Breaking news: Anna Hazare to end fast tomorrow

On the fourth-day ofAnna Hazare's fast-unto death, an agreement has been reached between the governemnt and the social activist and former soldier.

Hazare said that he will break his fast tomorrow at 10am. Announcing his decision Hazare also said that the people of india should see this as their victory. He also said that the government has accpeted each and every demand of the veteran activist on the Jan Lokpal Bill.

A five-member panel has been announced to give shape to the bill in the Parliament. Anna hazare, Shanti Bhushan, and Prashant Bhushan will be part of the panel. Shanti Bhushan will also be the co-chairperson of the panel.

Arwind Kejriwal, and Santosh Hegde will be part of the joint comittee.

Anna Hazare's 5-point letter to PM

New Delhi:  In a five-point letter to the Prime Minister, veteran activist and Gandhian Anna Hazare has explained why he is continuing with the hunger fast that the government has asked him to re-consider. Mr Hazare is clear that his agenda is not just to push for the bill, but to ensure that it is not drafted by the government alone - this, he says, would be undemocratic and would allow politicians to provide far too many loopholes to let themselves off the hook.

Here's the letter:

Dear Dr. Singh,

I have started my indefinite fast at Jantar mantar. I had invited you also to fast and pray for a corruption free India on 5th April. Though I did not receive any reply from you, I am hopeful that you must have done that.

I am pained to read and hear about government's reaction to my fast. I consider it my duty to clarify the points raised on behalf of Congress party and the government by their spokespersons, as they appear in media:

1. It is being alleged that I am being instigated by some people to sit on this fast. Dear Manmohan Singh ji, this is an insult to my sense of wisdom and intelligence. I am not a kid that I could be "instigated" into going on an indefinite fast. I am a fiercely independent person. I take advice from many friends and critics, but do what my conscience directs me to do. It is my experience that when cornered, governments resort to such malicious slandering. I am pained that the government, rather than addressing the issue of corruption, is trying to allege conspiracies, when there are none.

JOIN HANDS WITH ANNA HAZARE : COME JANTAR MANTAR

Anna Hazare – A social activist has taken his fight against a weak anti-corruption bill which will be drafted by the government. He has gone on a fast till death until some serious decision on this bill is taken. He is against the committee which is being formed for this bill stating that most of the committee members are corrupt.

Anna's Geniune Demad : JAN LOKPAL BILL : HAVE A LOOK AT THE STORY

DNA SOURCE 

Veteran social activist Anna Hazare today began a fast-unto-death in the capital demanding enactment of a comprehensive Jan Lokpal Bill to give wider powers to Ombudsman to check corruption.

Joined by scores of people including noted reformist Swami Agnivesh, former IPS officer and activist Kiran Bedi and Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pandey, 72-year-old Hazare began his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar after paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat.

"I will observe fast-unto-death till the government agrees to form a joint committee comprising 50 per cent officials and the remaining citizens and intellectuals to draft the Jan Lokpal Bill," Hazare said at Rajghat.

Anna Hazare Protest Photos

Anna Hazare goes on fast demanding anti-corruption law

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Tuesday began his fast unto death demanding enactment of a comprehensive law like the Jan Lokpal Bill to tackle corruption. 

72-year-old Hazare began his fast at Jantar Mantar after taking out a march from Rajghat where he paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi.

"We will fast unto death until the government enacts the Jan Lokpal Bill which is most necessary to fight corruption in our country," Hazare told reporters here.
Activists Swami Agnivesh, Kiran Bedi and Sandeep Pandey were also present.

Hazare had yesterday said that he was saddened when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rejected the demand by leading civil society members to include them and senior ministers in the joint committee to draft the Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizen's Ombudsman Bill).

'Jittery' politicians back Anna's fight

It's the third day of Anna Hazare's unrelenting fast and his fight against corruption, a fight that has captured the imagination of the youth of this country and has now become a roar that the Govt and the corrupt babus cannot ignore.


As the movement picks up speed political opponents too are lending their support to the fight. The BJP & Left have come out in support of Anna Hazare and have warned the Govt that the people's voices cannot be ignored any longer, that the Govt needed to step up and act swiftly or face the public's wrath.

The BJP sought an explanation from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about the "rising corruption" in the country and the issues raised by fasting social activist Anna Hazare in this regard.

Addressing a press conference here, the BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar also criticised the Centre for including Union Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar in the Group of Ministers formed to look into the contents of the proposed anti-corruption bill.

"They themselves are neck-deep in corruption. What will they do? How can they be part of GoM constituted against
corruption?" Kumar told reporters here while releasing the BJP's manifesto for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls.

He said "The Prime Minister has to answer the question raised by Anna Hazare".

I will fight till joint panel is set up: Hazare

The HINDU : SOURCE

Garnering impressive support from the public, veteran anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare embarked on a fast-unto-death at Jantar Mantar here on Tuesday, demanding passing of the Jan Lokpal Bill drafted through a civil society initiative.

He also rejected Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's appeal to call off the fast and engage in a discussion with a Sub-Committee of the Group of Ministers over the framing of the Lokpal Bill.

Visits Rajghat

Mr. Hazare first visited Rajghat, where he paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, before proceeding to India Gate atop an open jeep accompanied by several social workers and members of the public.

From there, he proceeded to the public meeting at Jantar Mantar with tricolour-waving students cheering him all along the way. Mr. Hazare demanded setting up of a joint committee with 50 per cent representation for citizens and 50 per cent for the government for formulation of a strong Lokpal Bill.

“We want a joint committee. If you want to end corruption, then why don't you constitute it? It means you do not want to end the corruption. I will fast till the joint committee is constituted and till there is pran (life) in me,” Mr. Hazare said in response to the Prime Minister's offer.

At Rajghat, Mr. Hazare said: “I have come to request Gandhiji to give good sense to this Government. So many sacrifices were made for this country. But everything is being destroyed. You [Gandhiji] gave direction to this country but these people are destroying it.''

PMO ‘disappointed'

The Prime Minister's Office had on Monday night expressed “deep disappointment” over Mr. Hazare's decision to go on fast. The statement from the PMO added that the Prime Minister had “enormous respect for Mr. Hazare and his mission.”

Mr. Hazare said he had got the same assurances from the Prime Minister at an earlier meeting on March 7. “He said we have faith in you; we respect you; then why did he not sit with us on this issue again?...If the Government alone drafts this bill, it will be autocratic, not democratic; there will be discrepancies,” Mr. Hazare added.

‘Not acceptable'

RTI activist and Magsaysay Award winner Arvind Kejriwal said the Prime Minister at that meeting had offered to pass on their suggestions to the Group of Ministers constituted to formulate the draft of the Lokpal Bill.

“This is not acceptable to us. We want to be part of the formulation. Who are the Ministers in this GoM? They include people like Veerappa Moily who drafted a weak Lokpal Bill, Kapil Sibal who could see no revenue loss in the 2G spectrum scam and Sharad Pawar,” Mr. Kejriwal remarked.

Former IPS officer and social activist Kiran Bedi echoed Mr. Hazare's demand for a joint committee with at least half the members chosen from civil society like senior advocates Prashant Bhushan and Shanti Bhushan and Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde. “The remaining members can be from the Government. This committee should treat the Jan Lokpal Bill as its working draft. It should submit its report by mid-May and the Government should then place the Bill drafted by the committee in Parliament,” Dr. Bedi said, adding that such a committee's work would plug all loopholes in the Bill.

A number of politicians from the Opposition parties and public figures visited Mr. Hazare during the course of the day to express solidarity with him. Marking a change from usual protest demonstrations where party flags dominate, both sides of Jantar Mantar Road were lined instead with rows of tricolour flags.

Keywords: Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare fast

Anna Hazare Against Corruption

 Civil society's battle against corruption acquired its sharpest edge ever on Tuesday as veteran social activist Anna Hazare  began a fast unto death at the capital's landmark Jantar Mantar demanding greater public role in the Anti-Corruption Bill (Lokpal Bill), which has now been considered and put aside by successive regimes for the last 42 years.

Anna Hazare ignored several pleas of the government to defer his fast as he stood firm on his demand for a joint committee comprising government and civil society leaders to rework the current draft Lokpal Bill. He maintained that the current Bill covering only politicians was inadequate as politicians often colluded with officials to indulge in corruption.