Anna Hazare with 129 people on indefinite fast

Street play enacted with more than twenty youths directed By Arvind was star attraction to provide awareness of the numerous scams unfolding and the total governance system falls from grace: Veteran social activist Anna Hazare began a fast-unto-death in the capital demanding enactment of a comprehensive Jan Lokpal Bill to give wider powers to Ombudsman to check corruption.He is joined by 129 people including noted reformist Swami Agnivesh, former IPS officer and activist Kiran Bedi and Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pandey, 72-year-old Hazare began his hunger strike at Jantar Mantar after paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat."I will observe fast-unto-death till the government agrees to form a joint committee comprising 50 per cent officials and the remaining citizens and intellectuals to draft the Jan Lokpal Bill," Hazare said at Rajghat.He then proceeded to India Gate in an open jeep where tricolour waving supporters, including school students were present. Hazare went ahead with his agitation despite an appeal on Monday night from the Prime Minister's Office which expressed disappointment over his decision to go on fast unto death. The PMO release said that the Prime Minister has enormous respect for Hazare and his mission."The Prime Minister says we trust you (Hazare), we respect you. But, then why did the PM not sit with us even once after the meeting last month," Hazare said.The anti-corruption crusader said he was disappointed after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had in the last meeting with social activists over the proposed law to tackle corruption rejected their demand for a joint committee."If the government alone drafts this bill, it will be autocratic not democratic, there will be discrepancies," Hazare, who has observed fast to protest against corruption many times in the past too, said.He lamented that views of eminent persons like Justice (Retd) Santosh Hegde, lawyer Prashant Bhushan and Agnivesh "were not considered important by the government".IAC-SIO many more supporting NGOs joined campaign to make citizens aware of the corruption menace and the need of the Lokpal Bill with people's participation. A huge rally of bikes and cars starting from Shivaji Park to Azad Maidan was also organised in the morning. College going students also actively participated in the campaign. Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav, who was present to show solidarity with Hazare, said he was convinced that the Jan Lokpal Bill was the need of the hour to tackle corruption in the country."Just as Election Commission and Supreme Court are effective bodies, similarly an institution which is to fight corruption has to be equally powerful," Yadav said."I approve of the draft prepared by Hazareji and others. I am willing to back it in Parliament," Yadav said. Saffron supporting the campaign, BJP spokesperson today said that Government should hold talks with social activists and call an all party meeting to discuss the modalities of the Jan Lokpal Bill. The Party however urged Hazare to end his fast. A large number of people from various parts of Mumbai today gathered at the historic Azad Maidan to support social activist Anna Hazare’s agitation for the demand to involve civil society in formulation of the anti-graft Lokpal Bill. Many activists too started fast and addressed large number of people. Social activist Medha Patkar said that the historic hunger strike by veteran Anna Hazare will once again prove the power of Gandhian philosophy of non-violence.