Indian hunger striker Anna demands action to tackle corruption

NEW DELHI, Dec 11 (AFP): Indian activist Anna Hazare, whose anti-graft hunger strike in August attracted huge public support, held a one-day fast Sunday demanding the government do more to tackle corruption. Hazare's 12-day fast four months ago unleashed an outpouring of frustration among Indians over bribes paid in all types of transactions ranging from getting a baby's birth certificate to tenders for infrastructure projects. He returned to New Delhi for a one-day hunger strike to protest against the government's draft of a new anti-corruption law, which he said was "toothless" legislation that exempted many key officials. "The government is not only cheating us but the entire nation," Hazare told a press conference on Saturday. "We totally denounce the government's draft of the bill." "One day the people of this country will teach a lesson to the government," he said. During his fast in August, millions of Indians rallied across the country to support Hazare, a 74-year-old former army truck driver who has modelled his image on Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's administration was unnerved by the demonstrations as Hazare became increasingly weak due to lack of food before he was persuaded to halt his protest. On Sunday, Hazare visited Gandhi's memorial in Delhi before heading to the open-air venue where a small crowd of about 1,000 people gathered. Dressed in plain white clothes and his trademark cotton cap, he sat cross-legged on a stage in front of the Indian national flag listening to fiery speeches from fellow activists attacking the "watered-down" anti-graft bill.