Activist Hazare returns home after fast
Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare (C) breaks his fast on the 13th day of his hunger strike at the Ram Lila grounds in New Delhi on August 28, 2011. Indian hunger-striker Anna Hazare, who has led a campaign for a new anti-corruption law, ended his nearly two-week fast August 28 after forcing a weakened government to agree to his demands.
The Indian anti-corruption campaigner Anna Hazare has returned home to his village to a hero's welcome, three days after ending a 12-day hunger strike in the capital, Delhi.
Hazare is expected to take a rest day Thursday, before addressing villagers on Friday, where he will celebrate the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
India's IANS news service reported that Hazare's supporters stayed up all night to welcome him in Ahmednagar district, after he landed in Pune.
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The 74-year-old as released from a Delhi hospital on Wednesday, after breaking his fast when lawmakers expressed support for proposed changes to anti-corruption legislation.
Media reports said Hazare lost more than 15lb during his hunger strike. Vibhav Kumar, one of his spokesmen, told the AFP news agency:
Anna's health is excellent now. He is eating normal food again.
Meanwhile the Indo-Asian News Service, said that hundreds of Hazare supporters had offered to pay his hospital bill, should he be charged.
It said that amid ambiguity over the activist's medical bills at Medanta Medicity, in Gurgaon, online social networking sites were abuzz with messages of fans wanting to pick up the tab.
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