Anna Hazare’s Final Stand: Fast Unto Death over Lokayukta Delay
Ralegan Siddhi, Maharashtra: The veteran social activist Anna Hazare is back, and he’s not messing around. He just announced he will launch an indefinite hunger strike from January 30 at his village, Ralegan Siddhi. He is calling this the “final agitation,” and the stakes are simple: implementation of the Lokayukta Act in Maharashtra, or nothing.
X happened (The government promised an anti-corruption law and passed it). And then followed (They have failed to bring it into force for nearly two years).
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The Broken Promise and the Core Demand
The whole nation was rattled by Hazare’s 2011 agitation, and this new fast stems from the same deep frustration.
The Legislative Trail: Hazare’s 2022 fast demanding the Lokayukta law was withdrawn only after mediation from leaders like Devendra Fadnavis. A committee worked on the draft, the legislation was passed by both houses of the Maharashtra legislature, and it was even sent to the President for assent.
The Snag: The Act has not been implemented despite the legislative process being complete. Hazare is furious. He’s written seven letters to Chief Minister Fadnavis and received zero response.
The Activist’s Plea: “This law is very important for the welfare of the people. I wrote seven letters, yet no response came,” Hazare told reporters. “A government is meant for public welfare, not for mere display.”
Why the Lokayukta Matters
This isn’t just a random law. The Lokayukta is a state-level ombudsman—the investigative authority that tackles corruption and maladministration among public servants. The new law in Maharashtra is particularly potent:
Expanded Powers: It replaces the older 1971 Act with a more robust framework.
Big Targets: Crucially, the revised legislation explicitly brings the Chief Minister, Ministers, and Council of Ministers under the Lokayukta’s purview for corruption investigations.
The Delay: The original bill was passed in late 2022. The implementation was held up because the President had suggested a few amendments—mostly technical, like updating references to India’s new criminal codes and clarifying jurisdiction over state-appointed officers in Central bodies. The Maharashtra legislature only recently cleared these amendments.
The government has since clarified that with the amendments passed and the President’s assent secured, they are “poised to bring the new Lokayukta Act into force shortly.” But for Hazare, “shortly” isn’t good enough when the entire anti-corruption mechanism has been sitting idle for years.
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Disclaimer: This information is based on public statements by Anna Hazare and reports confirming the status of the Lokayukta legislation in the Maharashtra State Legislature.
