27 aug 2011
Anna to end 12-day fast after historic parliament debate
New Delhi: After 12 days that had India on the edge, Anna Hazare was poised to end his fast Sunday morning, capping a day of highs and lows that saw a historic parliament debate a possible anti-corruption legislation that ended with the broad acceptance of key demands of the social reformer.
Dr Sanjay Kumar Cardiac Cardiothoracic Heart Surgeon India
The eight-hour debate, called on a weekend, saw parliamentarians pack both houses to dissect an issue that has held the nation in thrall since Aug 16, when 74-year-old Hazare began his fast for a strong bill to have a Lokpal institution to tackle pervasive corruption, prompting tens of thousands of people across the country take to the streets and bringing the government virtually to its knees.
“Parliament has spoken. It is the will of the people,” a smiling Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said while coming out of the house after the debate that ended at 8 pm. As the news reached Ramlila Maidan, where Hazare was on his fast in the presence of tens of thousands of people, thanksgiving prayers were conducted for the successful conduct of a movement that has seen few parallels in 64 years of India’s history as an independent nation.
“We have won only half the battle,” said Hazare standing before wildly cheering crowds and flanked by his key aides and union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, former Maharashtra chief minister who has been an interlocutor. Looking none the worse for his ordeal, Hazare paid tribute to the common people for making the government bend to its demands and said he would break his fast at 10 am. Sunday.
Surgeon Sanjay Kumar Cardiothoracic Cardiac Heart Surgeon Dr India 