Hazare says much more needs to be done to fight corruption

New Delhi, Apr 10 (PTI) Gandhian Anna Hazare on Sunday
said civil society activists were planning their next strategy
to ensure a tough Lokpal Bill and that much more needed to be
done to fight corruption in the country.
"We are planning our next strategy. Now that a small
battle on the Lokpal Bill has been won, we will have to work
more for laws to tackle corruption in various levels of our
society", 73-year Hazare, whose fast-unto-death agitation
received nationwide support, said here.
He was was speaking to reporters a day after Indian
government agreed to constitute a 10-member Joint Committee,
including civil society members to draft an effective Lokpal
Bill.
The veteran activist, who sat on a hunger stir for 98
hours, however, admitted that he could not fathom that the
movement led by him would generate such a massive nationwide
support.
"I had no idea this agitation would turn out to be as big
as it did... and the nationwide support we got. I wanted to do
it in Maharashtra but Kiran Bedi, Swami Agnivesh and Arvind
Kejriwal insisted that I hold the fast-unto-death in New
Delhi", said Hazare.
He said he was happy with the government's decision over
the Joint Committee while noting the Lokpal Bill should be
introduced in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Asked if a special session of Parliament should be
convened for quick passage of the anti-corruption bill, Hazare
said there was no need for it as that would amount to
additional expenditure for the government.
To a question as to why activist Kiran Bedi, a former IPS
officer, was not part of the 10-member committee even though
she has been actively campaigning for the Lokpal Bill, Hazare
said the committee was just for two months and needed experts
at present.
"At present the committee needs experts who can draft a
stronger bill. Who should be part of it and who should stay
out are not important matters. This will be of importance at a
later stage... when the Lokpal committee will be formed", he
explained.
Regretting that corruption had taken deep roots which had
affected common people, he said by having a strong statute the
situation in this regard will improve.