Gandhian Anna Hazare today called off his hunger strike bringing to an end his 98-hour protest after the Government issued a gazette notification constituting a 10-member joint committee of ministers and civil society activists, including him, to draft an effective Lokpal Bill.
Curtains were drawn on the anti-corruption campaign that drew instant nationwide support with a little girl giving the 73-year-old activist a glass of water at 10.45 a.m. at Jantar Mantar, the nerve-centre of the agitation for a strong legislation to combat political and administrative graft.
Earlier, Mr Hazare offered water to some women, among the over 300 activists who had joined the fast.
Social activists Swami Agnivesh, Ms Medha Patkar and Ms Kiran Bedi hailed Mr Hazare’s campaign as the Gandhian said he would to continue the fight for the “second struggle for independence’’.
In the morning, the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, issued a statement saying the Government intends to introduce the “historic legislation” in the Monsoon session of Parliament.
He described the coming together of civil society and Government on the Lokpal Bill issue as a step that augurs well for democracy, saying it signifies the mutual resolve to combat corruption.
“I am pleased that Anna Hazare has agreed to give up his fast,” he said after his ministers worked out a deal with Mr Hazare’s emissaries last night to bring to end the protest at Jantar Mantar.
Shouts of ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ rent the air as Mr Hazare’s followers and admirers gathered in hundreds, just a stone’s throw from Parliament, celebrated the notification that was proudly displayed at the fast site.
Making a brief speech after he broke his fast, the veteran Gandhian said it was just the beginning of a long struggle ahead and he would not rest content with the Lokpal Bill but also fight for reforms of the electoral system, including the ‘right to recall’ from gram panchayat level.
The notification by the Ministry of Law and Justice said the Joint Drafting Committee to prepare a draft of the Lokpal Bill will have five ministers from the Government and five nominees of Mr Hazare, including himself.
The five ministers are the Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, Chairperson, the Home Minister, Mr P. Chidamabaram, the Law Minister, Mr Veerappa Moily (Convenor), the HRD Minister, Mr Kapil Sibal, and the Water Resources Minister, Mr Salman Khurshid.
The civil society will be represented by Mr Hazare, former Supreme Court judge Mr N. Santosh Hegde, former Law Minister Mr Shanti Bhushan (Co-Chairperson), lawyer Mr Prashant Bhushan and RTI activist Mr Arvind Kejriwal.
The notification said the Joint Drafting Committee will commence work forthwith evolving its own procedure to prepare the proposed legislation. The committee shall complete its work latest by June 30, it said.
Mr Kejriwal told reporters that by Monday it would be known as to when the committee would hold its first meeting.
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