Anna Hazare flays govt.; declares Lokpal Bill meet boycott, fast June 8

New Delhi: Social reformer Anna Hazare said here Sunday that his team of civil society members in the anti-graft Lokpal Bill joint drafting committee will boycott the panel's next meeting June 6. He also announced a one-day fast here June 8.

"The government is not serious about drafting an effective Lokpal Bill. There are issues of disagreement between the government and the draft committee," Hazare told reporters.

Hazare also announced that a one-day fast would be held Wednesday at Jantar Mantar to protest the government's midnight crackdown on Ramdev's agitation.

The announcement comes after Delhi Police on the night of June 4-5 forcibly dispersed yoga guru Baba Ramdev and thousands of his supporters from the Ramlila Ground where they had gathered to protest against corruption and black money.

"We have decided that a day-long fast would be organised June 8 at Jantar Mantar. We ask people to join us nationwide," Hazare said at a press briefing here.

"They can join us through their support from any part of the country," Hazare added.

Apart from Hazare, civil society members in the committee include activist Arvind Kejriwal, former Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde, former law minister Shanti Bhushan, who is the panel's co-chairman, and his advocate son Prashant Bhushan.

From the government's side, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is the co-chairman and the other members are Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal, Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily and Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.

The panel was set up after Hazare went on a 97-hour fast at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in April.

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