Anna plans next move, says much more needs to be done

Gandhian Anna Hazare today said civil society activists were planning their next strategy to ensure a tough Lokpal Bill and that much more needed to be done to fight corruption in the country.

"We are planning our next strategy. Now that a small battle on the Lokpal Bill has been won, we will have to work more for laws to tackle corruption in various levels of our society", 73-year Hazare, whose fast-unto-death agitation received nationwide support, said here.

He was was speaking to reporters a day after government agreed to constitute a 10-member Joint Committee, including civil society members to draft an effective Lokpal Bill.

The veteran activist, who sat on a hunger stir for 98 hours, however, admitted that he could not fathom that the movement led by him would generate such a massive nationwide support.

After successfully leading the agitation on Lokpal Bill yesterday, Hazare had struck a note of caution, expressing apprehension over parliamentarians' readiness to pass a strong anti-corruption legislation and asked his supporters to be prepared for a "bigger battle".

Addressing the media, the 73-year-old social activist had said "power-hungry" politicians will not easily accept any bill having stringent provisions against corruption or "shed" the power they enjoy.

"But on this issue, people will get together," he said adding, MPs and MLAs were being elected to serve the people and not to be their masters. "But they (elected representatives) have forgotten this."

Hazare, who has set August 15 as the deadline for passage of the bill, said, "I feel there will be need for a bigger agitation in future (to get the bill passed in Parliament).