83-year-old Anna Hazare writes to PM Modi; threatens to launch his 'last hunger strike'

Activist Anna Hazare on Thursday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and reiterated his decision to launch "the last hunger strike" of his life on farmers issues in Delhi by January end. This letter by Anna Hazare comes after the Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed Centre's 3 contentious farm bills until further order and formed a 4 member panel. The 83-year old social activist said that he will stage the fast by month-end. 

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Anna Hazare writes to PM Modi 

Hazare in his missive to PM Modi said, "On the issue of farmers, I have had correspondence (with the Centre) five times, however, no response came. As a result, I have decided to go on the last hunger strike of my life."

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Earlier on December 14, Hazare had written a letter to Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. In the letter, he warned the Minister of resorting to a hunger strike if his demands like the implementation of the MS Swaminathan Committee's recommendations and granting autonomy to the Commission for Agricultural Cost and Prices (CACP), were not accepted. The social activist on December 8 had observed a fast in support of the Bharat Bandh called by farmers organizations in demand to repeal of the three farm bills. 

However, a senior BJP leader and former Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Haribaby Bagade recent met Hazare and explained him the details of the three contentious farm laws introduced by the Centre. 

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Hazare, who was in the forefront of the anti-corruption movement in 2011, reminded that when he went on a hunger strike at the Ramlila Maidan, the then UPA government had called a special session of Parliament. "In that session, you and your senior ministers (leaders of the BJP, which was then in opposition at the Centre) had praised me, but now despite giving written assurances over the demands, you are not fulfilling them," he said. He was enclosing a video of opposition MPs praising him in Parliament then, Hazare said.

Supreme Court stays implementation of 3 farm laws

Besides suspending the implementation of the farm bills until further orders, the top court on Tuesday also issued a notice to farmers' unions on the Delhi Police's application filed seeking to stop the proposed tractor rally on Republic Day. On the centre's assertion that Khalistani elements had infiltrated the farmers' protest, it also asked the government of India to file an affidavit on the same by Wednesday.

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