Pune
Octogenarian anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare has suspended his proposed hunger strike, scheduled to begin on Monday, against the Maharashtra government’s decision to permit the sale of wine in supermarkets and grocery shops.
Mr. Hazare explained his decision by stating that the Uddhav Thackeray-led tripartite ‘Maha Vikas Aghadi’ government had assured to take into consideration the views of citizens before going ahead with the policy. A ‘gram sabha’ was held on Sunday in Mr. Hazare’s native village Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar district.
“I told the villagers that as the State government had decided to put up the cabinet’s decision before citizens for their suggestions and that a final decision would only be taken after their approval on this matter. Hence, I have decided to suspend the hunger strike,” said the 84-year-old activist, adding that given the plethora of beer bars, permit rooms and shops to sell wine, the government had no need of selling it in supermarket.
Recently, Mr. Hazare had shot off a missive to Mr. Thackeray, demanding an immediate reversal on the policy permitting sale of wine at supermarkets and walk-in shops.
“Is this government intent on spreading addiction? During a discussion with government officials, I had told them I don’t feel like living in the State… I also told them that they should have taken people’s views into consideration before deciding on the wine policy, following which the government started re-thinking its decision,” claimed the activist.
He further said the decision (on permitting supermarkets to sell wine) should be taken only after inviting suggestions and objections from citizens, and that people ought to be given three months’ time to put forth their views.
While the anti-graft crusader’s indefinite hunger strike was considered the set-piece of the 2011 anti-corruption agitation, the impact of Mr. Hazare’s fasts and agitations in recent years has been considerably muted. The anti-corruption crusader had locked horns with the Central government over several issues in the past few years, threatening indefinite agitations and fasts. In 2015, Mr. Hazare had to cancel his proposed foot-march from Wardha to Delhi in protest against the controversial ‘anti-farmer’ clauses in the land acquisition ordinance.
In 2019, Mr. Hazare had launched a hunger strike in his hometown Ralegan Siddhi over appointment of a Lokpal and a number of agrarian issues including an increase in the MSP for farmers.
