Anna Hazare ends fast after talks with Fadnavis, gives 6-month deadline

After Central government accepted his demands, social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday ended his six-day fast at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minster of State for Agriculture Gajendra Shekhawat called on Hazare to convey him messages of Central government agreeing to his demands.

Hazare said that he has been assured by the government that appointments of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states would be made soon.

However, he warned that he will resume the hunger strike in September if government fails to take concrete action in six months.

"They (government) have assured us that they will make the appointments as soon as possible. I will see till August and we will begin again in September. It should be done within a time frame. ((Though Maharashtra) Chief Minister (Devendra) Fadnavis has said that it will not even take six months, we will see," he said.

Apart from the appointment of Lokpal, the 80-year-old activist is demanding better prices to the farmers for their yield and implementation of the MS Swaminathan Committee.

According to Hazare's aide Datta Awari, the anti-corruption activist had lost over five kg weight during the fast.

Earlier in the day, Hazare's supporter  Sushil Bhatt has claimed that he was beaten up by police for holding a peaceful candlelight march at Connaught Place.

Bhatt said that he was dragged by a Deputy Police Commissioner (DCP) during the march and shoved into a police vehicle and was later beaten up.

The march was held earlier on Wednesday evening to urge people to join the ongoing protest at the Ramlila Maidan where Hazare has been on hunger strike since March 23 for fair crop prices, Lokpal appointment and electoral reforms.

Bhatt has shared pictures on social media, in which bruises on his face and blood stains on his clothes can be seen.

Bhatt, who has been admitted to Lok Nayak Jaiprakash Narayan hospital on Thursday said he was being pressurised not to file a complaint against the DCP.