Hazare all set to go on fast against corruption

Following last week's meeting of India against corruption ( IAC) group members with the Prime Minister and the law minister Veerapa Moily going dud, social activist Anna Hazare is all set to go ahead with his fast on April 5.

Hazare will be supported by various other groups associated with the IAC. As per the IAC members, the PM has said the government has no time to consider the issue of corruption till the 13th May due to the ongoing parliament session and the impeding elections in five states.

" Since the government has shown no seriousness on the issue we would be continuing with our agitation. Annaji has already started a Maharashtra tour to gather more people for the cause," said Darshak Hathi from Art of Living who was present at the meeting.

Hazare is on a state long tour and is trying to gather maximum support of the people to pressurize the government to pass the bill. Activists from around 15 districts of Maharashtra have already participated in the action meetings of the group. The group will motivate the people to skip their lunch on the day Hazare starts his fast in Delhi. " We want to create a mass impact with our activities and hence the participation of many people is crucial for our goal" said Mayank Gandhi, a social activist and founder of Jagrut Nagarik Manch. The group will appeal to the people to register themselves with the group that would help them to influence the political leaders to pass the bill. " This bill would lead to a time bound investigation and twist that will lend to swiftness and certainty of punishment to corrupt," said activist Arvind Kejriwal.

Earlier the group had carried out massive protests throughout the country on 30th January 2010. Some of the major differences in the bill drafted by the government and activists are prosecution of any judge by Lokpal against the mandatory permission required by the Chief Justice to initiate any action.

As per the activist's bill the Lokpal and Lokayukta should be independent bodies unlike the CBI and ACB which are under the government and cant function independently.