Social activist Anna Hazare calls off hunger strike.

Veteran social activist Anna Hazare has cancelled his hunger strike hours later he announced against the new farm laws as he said that the Central government has assured to fulfill some of his demands.

In front of the Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Kailash Choudhury and BJP leader and former chief minister Devendra Fadanvis, the 84 year old social activist announced his decision of calling off the strike.

Mr. Hazare after meeting with Fadanvis had said to the reports that he have been doing protests for the welfare of the farmers for a long time. Infact he had written letters to the Prime Minister and  Union Agriculture Minister five times but in vain.

Mr. Hazare also said, “The Union government has agreed to some of my demands and also announced setting up a committee to improve the lives of farmers. I have decided to suspend my proposed indefinite fast starting from Saturday”.

He had also said that he has been asking for reforms in the agricultural sector,even doing agitations, writing letters but the Centre has not responded over it. The Centre does not seem to be taking ‘right decisions’. The Centre did not bother about the welfare of the farmers. The farmers die by suicide every year because they don’t get the actual prices for their crops. But since the Centre has decided to increase the MSP(Minimum Support Price) by 50 percent and have also decided to work on the 15 issues(his demands for farmers), so he has decided to cancel the protest.

In that communication, he was asked that if this U- turn will hurt his credibility,Mr. Hazare said that he took the decision of calling off the strike as the High level committee and the Centre has assured him to look into the implementation of the reforms,he added saying he got the letters with him.

Mr. Choudhury said the government has responded positively to Mr. Hazare’s demands.

“He also told us that agriculture budget should be increased. I can tell you that we have significantly increased the agriculture budget. We have appointed a High level committee that will consist of members of NITI Aayog and persons nominated by Mr. Hazare. It will submit its report in six months”, the minister said.

By Swarnali Chakraborty