due to their collective support that the government passed the Jan Lok Pal bill. The country stood by me to fight corruption.”
Lastly, when asked about his expectations from the biopic, he said, “After the movie releases, I am sure people will start questioning about the implementation of Jan Lok Pal bill. If the need arises, I am all set to sit for another hunger strike at Ramlila Maidan for the implementation of the bill.”
