Anna Hazare calls off hunger strike

Cooperatives Minister Harshwardhan Patil, Water Resources Minister Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar and Tribal Minister Babanrao Pachpute flew in by a private helicopter from Mumbai today and met Hazare at the Yadavbaba temple here.

After discussing his demands, they offered coconut water to him. "Hazare has agreed to call off the hunger strike after we assured him that the government was serious on acting on his demands," Patil said.

He began the indefinite hunger strike on March 16, on the occasion of Gudi Padwa, the Marathi New Year.

He alleged that the Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra was wasting public money by allowing ministers to spruce up their already well-furnished cabins. "The State is reeling under a debt burden and ministers are busy spending lakhs on renovating their cabins. This should stop."

Hazare has opposed the State's decision to promote production of wine distilled from food
grain, and alleged corruption in cooperative credit societies.

"The state should give Rs 1,000 crore that bankrupt societies owe their members," he said.
Hazare said the government should seize property of directors of the defaulting societies.