Battle not ended but started - Anna Hazare breaks fast

New Delhi, Apr 9: After a five-day long rigorous protest, finally, Anna Hazare ended his fast-unto-death. Anna Hazare held his firm agenda and made the government to stoop towards the needs and demands of the "aam admi."

With Hazare's fast, it seams that the battle against corruption in India has not been ended but started with a new force and zeal. The crusader did not fail to remember his followers' support which led him to keep his stand firm.

Addressing thousands of people at Jantar Mantar, Anna Hazare claimed, "Our relationship should not end here. We should keep meeting." Hazare also promised the people that if the Manmohan Singh's government will not table the Lokpal Bill by Aug 15, he will again begin his protest.

"We will take the names and address of all the supporters, we will contact them if we need to gather again," promised Hazare to his nation-wide supporters.

Hazare broke his five-day fast in the presence of social activists; Swamy Agnivesh, Kiran Bedi and Medha Patkar, which he had started on Apr 5. Hazare first gave juice and water to his followers at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

Hazare's move came after the government agreed to set up a joint committee to draft the Lokpal Bill and to table it in Parliament's Monsoon Session.

According to the latest information, the final official announcement will take place on Saturday. The people in the 10 member committee are - Anna Hazare, lawyers Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan, anti-corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal and former Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde (5 members from civil society).

The rest five from government side are - Pranab Mukherjee, Law Minister Veerappa Moily, Telecom Minister Sibal, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Water Resources Minister Salman Khurshid.

Pranab Mujherjee will be the head of the committee and Shanti Bhushan will be the co-chairman.

OneIndia News