Anna Hazare ends fast, says "Be prepared for a bigger battle".. "it is not easy to pass the bills"... "if win - people will celebrate it from Lal Kila, otherwise I will be there for my last fasting unto death"

Hazare ends fast, says fight has begun

Sandeep Joshi | The Hindu | Sat Apr 09 2011

Gazette notification issued on constitution of joint committee to prepare draft Lokpal Bill

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare called off his five-day-old hunger strike on Saturday morning after receiving a gazette notificationfrom the Centre regarding constitution of a joint committee, comprising members from the government and civil society, for preparation of the draft Lokpal Bill.

Celebrations broke out at Jantar Mantar, the site of Mr. Hazare's fast, and also across the country with Mr. Hazare's supporters rejoicing the social activist's “victory” for a stronger anti-corruption law. On the other hand, the government heaved a sigh of relief as the protest was spreading fast as more and more citizens and celebrities were joining Mr. Hazare's movement.

After ending his fast-unto-death, Mr. Hazare addressed a huge gathering of his supporters and pointed out that this was just the beginning of the fight against corruption. “Our responsibility has now increased… we will ensure that the Lokpal Bill is passed before August 15 [2011],” the social activist said, and urged the people to take up other crucial issues such as decentralisation of power and electoral reforms.

Though the agreement between Mr. Hazare's emissaries and the government was reached on Friday night, with the latter conceding the social activist's demands, he refused to break his indefinite fast till the Centre issued a government order.

However, the government went a step ahead and issued a gazette notification early in the morning. But it was not an easy task for the government as officials of the Ministry of Law and Justice had to burn midnight oil to prepare the draft and get it notified.

The notification said the Joint Drafting Committee would “commence its work forthwith and evolve its own procedure to prepare the proposed legislation.” It is supposed to complete its work latest by June 30, 2011. Meanwhile, government sources said the committee was likely to hold its first meeting next week.

The 10-member Joint Drafting Committee will have five Cabinet members — Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee (chairman), Home Minister P. Chidamabaram, Law Minister Veerappa Moily (convenor), Telecom and HRD Minister Kapil Sibal and Water Resources Minister Salman Khurshid. Apart from Mr. Hazare, civil society will be represented by the former Law Minister, Shanti Bhushan (co-chairperson), the former Supreme Court Judge, Justice N. Santosh Hegde, lawyer Prashant Bhushan and RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal. 

Power hungry politicians won't accept 'tough' bill on corruption: Hazare

New Delhi | Sat Apr 09 2011| Indian Express

Anna broke the fast.
People in Ralegan Siddhi celebrate as India celebrates
throughout the country to love more Anna Hazare

Gandhian Anna Hazare ended his 98-hour hunger strike after government issued a gazette notification constituting a 10-member Joint Committee to draft an effective Lok Pal Bill, but he pledged a long struggle against corruption and for reform of the electoral system.

The 73-year-old anti-corruption campaigner called off his fast-unto-death campaign on the fifth day with a little girl giving him a glass of lime juice at 10.45 am at Jantar Mantar, the nerve-centre of the campaign for a strong law to combat 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 in the capital and cities across the country.

"This just the beginning of the fight against corruption. Our responsibility has now increased," he said, setting August 15 as the deadline for the passage of the Lok Pal Bill. Read details here.......

Read and see these Unique moments.....

• Crowds cheer as Anna breaks fast
• Anna wants law by Aug 15
• India celebrates people's victory
• After Anna breaks fast, celebration at Jantar Mantar 
• 'Anna's victory made us happier than WC win'

• Hazare’s success worries Congress

• Jittery Cong calls Anna Hazare an RSS agent

• Nepotism cry in Anna camp
• Hazare rules out change in Lokpal panel team
  
  

Courtesy & Thanks : The Hindu | Indian Express | Hindustan Times | Times of India | The Statesman | The Telegraph | Rediff News | All the channels moved for Anna.

Victory for Anna Hazare and India as Government bends to Anti Corruption Issue.

Victory at threshold for Anna Hazare and India as government bends to people's power of action.

Jantar Mantar | New Delhi | 8th March 2011 | Anna Hazare announced that he will call off his four-day-old hunger strike Saturday morning, saying the government had conceded most of the demands related to a stringent Lokpal Bill to combat corruption in India.

More than 83 hours after he launched his fast in the heart of the capital, Anna Hazare told reporters and frenzied supporters: 'From the way the government has accepted (our demands), the people of India have won.'

10:30 pm: 'It is a victory of the democracy,' Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal said of the accord that had been reached on forming a joint committee of ministers and civil society leaders to draft an anti-graft legislation that had prompted social reformer Anna Hazare to announce that he would end Saturday morning his fast-unto-death undertaken for the measure.

9:00 pm: Anna Hazare announced that he was continuing with his fast demanding a stringent Lokpal Bill and said he expected a final government response on Saturday.

'Our fast is not over,' Anna Hazare said addressing thousands of frenzied supporters in the heart of the capital, amid speculation that the standoff with the government had ended.

8:15 pm: Indicating progress in talks with the government on the proposed formation of a committee for drafting the Lokpak Bill, the emissaries of Anna Hazare said he will soon announce his decision which people would be happy to hear. 

"There is some progress in talks with government. Message is to be conveyed to Hazare," activist Arvind Kejriwal, who is one of the three emissaries, said after a meeting with Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, Law Minister Veerappa Moily and Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. Read on

7:30 pm: India Inc came out with strong support for social activist Anna Hazare's fast-unto-death to demand a stringent anti-graft law. 

'I think it is extremely important. We have talked about this for a while. First, you have said there is corruption in India and in many ways it seemed we had accepted it as a fact of life,' Sunil Munjal, chairman of Hero Corporate Services, told.

'But the amount and number of scandals which have broken out in recent times, it has made people sit up and take notice and say this is enough. We need to fix this problem, and so I see in many ways what we are seeing in this movement is a sign of the same thing,' he added.

7:00 pm: Anna Hazare demanded appointment of a chairman and a co-chairman for the proposed joint committee to draft an effective Lokpal Bill and rejected the government's offer of setting up of the committee by a letter of the Law Ministry. Read here the almost minute to minute exclusive report at yahoo here.

Hazare to end fast on Saturday, agreement reached with govt

Hazare has been on fast-unto-death demanding formation of a committee to draft an effective Bill.

• Hazare's fasting shame for country: Jaitley 
• Cong blames Hazare's supporters for impasse 
• Govt, Hazare talk tough 
• Shed attitude of 'Bhisma': Ramdev to PM 
• Pranab appeals to Hazare to end his fast 
• 'Make Hegde or Verma chairman of panel' 
• Children, housewives join Hazare's campaign 
• Bollywood joins anti-corruption brigade

Courtesy : Yahoo | Indian express | Agencies.

Anna Hazare begins fast unto death in Indian capital for Jan Lokpal Bill against Corruption.

Day - 1.

Hazare begins fast against corruption at Jantar Mantar on 5th March

Anna on Fast to death. Day -1. Thousands joined Nation wide.

Fake assurances of the govt will not be accepted: Hazare

Durgesh Nandan Jha, TNN | Apr 5, 2011, 04.20pm IST

Anna with his followers on the way to Jantar Mantar,
on 5th March

NEW DELHI: The veteran social activist Anna Hazare who began his fast unto death in the capital demanding greater public participation in the formulation of the anti-corruption bill, said that fake assurances of the government would not be accepted. 

"I sent several letters to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and even met the Prime Minister but no concrete steps were taken to implement or even discuss positively the enactment of the Jan Lokpal Bill prepared by social activists and public leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Justic Santosh Hegde. Now, I am starting this public movement to demand the same and the government will have to listen to us," said the anti-corruption crusader.
Hazare who has been pushing for the Jan Lok Pal Bill, which calls for creation for an independent body to check corruption and punish those involved in it, said, "fake assurances will not be accepted."
He added that the Lokpal Bill framed by politicians and bureaucrats appointed by the government had been tailored to suit their needs and secure themselves.

"With big scams like the 2G spectrum case and commonwealth games, the public has lost all faith in the politicians and the bureaucrats. They collude and commit acts of corruption. So, there is need for public participation in the framing of laws to punish the offenders. And I will make sure this happens or rather die," said Hazare.
" Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and other freedom fighters sacrificed their lives for the country's independence. But the power hungry and corrupt politicians continue exploit us. I will fast unto death if the government of the day does not take steps to check this," said the veteran social activist.
Kejriwal and several other activists including Mallika Sarabhai, Swami Agnivesh were present at the protest site. " Sharad Pawar, who is himself involved in many corruption cases, is leading the group of ministers formed to look into the changes in the Lokpal Bill? Do you think that will help? We want that a joint committee be formed to draft the new bill where at least half of the members are public leadders," said Kejriwal.
Many activists, led by Hazare, went to Rajghat in the morning to pray at Mahatma Gandhi's Samadhi and later went to India Gate to pay his tributes to war heroes at India Gate.

Courtesy : Times of India.

• Related reading : My fast begins today, says Anna Hazare
• Hazare begins fast on Lokpal Bill, draws support from BJP, JDU
• Lokpal bill: Anna Hazare begins fast unto death
• Activist Anna Hazare's crusade against corruption continues
• Jan Lokpal Bill: Anna Hazare begins fast against corruption

Anna announces his fast unto death against corruption at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi.

Anna Hazare announces his fast unto death against corruption from 5th March

Anna - the Living Mahatma Gandhi (excluding any illicit experiment of celibacy and misguided appeasement of Muslims*)

Anna - the Living Legend against Corruption, Embodiment of Truth and Struggle, An Modern Sage with Traditional Values & the Flag of People's Rights.

Anna announces his fast unto death against corruption 

Anna Hazare

Anna Hazare has given an ultimatum to the Prime Minister that if the government does not enact a strong anti-corruption law on the lines of “Jan Lokpal Bill” (To know what is Jan Lokpal Bill, see overleaf), he will go on an indefinite fast from 5th April 2011.
On 1st December 2010, Anna Hazare, along with Swami Ramdev, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, ---Kiran Bedi, Swami Agnivesh, Arvind Kejriwal and others, wrote to the Prime Minister to enact a strong law against corruption.

Anna Hazare's fast unto death (English).pdf
Anna Hazare's fast unto death (Hindi).pdf

Who is Anna Hazare?                                                                          

Anna Hazare was a soldier in Indian Army in 1963. In Indo Pak war in 1965, his entire unit died. He was the lone survivor. He was also hit by a bullet but he survived. An ardent follower of Swami Vivekanand, he thought that he had got a second life, which he ought to dedicate to the society. He continued in army for the next 13 years, after which he came to Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar District in Maharashtra. He started living in a temple there and since then he has been living in the same temple. He has not gone back to his family so much so that he does not even know the names of the children of his brothers. He is still a bachelor. Barring a few books and a few clothes, he has no possessions and no bank balance. He receives Rs 6000 per month pension which also he gives away for social causes. He is truly modern Mahatama Gandhi (excluding the illicit experiment of celibacy and misguided appeasement of Muslims*).

Some of Anna’s achievements so far:  ......................                          

Ralegan Siddhi was a completely dry and barren area. Taking people along and by doing watershed, he has transformed it into a green and food surplus village. Earlier, a hotbed of alcoholism, today no one in the village drinks. From late eighties, he started raising his voice against corruption. He has undergone long fasts on several occasions to force the governments, and the governments had to actually budge. Due to his efforts, more than 400 officers and six ministers of Maharashtra Government were removed from their jobs. He has been instrumental in forcing Maharashtra government to pass seven laws including the historic Maharashtra RTI Act. In 2006, when government of India tried to amend the Central RTI Act, he again went on an indefinite fast and forced the Indian government to withdraw its proposal.

Anna’s appeal to the people:                                                                                                                                

“When I sit on fast on 5th April, I urge my fellow countrymen to
Join me in fasting for one, two, three or whatever number of days you can comfortably fast.
Along with fast, please pray to God (whoever you believe in) for better and corruption free India. Collective prayers from all the people of India would definitely have a huge impact.
Write an impassioned plea to our Prime Minister that we look upon him to pass “Jan Lokpal Bill”, else we will be compelled not to vote for his party in next elections.
Remain calm and peaceful and develop the courage to go to jail, if required, in this next freedom movement.

WAR-AGAINST-CORRUPTION-RALLY-RAMLILA-GROUND-DELHI-27-02-2011 by-BHARAT-SWABHIMAN-TRUST

* Comment added by the blogger.