Hazare announces indefinite fast, calls it off hours later

Social activist Anna Hazare onFriday said he won't be proceeding with the indefinite fastagainst the new farm laws and claimed that the Centralgovernment has agreed to some of his demands.

In a statement earlier in the day, Hazare (84) hadannounced that he will be starting the hunger strike from hisvillage Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra on Saturday.

In that communication, Hazare had said he had writtento the prime minister and Union agriculture minister fivetimes on the plight of farmers but to no avail.

''The Union government has agreed to some of my demandsand also announced setting up a committee to improve thelives of farmers. I have decided to suspend my proposedindefinite fast starting from Saturday, Hazare said.

While announcing the hunger strike, Hazare had said,''I have been demanding reforms in the agriculture sector, butthe Centre doesn't seem to be taking the right decisions.'' ''The Centre has no sensitivity left for farmers, whichis why I am starting my indefinite fast at my village fromJanuary 30,'' he had said and appealed to his supporters not toflock to his village district in view of the coronaviruspandemic.

Hazare, who was at the forefront of the anti-corruption movement in 2011, had recalled that when he went ona hunger strike at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, the then UPAgovernment had called a special session of Parliament.