Anna Hazare to go on indefinite fast from Dec 10 for Janlokpal Bill; activist attacks Kejriwal again

New Delhi: Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare on Thursday said he will go on an indefinite hunger strike from December 10 at his village Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra for passage of the anti-graft law.

Hazare, who had earlier announced that he would go on indefinite hunger strike here from the first day of the winter session of Parliament, said he shifted the venue of his agitation at his village on the advise of his doctors as he had undergone a surgery recently.

"I had promised the people of India that if the government does not pass the Janlokpal Bill, then I will sit on 'Anshan' (fast) from the first day of the winter session at Ramlila Maidan. I am not well as I underwent a difficult operation and doctors have asked me to take precautions," Hazare told reporters.

"I will be sitting on an indefinite hunger strike from December 10 at Ralegan Siddhi instead of Ramlila Ground in Delhi", he added.

He said the agitation would be organised under the banner of his newly-formed organisation, Jantantra Morcha. "We have held over 700 rallies in seven states in the past six months under the organisation to mobilise people."

The Gandhian attacked both Congress-led UPA and the opposition for having "anti-youth, anti-student, anti-village and anti-poor" economic policies.

"Instead of bringing in multi-national companies, the government should focus on developing village and generate employment there as Gandhiji had said that India won't develop until its villages are developed," Hazare said.

Anna attacks Kejriwal again

Anna Hazare stepped up his attack on his one-time protege Arvind Kejriwal accusing him of being responsible for 'misuse' of the money collected during Jan Lokpal bill agitation and said he would seek a probe into the whole episode if he was told to account for.

"I have not touched even Rs 5 until now, so where does the question of keeping accounts come from? I am a pauper (fakir). If the court asks me about where the money has gone, I will tell the court to investigate the matter," said the social activist while reacting to allegations that Rs 3 crore collected during the Jan Lokpal Bill agitation was being misused.

A PIL in this matter is pending in the Supreme Court.

Accusing Kejriwal of being responsible for misusing his name while collecting money during the Jan Lokpal Bill agitation, the social activist said, "I have been saying this repeatedly. Those who collected money, those who have spent money should give an account to the public. "I have always maintained transparency in my life and I always preached others to do the same. I have always stayed away from money", Hazare said.

Responding to a question at the Agenda Aaj Tak Conclave on the money collected amounting over Rs 3 crore in his name during the Jan Lokpal Bill agitation, Hazare said, "I wrote a letter to those who were collecting money in my name. I asked them why did they use my name to collect cash? If they wanted to collect money, they could have used their name and not mine."

Asked whether his name was misused, he reponded in the affiramtive.

"Yes, (my name) was misused (Ha galat istemal hua). He was further probed on whether Kejriwal was responsible for misusing his name, he again responded in the affirmative "Bilkul (Certainly) What was the logic behind putting my name?"