JOIN USHazare ends fast, says bigger battle ahead
Hazare later warned the government of a renewed agitation if the Jan Lokpal Bill was not passed in the monsoon session of Parliament. He also pledged a long struggle for electoral reforms.
The 73-year-old Gandhian called off his fast-unto-death on the fifth day with a girl giving him a glass of juice at 10:45 am at Jantar Mantar, the nerve-centre of the campaign against political and administrative graft.
Earlier, Hazare offered water to some women, among the over 300 activists who had joined the fast, saying it was a victory of people’s power. Celebrations broke out instantaneously. “This is just the beginning of the fight against corruption. Our responsibility has now increased,” he said. August 15 has been set as the deadline for the passage of the Lokpal Bill.
Later, he doubted the parliamentarians’ readiness to pass a strong anti-corruption law and asked his supporters to be prepared for a “bigger battle.”
He said “power-hungry politicians will not easily accept any bill having stringent provisions against corruption. They will also not shed the power they enjoy.”
He said it was just the beginning of a long struggle ahead and would lead the fight for the “second struggle for Independence.”
Hazare declared that he would not rest content with the anti-graft legislation but fight for electoral reforms, including the provision for “right to recall” elected representatives from the gram panchayat level.
In the morning, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh issued a statement saying the government “intends to introduce the historic legislation” in the monsoon session of Parliament.
Earlier, the government issued a gazette notification for forming a joint committee headed by senior minister Pranab Mukherjee to draft an “effective Lokpal Bill.”
The notification, one of the key demands of the anti-corruption campaign launched by Hazare, has been signed by V K Bhasin, Secretary, Legislative Department of the Law Ministry.
The notification was displayed at the site of Hazare’s fast at Jantar Mantar by former police officer Kiran Bedi to the loud cheering of the gathering.
The committee will also include Law Minister Veerappa Moily, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Water Resources Minister Salman Khurshid as members.
Besides Hazare, those representing civil society in the joint committee will be eminent lawyers Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan, retired Supreme Court Judge Santosh Hegde and RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal. Shanti Bhushan will be the co-chairman.
Moily later said the draft of the Lokpal Bill will be ready by June 30. The first meeting of the committee will be held on April 16.
Hazare, who thanked the large gathering, said “Members of Parliament and legislators are elected to serve the people and not to be their masters. But they have forgotten this.”
Bill to act as deterrent
He said there “is now no fear among those who indulge in corruption. The proposed Lokpal Bill will act as a deterrent to the corrupt and put a big break on the menace.”
Agencies like the CBI, the CVC and others are under government control. Hence, they cannot fight corruption effectively. When the Lokpal Bill comes into effect, these authorities will have autonomy and no one will be able to interfere in their functioning.
He ruled out the misuse of the proposed law for political purposes.
Asked if he has emerged as a “national hero,” especially to the youth of India, like Mahatma Gandhi, Hazare said: “I am not worthy of even sitting at Gandhiji’s feet. But he has influenced my thought process.”
Hazare said he had to go on a fast as the government did not respond to his letters on the Lokpal Bill.
He said the movement was for public good and not for personal gain. Hunger strike is a democratic mode of protest.