Anna Hazare's hunger strike enters 2nd day; Kiran Bedi to join in, Kejriwal to sit among audience
Ralegan Siddhi (Maharashtra): Anna Hazare's indefinite hunger strike pressing for passage in Parliament of Jan Lokpal Bill entered the second day on Wednesday, with the anti-graft crusader asking the Centre to fulfil its promise.
Braving the cold weather, 76-year-old Hazare who began his fast on Tuesday at his native village in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district, made it clear that he will not end his protest till the anti-graft law is passed.
Hazare has parked himself near the Yadavbaba temple in the village, under the banner of 'Jantantra Morcha'. Medical test showed he had lost weight since Tuesday, his associate Suresh Pathare told PTI.
Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal said he would go to Ralegan Siddhi on Thursday to extend support to Hazare. The AAP leader said he and his colleague Kumar Vishwas would go to Ralegan Siddhi but not share the dais with him and sit among the audience, as Hazare had said he would not be sharing dais with any political leaders.
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The Bill is an anti-graft legislation drafted by civil society activists, seeking appointment of an independent panel to investigate cases of corruption. His associate and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi is expected to join Hazare's fast from Saturday.
"People should dislodge the government through ballot if the bill is not passed in this session," she said, after meeting Hazare.
On her decision to join the fast, Bedi said, "My inner voice told me that it is not fair that Annaji is fasting alone."
Union Minister of State for Personnel V. Narayanasamy had yesterday said the government was serious about passing the bill in the current session of Parliament and had given a notice to Rajya Sabha Chairman for taking it up.
However, BJP leader Arun Jaitley, in his reply to Hazare's letter seeking the party's support for the bill, said the bill currently pending before Rajya Sabha was a diluted one, and even this bill had not been listed by the government on the agenda of the ongoing session.
"It appears that the government is not sincere in getting it placed on the said agenda. I can assure you in view of the public position my party has adopted that we will be second to none in pursuing this issue," Jaitley said, adding that his party would not, however, agree to any "Sarkari" Lokpal.
