Our fight will continue until India is free of corruption, says Hazare

Veteran social activist Anna Hazare, who moved out from the Tihar Jail this morning, urged people not to give up the fight against rampant corruption.

The 74-year-old social activist, who moved towards Mayapuri Chowk in an open truck, urged thousands of his supporters not to give up the fight against corruption.

"I will join you all people at Ramlila Maidan. We should not let this spirit die down. Our freedom struggle is incomplete till corruption is wiped out. We want corruption to be completely removed from India. The fight against corruption is far from over. The fight for freedom has started," said Hazare.

Emphasizing that this is India's second freedom struggle, Hazare thanking his supporters for the massive support said: "The second freedom struggle has started from August 16. India will not really be free until this movement is successful. This movement must not die."

According to television reports, Hazare has lost around three kilograms in weight and his blood pressure is 88/160.

Hazare will first pay tribute to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial Rajghat. He will then stop at the Amar Jyoti at India Gate before heading to Ramlila Ground, where his base camp has been set up with hundreds of tents and toilets for the thousands that are likely to join him.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police has issued traffic advisories. It has asked the general public to avoid the route being used by Hazare and his supporters.

Earlier on Thursday evening, Hazare in his message to the nation from inside the Tihar Jail said ''the protests by all my brothers and sisters, the elderly and the children'' had given him new energy for his fast.

He said the people were fed up of corruption and the government should not take long to bring a strong Lokpal Bill.

The standoff between Team Anna and the Delhi Police came to an end late on Wednesday night following hectic consultations between the two sides over the proposed fast site and the duration of the protest.

Delhi Police finally gave Team Anna the permission to fast for 15-days at Ramlila Maidan after marathon discussions between the civil society activists and Delhi Police Commissioner BK Gupta.

Initially, the police were insisting on allowing only five days'''' of protest, which was turned down by the activists who asked for one month.

Police had earlier denied permission to Hazare to hold his indefinite fast at Jayaprakash Narayan Park near Ferozeshah Kotla Ground after Hazare refused to give an undertaking that he would restrict his anti-corruption protest to three days and the number of protesters to 5,000.