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“Anna returned to Ralegan Siddhi tonight (Saturday). He was at Jindal Naturecure Institute in Bangalore, where he was being treated by naturopathy. He also went there to get some rest,” Hazare’s associate Anil Sharma told IANS.

Hazare was accompanied by his key aide, Arvind Kejriwal.

Team Anna core committee member Kiran Bedi also expressed her gladness over Hazare’s discharge from the nature care centre.

“Anna finally discharged. Off all medicines. Doing quite well nw. BP stable. Will rch Ralegan by evening!,” Bedi tweeted.

Hazare, 74, who is leading a campaign for a strong Lokpal Bill, has been unwell for some time.

He was lodged at the Bangalore nature care centre since Jan 30. On Jan 29, he went to New Delhi for a check-up at the Medanta hospital after he complained of swelling and chest pain.

Hazare was admitted to a hospital in Pune in December 2011 after breaking his fast in Mumbai as he suffered from chest infection.

Team Anna will commence its tour of Uttar Pradesh Thursday ahead of assembly polls in the state, educating voters about the Jan Lokpal bill and the stand of various political parties on the issue, a statement said Wednesday.

Team Anna will hold a public rally at Barabanki and Gonda Thursday and Faizabad and Basti Friday, the statement added.

“We will not target a single party during the campaign but put forward the need for a strong Lokpal. We would not ask people to vote in favour or against any particular party,” said an official of India Against Corruption (IAC).

“The response of various parties and their stand on the bill would be explained to people,” added the official.

The seven-phased assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh begin Feb 8 and go on till March 3.

Social activist Anna Hazare Tuesday denied reported claims by his associates that his health had deteriorated due to the side effects of antibiotics given by his doctor in Pune.

“There have been reports that the medicines given to me were more than what I required or not needed at all. I don’t think the medicines were given to me with a malicious intent,” Hazare said in a statement here.

“Maybe my body couldn’t bear them,” he added.

The 74-year-old activist was admitted to a hospital in Pune in December-end after breaking his fast in Mumbai as he suffered from chest infection. According to his aides, the antibiotics had shown side effects.

Discharged from Pune’s Sancheti Hospital Jan 8, Hazare was recommended at least a month’s rest by doctors.

The activist said his doctor in Pune - Kanti Lal Sancheti - was a friend of 25 years and it was wrong to he was got a Padma Vibhushan because he treated Hazare.

“He is being awarded for serving society for more than 40 years,” said Hazare.

An aide of Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, too came out in support of Sancheti and rubbished media reports that he had doubted the doctor’s motives.

“I have never raised questions over his capabilities,” said Kejriwal in a statement.

“It was on my request that Sancheti brought Anna to Pune from Ralegan Siddhi for treatment. He (Hazare) is all right now and will be back among the people soon,” he added.

Hazare reached the national capital Jan 29 for a medical check-up at the Medanta hospital after he complained of swelling and chest pain.

In an abrupt move, Jaisingh Mapare, the sarpanch (headman) of Anna Hazare’s village, Monday withdrew his nomination as a Nationalist Congress Party candidate for the Zilla Parishad polls, alleging “sabotage” by party leaders.

Mapare took the decision to withdraw his candidature for the Feb 7 elections following a meeting of the villagers held here Monday afternoon.

Confirming the developments, NCP state spokesman Madan Bafna said Mapare had informed the party of his decision to quit the electoral race.

“We are not aware of the reason for this sudden change, but it must be something major. We shall inquire into the issue and take suitable steps,” Bafna told IANS.

Contacted by IANS, Mapare alleged that a former legislator was seeking to sabotage his electoral bid.

“The former legislator from this region, Vasantrao Jhavade and his son Sujit have been openly campaigning against me since the past few weeks, sabotaging my prospects,” Mapare told IANS.

He further claimed that Jhavade harboured old enmity with Hazare and was opposed to his (Mapare’s) candidature

“In fact, Jhavade has put up an independent candidate to oppose me and was campaigning among the villagers not to vote for me,” Mapare added.

He said he brought this to the notice of the NCP top brass, including Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Ahmednagar district guardian minister Babanrao Pachpute who urged him to go ahead and contest the polls.

However, in view of Hazare’s frail health and the vitiated atmosphere within the party, Mapare said that after taking the villagers’ permission, he decided to withdraw from the electoral race.

Suffering from ill health, activist Anna Hazare will be brought to the national capital Sunday and admitted to Medanta Hospital in suburban Gurgaon in Haryana, an associate said Saturday.

“Because of the hard antibiotics that were being administered to him, Anna ji has had some side effects,” the associate told IANS.

“He will stay in Medanta for two days, and then will be shifted to Jindal Naturecare Institute of Bangalore,” he added.

Hazare, 74, was admitted to a hospital December end, after breaking his fast in Mumbai as he suffered from chest infection.

He was discharged from Pune’s Sancheti Hospital Jan 8 and was recommended at least a month’s rest by doctors.

Calling criticism of his “slap the corrupt” remark as unfortunate, Anna Hazare Friday said the whole issue has been blown out of proportion by a group of politicians who have been trying hard to tarnish his image.

“It is a conspiracy against me to tarnish my image. It is not the first attempt… there have been many such attempts in the past too but they have failed each time,” Hazare wrote in his blog.

The 74-year-old, after watching Hindi film “Gali Gali Chor Hai” Tuesday, had commented that a person has no option but to slap the corrupt when he runs out of tolerance and patience.

His comments drew sharp criticism from several political parties.

Hazare said he never supported or asked people to indulge in violence even during his fast at Ramlila ground in August last year.

“I always appealed to the crowd gathered there to follow non-violence and not get involved in any violent activity. And the massive protest was totally non-violent,” he wrote.

Hazare said that he was ready to answer all those people criticising him over the remark.

He further said that his fight against corruption will continue and he would join the Team Anna campaigning ahead of elections in five states as soon as his health improves.

Activist Anna Hazare has appealed to people in the poll-bound states to ask all political parties if, when they came to power, they would enact a Lokayukta bill on the lines of that passed by the Uttarakhand assembly.

According to a statement issued by Team Anna, the activist has not been able to travel to the five poll-bound states due to ill health but would do so as soon as he gets well.

“Till then, he has issued his message through a video CD which will be shown at all public meetings… In the video, he has appealed to the public to ask every party whether they would enact Uttarakhand type of Lokayukta if they won,” the statement said.

It said Hazare had also asked his team members to travel to poll-bound states carrying his message to people.

Stating that gram sabhas (village councils) were above state assemblies and parliament, activist Anna Hazare Thursday called for legislation to empower local bodies and said people should be prepared for a “second freedom struggle” if the government does not bring such a bill.

In his video message “Rebuilding Rebuplic” posted on YouTube by his team, Hazare said that gram sabhas were the highest structures in the country as they derived their strength directly from the people.

“Gram sabha is the highest system in the country. It is above Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha. Every voter is the master of the country, this they (the government) should understand. You (the people) have to come forward for a second freedom struggle,” Hazare said.

He called upon the government to introduce a bill which will decentralise powers vested in central and state governments.

Stating that gram sabhas (village councils) were above state assemblies and parliament, activist Anna Hazare Thursday called for legislation to empower local bodies and said people should be prepared for a “second freedom struggle” if the government does not bring such a bill.

In his video message “Rebuilding Rebuplic” posted on YouTube by his team, Hazare said that gram sabhas were the highest structures in the country as they derived their strength directly from the people.

“Gram sabha is the highest system in the country. It is above Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha. Every voter is the master of the country, this they (the government) should understand. You (the people) have to come forward for a second freedom struggle,” Hazare said.

Hazare said what happened in Rajya Sabha on the last day of winter session during the discussion on Lokpal bill was not proper.

“The elected members were giving their views on their own. This is not a right democracy. Servants (of people) treat themselves as masters, are making laws according to their wishes,” Hazare said.

He said that when the Lokpal bill came to parliament, the MPs were making amendments according to their own wishes. “The 500-550 MPs treat themselves to be the highest authority. This is wrong. We have to think about it,” he said and added that democracy in the country was yet to fully become a people’s democracy.

In his nearly 30-minute address, Hazare said elected representatives and bureaucracy had failed in their duty over the last six decades to remove social and economic inquities and the differences among people on grounds of caste and religion.

“Hence, till the time there is decentralisation, there will not be democracy. Keeping power with central government, with the state governments and running the system from there is not democracy. The power should come in the hands of voter after decentralisation. A bill should come that the money spent of people’s treasury should be spent with their consent.”

Hazare said people had accepted representative democracy in the country based on the rule of law.

“They (elected representatives) were sent as servants of people for using the treasury properly. The president appoints IPS (Indian Police Service), IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officers as servants of people. The people who became masters in 1950, they have been turned into servants and those appointed servants have turned into masters. Those assigned the role of protecting treasury had turned looters,” he said.

“We were sleeping for the past 65 years and they have looted our treasury. Servants have looted treasury of the master. But now we are awake. If a law like this is not brought, there would be need of an agitation like the one launched Aug 16 (last year),” he said, adding that message should spread across the villages that gram sabha is the highest system in the country and should be given full powers.

Hazare said gram sabhas did not know at present how much money comes and how much is spent. “The money should come directly to gram panchayats.”

Hazare also repeated his suggestions of right to recall and right to reject of elected representatives.

Around 2,000 villagers gathered here to watch the special screening of Rumi Jafry’s “Gali Gali Chor Hai” with social activist Anna Hazare and actors Akshaye Khanna, Shriya Saran, Mugdha Godse and Annu Kapoor.

Jafry and producer Nitin Manmohan were present too Tuesday night for the screening of the corruption-based movie, set for release Feb 3.

It was screened for Hazare and his villagers on a specially created LED wall screen in an open auditorium, said a press statement.

Hazare greeted and welcomed the cast of the film and praised them for their effort. He also watched the whole film, and appreciated it.

“It supports my message and movement. Every youth, every child, all age people in India should watch this film as it motivates the depth of being a common man and it motivates every indiviual to be a good citizen and have a corruption-free country. This Republic Day, every Indian should be corruption-free from within first, and then work towards fighting corruption,” said Hazare.

For producer Manmohan, it was an emotional moment to showcase the film to villagers.

“This was the best premiere I could ever imagine for my film, showcasing it to the right audience. I experienced the audience watching, laughing, smiling, crying along with my film. I was thrilled to see Anna’s reactions watching my film. Two thousand villagers stood up and clapped and that was my reward,” he said.

Jafry says it was a “proud” moment to have Hazare watch the film.

“I was sitting next to Anna and every gesture and expression was making me feel happy…when he was laughing, clapping…those were my best memories, and experiencing it live sitting along with him, it was a proud feeling,” he said.