Lokpal Bill: Anna Hazare threatens PM with hunger strike again

New Delhi: Veteran social activist Anna Hazare, in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has warned that he would resume his hunger strike if the government fails to pass an effective Jan Lokpal Bill in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament.
“The people of the country are suffering from corruption.
Corruption is also the reason behind price rise. I am confident that more than 60 per cent corruption can be curbed if an effective Jan Lokpal Bill is passed,” Hazare wrote in his letter yesterday.
Hazare said the Prime Minister had given a written assurance on the Bill after which the Gandhian had ended his 12-day hunger strike at the New Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan in August 2011.
“You had given a written assurance on the Bill from the hand of Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh. But people from your party (Congress) and the government are creating doubt.
I will begin my hunger strike on the last day of the Winter Session, if the Jan Lokpal Bill is not passed. I urge you to pass an effective Jan Lokpal Bill in the Winter Session,” Hazare added.
The 74-year-old social activist, who is observing a vow of silence at his native village Ralegaon Siddhi since October 16, had yesterday indicated that he might discontinue the ‘maun vrat’ over the next couple of days.
Hazare also said he will appeal the voters of five poll-bound states to vote for honest candidates without taking name of any party.
The Team Anna had campaigned against the Congress party in recent Hisar bypolls.