In PHOTOS: Hazare breaks fast after 288 hrs, nation rejoices

Five-year-old Simran and eight-year-old Iqra, a Dalit and a Muslim girl from neighbourhood of the New Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, were especially invited on the stage Anna Hazare called off his 12-day long fast, in an attempt to send out a clear message to his critics from the Dalit and Muslim communities.

Amidst cheering and slogans from supporters, Hazare was given honey and coconut water by the two girls. However, while addressing the crowds Anna insisted that he was just suspending the fast and urged the people to continue the campaign against corruption. He said, "Anshan chhoda hai lekin andolan sthagit nahin kya hai."

...

Crowds started pouring into Ramlila Maidan to witness the moment that the whole nation had been waiting for anxiously. Those present at the ground were overwhelmed and excited and tried to break the barricades to jump into the media enclosure prompting members of Team Anna to request them to maintain discipline.

Around 9:30 hours Hazare made an appearance dressed in his trademark white kurta and donning the Gandhi topi flanked by members of his core team -- Right to Information activist Arvind Kejrewal, former Indian Police Service officer Kiran Bedi and a few others. Several children were also brought on the stage and they all sat around him.

Minutes later, Kejriwal took to stage and thanked everyone from Jai Hind, force in-charge of security at the maidan, Medanta Medicity, organiser of logistical facilities, all donors, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Delhi police and the media, in a speech which lasted 30 minutes.

Declaring that the Delhi police was just performing their duty, Kejriwal claimed that some policemen joined the protests after duty-hours, prompting chants of 'Yeh andar ki baat hain, Dilli police apne saath hain' from the supporters.

"We are grateful to the police who arrested us and transported us safely to Tihar jail. We are also thankful to the administration in Tihar. The way Tihar officials served us, it felt like we were at home and not in a jail," Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal said that even though the Parliament was supreme, the people of this country were bigger than the Parliament.

"When our system was established, the members of Parliament were supposed to involve people in formulating laws. This has gradually changed and today we have a strange democracy in which laws are formulated neither by the people nor by their representatives. Instead, they are formulated by party high commands. For the first time since Independence, a law is coming which is formulated after a national debate involving all citizens for over six months," Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal wound up his speech at 10.13 hours as restless supporters threatened to spill into the media enclosure.

"Some Dalits think that we are against law, but that is not the case. We never asked for a change in law. We respect Dr Ambedkar completely," Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal said that celebrations will continue at India Gate at 18:00 hours.