Hazare accepts new venue for hunger strike on Lok Pal issue

The countdown for Anna Hazare’s renewed fast, from Tuesday, on the Lok Pal bill issue has begun. His team on Thursday accepted the venue suggested by the city police, of Jayaprakash Narayan Park near the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium, instead of the earlier one of Jantar Mantar.

There is, however, much argument and speculation on what the renewed fast can achieve at this point, when the Government has already tabled its Lok Pal Bill, whch is now in the process of examination by a parliamentary panel.

However, Team Anna has persisted with the fast and the related demand that the current Bill be replaced with one of their liking. It also said on Thursday that it was open for a dialogue, even though the Bill is now in the hands of Parliament.

Some members in the campaign admitted the direction the fast may take was rather ambiguous as the government cannot do anything at this stage, with the Bill having been tabled. Unless amendments are made in the existing Bill, the demands of the campaign can never be incorporated. But it is for MPs to do so.

The question in many minds was what exactly would make Hazare call off his fast. Says Vaibhav Kumar, spokesman for Hazare: “Nothing is lost if the public is with us. There is no ambiguity in the situation. The fast will happen becuase we want a strong Lok Pal Bill and we want the current Bill to be recalled.”

Asked how this can happen at this stage, he said: “The Government can recall the Bill, or the standing committee (of Parliament) can reject it or it can amend the Bill.”

Asked whether this would not take too long to risk an indefinite fast, he said: “The government acts on the basis of public demand. If the public demands it, the government can make a law in a day.”

Hazare has said that he would even stop drinking water if the Government arrested him forcefully at any time before the fast or during the fast or tried to force-feed him.