Anna Hazare, left, will spend one last night in a New Delhi prison before holding a massive public hunger strike on Friday to demand tougher anti-corruption laws.
Early Thursday, the 74-year-old activist accepted an offer from police to leave jail and hold the 15-day public protest at an open-air New Delhi venue capable of holding 25,000 people.
Hazare and more than 1,000 of his followers were jailed Tuesday after refusing to submit to police demands that his public protest be limited to three days and less than 5,000 people.
Police later allowed Hazare to leave, but he chose to stay in prison until authorities agreed to withdraw restrictions on his protest.
Thousands have taken to the streets in New Delhi, Mumbai, and other Indian cities to show support for the anti-corruption campaign.
India has had a steady stream of corruption scandals, including the sale of telecommunications licenses at below market value, and alleged corruption in the hosting of last year’s Commonwealth Games.
In the latest scandal, India’s upper house of parliament began impeachment proceedings this week against a judge charged with stealing public money.
If found guilty, Soumitra Sen, who sits on the Kolkata High Court, would be India’s first judge to be removed from his post.
Based on reporting from VOA.
Here’s a clip from ITN.
Comments are closed for this article!