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.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture KailashChoudhary and BJP leader and former Maharashtra chief ministerDevendra Fadanvis met Hazare during the day.

A high-level committee, with some members nominated byHazare, will consider his demands and submit a report in sixmonths, said Choudhary.

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 onFriday.

While announcing the hunger strike, he 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 added.

Hazare, who was at the forefront of the anti-corruption movement in 2011, had also recalled that when hewent on a hunger strike at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, the thenUPA government had called a special session of Parliament.

''Farmers are not getting adequate returns for theircrops. I had told the government to implement the report ofthe Swaminathan Commission. It was delayed by the uniongovernment, so I decided to launch the protest fromtomorrow,'' Hazare told reporters at his village.

''But the government has appointed a high-levelcommittee and assured me that farmers will get adequatereturns for crops. Therefore, I have decided not to launchthe protest,'' he said.

Asked if this U-turn will hurt his credibility,Hazare said the high-level committee will look into theimplementation of the reforms, and he felt that he can trustthe Union government.

Choudhary said the government has responded positivelyto Hazare's demands.

''He also told us that agriculturebudget should beincreased. I can tell you that we have significantly increasedthe agriculture budget. We have appointed a high-levelcommittee that will consist of members of Niti Ayog andpersons nominated by Hazare. It will submit its report in sixmonths,'' the minister said.