Ignoring Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s plea, noted social worker Anna Hazare began his fast-unto-death here on Tuesday in demand of a strong anti-corruption bill with civil society participation in its making and rejected any attempts to console him with ?fake assurances?.
Hazare began his fast at Jantar Mantar as common people vocal against corruption poured in to support him.
Earlier on Monday, the Prime Minister had urged him to desist from his planned fast-unto-death in demand of enactment of Jan Lokpal Bill to curb the menace.
?This is second freedom struggle. Everyone would be on the streets. Gandhiji had given similar call in 1942 for the British to quit,” said Hazare ahead of his fast.
The veteran social activist said his repeated attempts to extract a concrete assurance from the prime minister on the enactment and implementation of the bill had failed, making him undertake the fasting route.
He warned the government that ?fake assurances? will not make him quit the fast-unto-death programme he has launched.
Hazare repeated the demand for civil society participation in drafting the bill, stating that after the recent scams people have lost faith in the politicians and bureaucrats.
?I will observe fast-unto-death till the government agrees to form a joint committee comprising 50 per cent officials and the remaining citizens and intellectuals to draft the Jan Lokpal Bill,? he said.
?If the government alone drafts this bill, it will be autocratic not democratic, there will be discrepancies,? Hazare added.
Meanwhile, Opposition political parties have thrown their support behind the veteran social activist.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while urging Hazare to call off his fast, said the government must act swiftly to regain its lost credibility.
?The BJP wants that the Lok Pal Bill must become an important instrument of credible and effective action against corruption and both political leaders and bureaucrats must be covered with in its ambit. It is equally important that action in this regard must not be delayed,? the BJP said in a statement.
?The government must undertake a dialogue with the activists and an All Party Meeting must be called to take prompt steps in this regard,? it added.
Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav, also backed the Lokpal Bill as a means to fight corruption.
?Just as Election Commission and Supreme Court are effective bodies, similarly an institution which is to fight corruption has to be equally powerful. I approve of the draft prepared by Hazareji and others. I am willing to back it in Parliament,? Yadav, who visited Hazare, said.
A Lokpal means an ombudsman to root out corruption at high places in the Indian polity.
The Lokpal Bill (Ombudsman Bill), 2010 is now awaiting a select parliamentary committee’s ascent.
The law can allow filing complaints of corruption against the Prime Minister, ministers and all lawmakers.
But Hazare and his associates demand a Jan Lokpal Bill (Public Ombudsman Bill) drafted by them, incorporating the opinions and suggestions of the common people.
Under the banner of India Against Corruption, retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi and social worker Swami Agnivesh have teamed up with Hazare who has been advocating for the Jan Lokpal Bill, pointing that institutions like Lokpal and Lokayukta are better placed to investigate corruption charges against politicians since the government investigating bodies are controlled by politicians and hence, cannot function independently.
In Mumbai people walked from Shivaji Park to Azad Maidan and joined a rally where thousands participated. Young people participated in large number.