New Delhi,
Anna Hazare Social activist is on an indistinct hunger strike against the Central in Delhi tomorrow; nearly seven years after his anti-corruption movement caught the imagination of millions of Indians and shook the then UPA government. The spot of his protest will be the same iconic Ram Lila Maidan, where he had sat on a hunger strike in 2011 demanding that the then government set up a Lokpal to investigate cases of corruption. This time, however, his target is expected to be the NDA-led BJP government. Hazare has been pressing for setting up of the Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states, besides implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, which has suggested ways to address the Agricultural distress.
On August 31, Anna Hazare had written to PM Modi stating that he would launch an agitation over the appointment of Lokpal and Lokayukta as well as the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report. Anna Hazare wrote, “Since there has been no response from your side, I have decided to launch an agitation in Delhi. I will continue with the protest until the demands are met”. He also mentioned that in his next letter he would inform him about the place and the date of his agitation.
Anna Hazare pays tribute at Raj Ghat in #Delhi; will begin an indefinite fast demanding a competent Lokpal and better production cost for farm produce, later today pic.twitter.com/DXaSsx96gJ
— ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2018
Hazare previously has accused the Union government of not appointing the Lokpal to investigate the cases of corruption, despite having a law in place. An aide of Hazare, “Anna will first visit the Rajghat and then come to the Ram Lila Maidan, where he will go an indefinite strike, The day, March 23, has been chosen on purpose as Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev were hanged to death on this day by the British.”
A core committee meeting of Hazare’s trusted aides and representatives of farmers’ organizations took place at the New Maharashtra Sadan today. Earlier today, Hazare took a round of the Ram Lila Maidan, where the organizers claimed that thousands of people will attend the protest that will begin tomorrow. The 2011 anti-graft campaigning by Hazare, which aimed at the increasing corruption cases that had emerged during the UPA rule.
Several of the main organizers of that anti-corruption movement later formed the Aam Aadmi Party, which now rules Delhi; CM Arvind Kejriwal was one of Hazare’s key aides. The Delhi Traffic Police has issued advisory warning commuters to avoid taking routes to Aruna Asaf Ali Road, Delhi Gate, Darya Ganj, New Delhi Railway Station, Ajmeri Gate, Paharganj, ITO, Rajghat, Minto Road, Vivekanand Marg, and JLN Marg. Hazare and his supporters will first visit the Rajghat and then they will march to Shaheedi Park and then to Ram Lila Maidan.
