INDIAN ACTIVIST CONTINUES FAST, ANTI-GRAFT BILL IN LOGJAM

NEW DELHI, Aug 25 (Bernama) -- India's septuagenarian social activist is on
his 10th day fast Wednesday, after his civil society-backed team and the
government failed to break a logjam over a proposed anti-graft bill to stem
corruption.

The 74-year-old Anna Hazare vowed to continue his hunger strike for another
nine days, despite appearing fragile at his camp in Delhi, where thousands
converged to support the anti-corruption crusader.

On Tuesday night, government negotiators did not relent to Anna's demands to
push through a civil society-drafted "Jan Lokpal Bill" (citizen ombudsman) in
parliament soon, but instead wanted the legislation referred to a parliamentary
standing committee.

"We are back on square one. I felt the government is no more concerned about
Anna's fast.

"Our confidence in the government has been shaken, the concern they
expressed Wednesday was not visible today.


"It is totally retrograde," Kiran Bedi, ex-Indian top cop-turned-activist
and Anna's close aid told supporters Wednesday night at Ramlila ground, where
the massive protest is taking place.

Large-scale anti-corruption campaigns continue to grip across India as
millions take to the streets daily to protest -- a rally stirred by Anna -- now
worshipped as a national anti-graft mascot.

Indians are irked by rampant bribery and recent expose of high-level
corruption involving ministers, officials and prominent corporate figures,
fuelled public demonstrations in major cities.

Dozens of traders in Delhi volunteered to shut their businesses today in
support of Anna, while a 32-year-old man from rural Bihar is fighting for his
life after attempting to immolate himself.

Tensions running high in Delhi, as thousands of pro-Anna supporters, from
all walks of life, pour into the capital to pressure the government to wipe of
the nagging social menace.