Belagavi: Crusader against corruption and social reformer Anna Hazare said he will undertake indefinite fast from March 23 at Delhi demanding among other things strong Jan Lokpal Bill and Kisan Pension Bill."I am going for hunger strike for the implementation of strongJan Lokpal bill and farmers’ related issues from March 23", he added.
Talking to newsmen here on Friday, Mr Hazare said that " I have started creating awareness about my movement across the country and seeking support. In the past one month, I have visited Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh,Rajasthan and Karnataka. The rest half of the country would be completed in next two months".
He alleged that all governments favour industrialists and not farmers in the country. Loans of Industrialists were waived off many times but the Governments not ready to waive off farmer’s loan, this is unfortunate, he said.
" My intention is that every State should have Lokayukta and implement Lokpall Bill, I written more than 20 letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi relating to Lokpal Bill, Kisan Pension Bill, but yet to receive reply. Since I am a ‘fakir’ type person, Mr Modi’s ego might be stopping him from replying me," he added.
Mr Hazare said that "I have written letter to the Prime Minister and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley seeking place in New Delhi to hold indefinite hunger strike from March 23 but did not get reply so far. I am ready to hold agitation in jail on Martyrs’ Day (March 23), if permission is not given."The 80 year-old crusader against corruption accused Modi government for weakening the Jan Lokpal law by excluding the provisions making mandatory government officers to disclose the assets of their wife and sons along with self annually.
It’s the need of an hour to keep away corruption in bureaucracy. He said it’s unfortunate that recent Forbes survey report saidIndia is at first place in corruption in Asia."Stating that situation of farmers is worrying in the country, he said that over 12 lakh farmers committed suicide in past 22 years because of not getting a reasonable price for their produces.
After 70 years of independence, even today farmers struggling to get two times food. Farmers Pension Bill is pending in Lok Sabha since past several years. Need of hour is to give a helping hand to the farmers who crossed 60 years of age.
Replying to a question about Union Minister Ananth Kumar Hegde's statement for change of constitution, Mr Hazare said that "Hegde should be sent for medical test for his brain. Country is running on the constitution and laws are made based on it. How one can talk
about changing the constitution. Even somebody saying it, their mental balance needs to be checked. Some amendment is made to constitution based on the requirement of time but words of changing constitution is not acceptable.
Mr Hazare said he will resort to hunger strike from March 23 in Delhi if his demand for passing a proper bill for Lokpal, Lokayukta and election reforms are not passed. This time it will be'AAR-YA-PAAR' final till he gets the result he wished.