India's anti-graft activist ends hunger strike after parliament accepts his demands

NEW DELHI (BNO NEWS) — Indian activist Anna Hazare announced on Saturday that he will break his fast on Sunday morning after parliament accepted parts of his anti-graft plan, the Times of India reported.

In an address to supporters, the 74-year-old activist declared that the nation’s people have won a great victory, but cautioned that only half the battle has been won. He also thanked thousands of cheering supporters for their support for the anti-corruption movement.

Earlier, Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh reached the protest site at New Delhi’s Ramlila grounds to hand over a copy of the Lokpal resolution and a letter of the Prime Minister to Hazare. In his communication to Hazare, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh conveyed to him that Parliament had passed a resolution on the three issues raised by him and appealed to him to call off his fast.

“Parliament has spoken. It is the will of the people,” a smiling Prime Minister Singh said while coming out of the House after the day-long debate ended. The Lokpal resolution passed by Parliament includes the establishment of an anti-corruption watchdog, while employees of center and state governments will be brought under the ombudsman’s purview, according to the newspaper.

Hazare began his fast on August 16 shortly after he was detained by police for defying a ban on the planned anti-graft fast. Thousands of protesters were also arrested across India following his detention.

The activist was later released but he refused to leave prison and demanded that there should not be any restrictions on his protest. He then bargained for two days with the Indian government to settle the protest venue and other conditions. The government finally allowed him to carry out the hunger strike for 15 days in the spacious Ramlila Maidan Park.

Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Singh on Tuesday wrote a letter to Hazare to express “deep concern” over his health and urged him to “consider my suggestions and end your fast to regain full health and vitality”.

The social activist started fasting against the government’s version of an anti-corruption bill, which did not include the prime minister and judiciary in its purview. Hazare threatened to continue protesting the exclusion of some recommendations made by civil society representatives from the Lokpal bill.

Hazare’s protest happens amid a series of corruption scandals involving government officials, which have sparked widespread public anger and calls for reform. The Indian government had previously failed to pass an effective anti-corruption law.

In 2010, Transparency International ranked India, one of the few countries yet to ratify the United Nations convention against corruption, at 87.

Saturday, August 27th, 2011

Source: WireUpdate.
Link: http://wireupdate.com/wires/19725/indias-anti-graft-activist-ends-hunger-strike-after-parliament-accepts-his-demands/.