Maharashtra activist Anna Hazare ends hunger strike

Ralegaon Siddhi (Maharashtra), Mar 20 : Noted social activist Anna Hazare on Saturday called off his five-day-old hunger strike after the Maharashtra Government assured to initiate action against corruption in cooperative credit societies.

Maharashtra Cooperatives Minister Harshwardhan Patil, Water Resources Minister Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar and Tribal Minister Babanrao Pachpute flew in by a helicopter from Mumbai to Ralegaon Siddhi and held discussion with Hazare.

At the end of the meeting ministers offered coconut water to Hazare.

Briefing media after the meeting, State Cooperatives Minister Harshwardhan Patil said: 'Hazare has agreed to call off the hunger strike after we assured him that the government was serious on acting on his demands.'

On March 16, on the occasion of Gudi Padwa, the Marathi New Year, Hazare started his indefinite hunger strike.

Hazare alleged that the Congress-NCP coalition Government in the State was wasting public money by allowing ministers to spruce up their already well-furnished cabins.

He also opposed the State Government's decision to promote production of wine distilled from foodgrains, and alleged that a large scale corruption existed in cooperative credit societies.

'The State should give Rs 1,000 crore that bankrupt societies owe their members,' Hazare said.