New Delhi: In order to press for appointment of a Lokpal or national ombudsman at the Centre, prominent social activist Anna Hazare on Friday started an indefinite hunger strike, seven years after his anti-corruption movement shook the then Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
This time targeting Narendra Modi government at the centre, Hazare sat on hunger strike at the iconic Ramlila Maidan, the same venue of his protest in 2011.
In August last, Hazare had written to Prime Minister (PM) Modi informing him that he would launch an agitation over the appointment of Lokpal and Lokayukta in the states, as well as implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report.
“I have been demanding setting up of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states, besides implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report which assures fair pay for farmers. Since there has been no response from the side of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I have decided to launch an agitation in Delhi. I will continue with the protest until the demands are met,” Hazare said ahead of his strike.
The Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizen’s Ombudsman Bill) is a draft anti-corruption bill drawn up by prominent civil society activists seeking the appointment of a Jan Lokpal, an independent body that would investigate corruption cases, complete the investigation within a year and envisages trial in the case getting over in the next one year.
Hazare informed Gulf News that National Commission on Farmers, chaired by Professor MS Swaminathan, submitted five reports between December 2004 to October 2006. The Commission’s final report focused on the causes of farmers’ plight and the rise in farmer suicides, and recommends addressing them through a holistic national policy for farmers.
“I want implementation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission’s final report at the earliest so that interests of the farmers are protected,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hazare’s supporters burnt effigies representing the Modi government at the activist’s village Ralegaon Siddhi in Maharashtra.
They accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of cancelling a number of buses and trains to prevent thousands of activists from joining Hazare’s agitation in Delhi.
