IANS/New Delhi
Social activist Anna Hazare and his team yesterday announced they would call off their indefinite fast against corruption today evening and proposed forming a “political alternative” as an answer to an “unresponsive” government.
Bollywood film actress Archana Puran Singh watches as actor Anupam Kher talks with anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare’s team member Arvind Kejriwal on the eighth day of his hunger strike in New Delhi yesterday
Making the announcement to thousands of flag-waving cheering supporters, Hazare said he and Team Anna, as members of his civil society followers are known, would end their fast today at 5pm.
The condition of three of the team, Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai, who have been on fast for the past nine days has worsened causing concern among supporters and the authorities.
Hazare had begun his fast on Sunday.
Hazare’s announcement of a political alternative got an immediate response on social networking sites, with most welcoming the move while some wondered how the apolitical movement was suddenly changing colours.
India’s next general elections are due in 2014 and political manoeuvering has begun keeping the polls in mind.
But the government was quick to react, with Congress minister Ambika Soni saying “we had always held that Team Anna was goaded by politics, and it is a good thing that they have come out in the open with their intention”.
Hazare and his team are demanding the government pass their Jan Lokpal bill for creating an ombudsman to probe graft in the system, and begin a probe against senior members of the cabinet for corruption.
Of the 15 names they had given, Pranab Mukherjee is now the president of India.
The government has dismissed their allegations of corruption against the ministers, and said the Lokpal bill, which has been passed by the Lok Sabha, is now with a select committee of parliament which will come out with a final draft.
Hazare, addressing a gathering of a few thousands at the Jantar Mantar in the heart of the capital, said the government was not listening to them and was not willing to pass the Jan Lokpal bill, and asked the crowd if they wanted a political alternative.
The crowd cheered and shouted, “Yes, yes.” Hazare then said: “The time has come to give a political alternative. If we don’t send our own people to parliament, things will not change,” he said.
Hazare added: “There is no harm in giving a political alternative, but only those people should go to parliament who love the country and have a clean background.”
However, Hazare, who the government has alleged was covertly backed by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said he will “not join the system but will support it from outside”. He also proposed a kind of a referendum on the political alternative, asking his supporters to answer questions on how they should ensure their candidates are not corrupt, or turn corrupt after entering parliament.