Anna Hazare launches hunger strike, demands Lokpal Bill

New Delhi: The anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare (81) has launched a hunger strike on January 30 in his village Ralegan Siddhi, Maharashtra, against the centre's delay in appointing a Lokpal and against the state government for not providing passage to the Lokayukta Act in the state.

The social activist also alleged that the Modi-led centre government was not listening to the decisions of the constitutional bodies over implementation of the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013, and was trying to take the country towards "dictatorship."

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Hazare further said that even after five-years Modi government has failed to appoint a Lokpal at the centre, however, in 2014, when the BJP came to power it was felt that Modi will appoint the Lokpal and implement the Lokpal Bill to end prevailing corruption in the country.

He also claimed that in March 2018, when he had launched the agitation Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had mediated in between and centre gave in writing that it would fulfil the demands following which Hazare had withdrew the agitation from Delhi's Ramlila Maidan.

However, this time the activist has written a letter to Fadnavis regarding the launch of the agitation.

"Nine months have passed, yet the demands have not been fulfilled. Hence, I will be on hunger strike in my village Ralegan Siddhi on January 30," Hazare said in the letter.

After Hazare’s letter, the state cabinet on January 29 decided to bring the office of Maharashtra CM under the jurisdiction of Lokayukta.

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Claiming the agitation groundless as all the demands of the activist have been fulfilled Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan, urged Hazare to cancel the agitation.

"His first demand was implementing Swaminathan Commission recommendations, that farmers should get 1.5 times MSP. I think that demand has been fulfilled," Mahanjan said.

However, Hazare didn't seem fully satisfied with governments move and said "the agitation will go on until the act is in place."

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