Following an appeal by a group of eminent citizens, Team Anna said on Thursday that it would call off the indefinite fast on Friday. It said it would work to create alternative to the present political establishment.
Addressing supporters at Jantar Mantar, veteran anti-graft activist Anna Hazare said the agitation demanding a ‘strong’ Lokpal Bill would be called off at 5 p.m. on Friday.
Meanwhile, the health of the three key fasting Team Anna members was reported to have deteriorated on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, eminent citizens such as Justice VR Krishna Iyer, former Navy chief, Admiral Ram Tahiliani, former Army chief General V K Singh, former Chief Election Commissioner J.M Lyngdoh, former bureaucrats EAS Sarma, Ramaswamy R Iyer, and many others appealed to Team Anna to give up their expectations for the present political establishment and call of the fast. “Instead you should pour your energies on creating an alternative political force in the country that is democratic, accountable, ethical and non-violent,” the appeal said.
Talking about providing a political alternative Anna Hazare ruled out launching or joining a political party, but asked people to come out with ideas on how the alternative can be provided. “It is time for us to think of an alternative. We want a political alternative. But I will not launch or join a party,” he said.
The citizens appealed to Team Anna grab the ‘historic opportunity’ to create an “electoral revolution to democratise and decentralise power” and make it more accountable to the people.
“Indian democracy stands at the crossroads. It needs a new wind,” said the appeal, which called upon all democratic movements, citizens and organisations to join hands for such a movement.
Criticising the political establishment for not caring to listen, let alone respond, the appeal said, “The Government has not only stone-walled these demands (for probe into scams, passing a Lokpal Bill), it has also demonstrated little political will to bring the guilty to book,” and added that the Opposition had fared no better on this score.