to give wider powers to Ombudsman to check corruption. Other important personalities who joined him included former IPS officer Kiran Bedi, RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal and social worker Swami Agniwesh.
Hundreds of people from all walks of life participated in the campaign which started from the India Gate lawns and concluded at Jantar Mantar. Talking to reporters Mr Hazare said that he will continue his fast till the government agrees to form a joint committee comprising citizens and intellectuals alongwith officials to draft the Jan Lokpal Bill.
Supporting the campaign, BJP today said that Government should hold talks with social activists and call an all party meeting to discuss the modalities of the Jan Lokpal Bill. The Party however urged Hazare to end his fast.
The Prime Minister’s office appealed to Hazare to abandon his hunger strike. The appeal pointed out that during the meeting of Anna Hazare and his colleagues with the Prime Minister, Law Minister and other senior officials on 7th of last month Dr. Singh had accepted Hazare’s suggestion that a sub-committee of group of ministers would interact with the prominent civil society activists and discuss the draft of the Lokpal Bill which they had given him.
The sub-committee headed by Defence Minister had met Anna Hazare’s colleagues but the interaction proved fruitless as the activists insisted on the government to accept their draft in full.