Hazare writes to PM, to launch hunger strike on farmers' issue by Jan-end

Activist Anna Hazare on Thursday

wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and reiterated his decision to launch "the last hunger strike" of his life on farmers' issues in Delhi by January end.

The letter comes even as famrer unions are agitating on Delhi borders against the Centre's new farm laws.

He will stage the fast by month-end, 83-year-old Hazare said, without specifying the date.

On December 14, Hazare had written to Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, warning of a hunger strike if his demands including the implementation of the M S Swaminathan Committee's recommendations on agriculture were not fulfilled.

Another demand made by him was grant of autonomy to the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices.

"On the issue of farmers, I have had correspondence (with the Centre) five times, however, no response came.

"As a result, I have decided to go on the last hunger strike of my life," said Hazare in his missive to the prime minister.

He wrote four letters to the concerned authority to seek permission to stage his hunger strike at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi but no response came from their side too, he said.

Hazare, who was in the forefront of anti-corruption movement in 2011, reminded that when he went on a hunger strike at the Ramlila Maidan, the then UPA government had called a special session of Parliament.

"In that session, you and your senior ministers (leaders of the BJP, which was then in opposition at the Centre) had praised me, but now despite giving written assurances over the demands, you are not fulfilling them," he said.

He was enclosing a video of opposition MPs praising him in Parliament then, Hazare said.