Lokpal bill: Anna Hazare begins fast unto death
Intensifying his crusade against corruption, noted anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare on Tuesday started a fast unto death demanding that his draft of the Lokpal bill be accepted by the government.
Ignoring an appeal by the prime minister's office (PMO), Hazare started his protest at Jantar Nantar.
Ahead of his fast, Hazare said, "A joint committee should be made for the Lokpal bill. We have been requesting the prime minister since 7th March to form the JPC. If the PM wants corruption-free India then it is important to have a JPC."
Ahead of his fast, Anna Hazare has said that his fast unto death was to force the Centre to accept in toto the Jan Lokpal Bill.
Several people including former top cop Kiran Bedi and social activist Swamy Agnivesh have pledged their support to Hazare.
PMO's appeal Soon after Hazare made the idea of his protest public on Monday, the PMO issued a statement appealing him not to go ahead with his hunger strike.
The PMO press release stated: "The Prime Minister's Office has noted with deep disappointment that Shri Anna Hazare, the noted social worker, is still planning to go ahead with his planned hunger strike."
"Shri Hazare and his colleagues had met the prime minister, the law minister and other senior officials on March 7, 2011. During the meeting, the prime minister offered and the group accepted a suggestion that a sub-committee of the Group of Ministers could interact and discuss the draft with the civil society activists," the statement said.
The sub-committee, headed by Defence Minister A.K. Antony, met Hazare's colleagues but the interaction proved fruitless as the activists were insisting on the government accepting their draft in full.
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