Indian social activist Anna Hazare has begun what he has called a "fast unto death" to pressure the government to act on corruption. The 72-year-old campaigner says he will refuse all food and drink until the government enacts a comprehensive anti-corruption law. The government has set up a committee to consider a bill, but Mr Hazare wants civil society included in the process. India has recently been hit by a series of high-profile...

Veteran social activist Anna Hazare Monday said he is starting a 'fast unto death' to press for the demand to involve civil society in formulation of the anti-graft Lokpal (ombudsman) Bill. 'I will fast unto death, as announced earlier, as the prime minister has refused to form a joint committee with civil society members in it for the formulation of the Lokpal Bill. Even if I lose my life, I will...

NAC Working Group says it is difficult to have robust grievance redress system in Lokpal Bill Even as social activist Anna Hazare embarked on a hunger strike here on Tuesday on the issue of corruption, ignoring Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's appeal, the Congress described his action as “premature,” saying a government panel was examining the contours of the proposed Lokpal Bill. Simultaneously, the National Advisory Council's Working Group on Transparency and Accountability,...

National Advisory Council starts discussions on Lokpal Bill The Prime Minister's Office (PMO), late on Monday evening, issued an appeal to noted social worker Anna Hazare to abandon the hunger strike he had announced he would resort to, starting Tuesday, to force the government to accept his version of the Lokpal Bill. The appeal came a few hours after the National Advisory Council (NAC)'s Working Group on Transparency and Accountability met civil...

Ignoring Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's appeal, veteran social activist Anna Hazare began an indefinite fast on Tuesday pressing for a more stringent anti-corruption Lokpal bill. The call has evoked a massive response across the country with even the high profile NAC led by Sonia Gandhi in broad agreement with civil society. Responding to the call of Anna Hazare, hundreds turn into Satyagrahis and along with him, fast for a strong Lokpal bill...