New Delhi: Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare ended his week long fast on Thursday after the government interlocutors including Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat met him in Ramlila Maidan and assured that the issue of Lok Pal will be resolved "at the earliest".
"Annaji today ended his fast after the government agreed to some of his demands and gave assurance that other demands are also under consideration. Mr Fadnavis and Mr Shekhawat (MoS Agircuture) met him and assured that he won't have to sit on another fast on the same issue," a spokesman of Team Anna told UNI here.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Mr Fadnavis offered him a glass of water, sources said.Anna Hazare, whose agitation in 2011 had nearly paralysed the Manmohan Singh government, had launched his agitation yet again demanding appointment of an ombudsman on March 23 and had sat on "indefinite hunger strike".According to his aides, the agitation this year was against Modi government's failure to appoint Lokpal and also on the issue of farmers' distress in various parts of the country.
The 80-year-old Hazare, also a former military man, has reportedly lost about five kilos due to the fresh stir.On Saturday, Anna had maintained that he would continue with his protest despite the deterioration in his health.The ambit of the protest this year also included early appointments of Lokayuktas in states and implementation of M S Swaminathan Commission recommendations, minimum support price and loan waivers for farmers.(UNI)