Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, two Union ministers and a state minister visited social activist Anna Hazare in the village of Ralegan Siddhi on Tuesday. Hazare has been on an indefinite fast for the last seven days to protest against the delay in the appointment of a Lokpal at the Centre and the passage of the Lokayukta Act in Maharashtra.
Fadnavis reached the village in the afternoon and held talks with Hazare, PTI reported. He appealed to the 81-year-old activist to call off his fast. Union ministers Radha Mohan Singh and Subhash Bhamre and state minister Girish Mahajan were also present at the venue of the hunger strike.
On Monday, the chief minister had said the state government has accepted almost all of Hazare’s demands. “We have agreed to almost all of his demands, especially the one related to Lokayukta and formation of a joint committee,” Fadnavis had told reporters. He had then appealed to Hazare to call off his fast.
“We have also given an appropriate letter to him about the issues pertaining to the central government,” the chief minister had added. “The Centre has taken steps on all the issues Anna has been demanding.”
One of Hazare’s aides had said there was hope of resolving the deadlock only if Fadnavis proposed something concrete.
The social activist had said on Monday that Fadnavis’ claims were false. He then accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of using him to come to power in 2014, and benefiting from the anti-corruption agitation he had launched in 2011.
Hazare has threatened to return his Padma Bhushan if the government does not keep its promises. The Shiv Sena on Monday told the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre to save Hazare’s life.
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and water conservation activist Rajendra Singh had met Hazare on Monday.
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