Hazare threatens fast, says government cheated on Lokpal

Veteran social activist Anna Hazare here Monday accused the central government of cheating him and the public by not passing the promised Jan Lokpal Bill.

The Jan Lokpal Bill, also referred to as the Citizen's Ombudsman Bill, is an anti-corruption legislation drafted by civil society activists, seeking appointment of an independent panel to investigate cases of corruption.

Hazare, who said he would start another indefinite fast from Tuesday at his village, said when he launched an agitation for the Jan Lokpal Bill two years ago, the government was under threat.

"All of a sudden the government sent a message that we are ready to bring the Lokpal, please break your fast. Parliament also passed a resolution and Congress president Sonia Gandhi wrote a letter saying that they were ready for the Jan Lokpal Bill," Hazare said.

"I believed them and broke my fast. I didn't know that the government will cheat me and the people. Anna Hazare is not doing this (the agitation) for his family. He has dedicated his life to people, and common people are finding it difficult to survive, that is why he is demanding that Jan Lokpal Bill be brought," he said.

Hazare said that two years have passed and the government, despite giving a written assurance to him, has not honoured its word. "For the last one year, the bill has been lying in the Rajya Sabha," he said.

The 76-year-old former army driver has announced that he would observe a fast - his fifth - at his village here.

The agitation would be under the banner of Jantantra Morcha, a new organisation launched by him after he dissolved the India Against Corruption following parting of ways with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal.

Simultaneous agitations would be held in every district of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan, which he toured in the last six months for "people's awakening" against corruption and inflation, he said.