The Island:
Veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare today called off his 98-hour hunger strike after Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s government came out with a gazette notification constituting a joint committee of ministers and civil society activists to draft an effective Lokpal Bill to root out political and administrative corruption.However, the 71-year-old crusader against corruption pledged a long struggle against corruption and for reform of the electoral system.
Curtains were drawn on the fifth-day of Hazare’s fast-unto-death campaign that drew instant nationwide support with a little girl giving him a glass of water at 10.45 am at Jantar Mantar, the nerve-centre of the campaign for a strong law to combat corruption that has become rampant in recent years.
It was in 1969 that the idea of bringing in a strong law to control corruption was first mooted. It took 42 years of agitation by civil society that is finally forcing the government to set up a joint committee to recommend legislation that will punish corrupt politicians and civil servants.
Hazare’s hunger strike, widely covered on television, print media and social media, galvanised public mood across India. Thousands of people held similar sit-ins in scores of cities and towns across the country in sympathy with Hazare’s demand to pass an effective law to root out corruption in government.
Hazare threatened to continue his fast till he dies unless the government accepts his demand to set up a joint panel to draft stringent legislation to curb corruption. He even threatened to give a call to people across India to fill up jails if the government fails to act by April 12.
A worried Dr Singh, his senior ministerial colleagues and Congress Party President went into a huddle thrice on Thursday and Friday to evolve a formula acceptable to Hazare and his supporters.
“This is a victory of people. Still there is a long way to go. The real fight begins now,” Hazare declared as he called off his hunger strike.
Earlier, Hazare offered water to some women, among the over 300 activists who had joined the fast saying it was a victory of people’s power. Celebrations broke out instantaneously in the capital and cities across the country.
In a brief speech he made after he broke his fast, Hazare said it was just the beginning of a long struggle ahead, and promised to lead the fight for the “second struggle for independence”.
“This is only the beginning. If the government does not pass the Lokpal Bill, I will come back to fight again,” he warned after setting August 15—-the country’s independence day—-as the deadline for the passage of the Lokpal Bill.
He declared he would not rest content with the anti-graft legislation but fight for reforms of the electoral system, including the provision for ‘right to recall’ of elected representatives from the gram panchayat level.
In the morning, Prime Minister Singh issued a statement saying the government intends to introduce the “historic legislation” in the Monsoon session of Parliament that begins in July.
Giving in to demands from anti-corruption activists, the government today issued a gazette notification on formation of a joint committee headed by senior minister and trouble-shooter-in-chief Pranab Mukherjee to draft an effective Lokpal Bill.
The notification, one of the key demands of the anti-corruption campaign launched by Hazare, has been signed by VK Bhasin, Secretary, Legislative Department of the Law Ministry.
The notification was proudly displayed at the site of Hazare’s fast at Jantar Mantar by Kiran Bedi to the loud cheering of the assembled gathering there.
Apart from the terms of what the committee would do, the notification contains the names of those on the 10-member panel headed by Finance Minister.
Apart from Mukherjee, the committee will include Law Minister Veerappa Moily, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal, Home Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram, and Water Resources Minister Salman Khurshid as members.
Besides Hazare himself, those representing the civil society in the joint committee will be eminent lawyers Shanti Bhushan and Prasant Bhushan, retired Supreme Court Judge Santosh Hegde and RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal. Shanti Bhushan will be the co-Chairman.
“We had demanded a government order (GO) in this regard. The government went a step ahead and issued a notification,” said social activist Swami Agnivesh.
Shanti Bhushan hoped that the proposed legislation will be passed “unanimously” by Parliament. He warned that any party opposing it will be seen as “not interested in removing corruption.”
“I expect the Bill to be passed unanimously…. If it is a good bill and people can see it as an independent organisation against corruption, then it will get endorsement. Anybody who opposes such a fine bill would be seen as a person not interested in removing corruption,” he told reporters here.
Appreciating the government for responding to the call of the people to bring a law against corruption, Bhushan said the proposed body should be “totally independent, which can’t be pressurised by any political or judiciary people. It should be strong and should have teeth to cut corruption at all levels.”
Bhushan’s son and eminent lawyer Prashant Bhushan expressed the hope that the Ministers in the Joint Drafting Committee of the Bill will be able to devote time to finalise the draft by June 30.
“As the notification states, we have to complete our task by June 30 and we hope to do that by June 30. We hope that provided the Ministers in the committee devote adequate time to it, and I expect they will after this commitment,” he said.
Prashant Bhushan said the members of the movement including Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejariwal did not expect such an “overwhelming” response from the common people but the mass participation shows that “the public is fed up of corruption in the country”.