Mumbai, Dec. 26: Anna Hazare arrived in Mumbai in a motorcade tonight to begin his third fast this year to press for a strong Lokpal bill, making light of his viral fever and drawing a warning against provocative speeches from the state government.

His team member Arvind Kejriwal earlier tried to prepare the ground by meeting Muslim clerics in an attempt to allay any suspicion of RSS backing for the agitation and win the minorities’ support.

Hazare checked in at the state government guesthouse in suburban Bandra at 8.45pm, where he was to spend the night before arriving at the fast venue: the MMRDA Grounds at the Bandra-Kurla Complex.

As Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi supervised preparations at the venue, the Congress-NCP government warned of action if Hazare or any other speaker made speeches with the potential to disturb harmony.

Concerns had been raised about the health of Hazare, who has been ill with viral fever for the past three days, when he skipped the early morning yoga session at his village, Ralegan Siddhi. But doctors clarified that though weak from fever, the 74-year-old would hold the fast.

Aide Manish Sisodia said tonight: “Anna is unwell. He has fever. We have advised him not to fast but he is determined.”

Before setting out from Ralegan, the activist announced he would stage protests outside the Delhi homes of Sonia or Rahul Gandhi on December 30.

Stating he had no liking for fasts, Hazare said: “This government does not feel it necessary to make India a corruption-free country. This government only wants money out of power, and wants to rule with money power. It cannot see that it has become difficult for people to live. This government has become blind.”

Hazare first drove to Alandi near Pune, where he offers prayers at the shrine of Sant Dnyaneshwar, a 12th-century saint-poet. “I have done three fasts in Alandi and have always succeeded. So I decided to take the blessings here before reaching Mumbai,” he said.

Tomorrow, the fast will begin at 11am.

Kejriwal, accompanied by Sisodia, held a two-hour lunch meeting with the All India Ulema Council at Mumbai’s Crawford Market.

“A false propaganda was created that our agitation is against Dalits and Muslims and that the BJP and the RSS have links with us. Those who are corrupt and fear they will go to jail if the Lokpal bill is passed are creating this bogey. Hence, we decided to meet the community and seek their support,” Kejriwal said.

He added: “Another reason for this meeting was that communalism is a bigger problem than corruption, and we will fight it together.”

Maulana Mehboob Daryabadi, a senior leader of the Ulema Council, said: “Islam is against corruption, and tells every Muslim that you are not a good Muslim unless you fight corruption. We had supported Anna during their April agitation. Kejriwal has now cleared our doubts.”

Security beef-up

Three Quick Response Team units, two bomb squad teams and around 2,000 constables, 200 sub-inspectors and six reserve police platoons will keep vigil at the venue, PTI said.

All the speeches at the protest would be monitored, said state additional chief secretary (home) U.C. Sarangi, who had met Hazare as a government emissary in August.

Sarangi, who reviewed law and order and the security drill, said there were no plans to send representatives to the fast venue.