Miffed with his security personnel, social activist Anna Hazare has asked the government to withdraw the Z category cover. The octogenarian also said that he wouldn’t blame the government if something untoward were to happen to him.
Mr Hazare also said it was not easy to support an entourage of nine bodyguards and 28 police personnel at his village Ralegan Siddhi (in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district), which has a population of around 2,500 people. The activist said that very often those tasked with his security weren’t present or came late when he was doing his morning yoga.
“They are also engrossed in their mobile phones and are busy chatting. They won’t even realise if someone were to walk in here and kill me,” he said, adding, “I have faced death in Khemkaran sector during the Indo-Pak war. What I have got is a bonus. I will serve the country and society till I die.” The activist was a former soldier in the Indian Army.
The anti-corruption crusader said increasing his security would put a financial burden on the state and told the government not to do so.
“The financial situation of the state is poor and increasing my security will pose an additional financial burden on it,” Mr Hazare said in a statement.
Mr Hazare’s statement comes amid several threat letters sent to him last year warning that he would be killed.
