By IANS,
Mumbai : Joy and jubilation erupted in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra Saturday as social crusader Anna Hazare ended his fast after the government agreed to the demand for a joint committee to draft a tougher anti-graft law.
A group of more than 50 people who were on a relay hunger strike since the past five days at Azad Maidan here also ended their fast simultaneously with Hazare in the morning.
An atmosphere of celebration was witnessed in different parts of the state where people hugged each other with joy at the government’s decision to initiate measures for the Lokpal Bill in the monsoon session of parliament.
“Anna’s agitation has proved that the country’s collective conscience is still alive and he managed to shake the might of the central government. We had one Gandhi of non-violence, Anna is the Gandhi of anti-corruption,” said a well-known Mumbai social worker K. Latabai.
“We are very happy that Anna’s agitation has succeeded in such a short time. Now the government must ensure it keeps its promises to tackle corruption or be prepared to face a bigger agitation,” said businessman Girishbhai Keni.
Residents of Ralegan-Siddhi village in Ahmednagar district also celebrated Hazare’s victory in his fight against the government and said that “honesty has triumphed over corruption”.
Farm widows of Vidarbha who had gone on a relay hunger strike since Friday also welcomed the success of the agitation.
“This will now ensure that the deprived farmers of the state get justice and the funds meant for their welfare are not siphoned off by corrupt politicians and officials,” said Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti president Kishor Tiwari.
He said the widows will take part in any future agitation that Hazare takes up for the cause of the common man.
Similar reports of celebrations have been received from other parts of the state including Nagpur, Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik, Konkan and other cities and towns where agitations in support of Hazare were organised.