Indian PM urges anti-graft activist to end fast

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday urged the anti-corruption activist whose hunger strike has rocked the government to end his 10-day fast, leading parliament in a united appeal. Singh said his government had heard Anna Hazare's message and was determined to tackle the graft that many Indians complain is endemic among officials handling every issue from driving licences to construction deals. Hazare's hunger strike has triggered large rallies among supporters across the country, as a civil movement backed by many middle-class urban voters has mushroomed around his cause. With his health a growing concern, Hazare has posed a thorny dilemma for Singh, who saluted the activist's commitment while urging him to end his protest. "He has become the embodiment of our people's disgust and concern about tackling corruption," Singh said of the 74-year-old Hazare, whose public fast in central New Delhi has drawn tens of thousands of cheering supporters. "He has made his point and it has been registered with us," Singh said in a televised address to parliament. "I respect his idealism. I respect him as an individual... I applaud him." Singh's comments contrasted with his stance last week, when he said the path the activist had chosen was "totally misconceived" and risked "grave consequences for our parliamentary democracy". Saying on Thursday that Hazare's life was "too precious" to waste, Singh urged him to start eating again -- a call supported in a rare show of parliamentary unity by the leader of the opposition and the speaker. Hazare says he will abstain from food until the government agrees to withdraw an anti-corruption bill currently before parliament and replace it with a more stringent version drafted by himself and other civil society leaders. He responded to Singh's appeal by thanking him for his compliments but refusing to back down on his demands. "You are worried about my health?" he said in a speech aimed at the prime minister. "It's taken you 10 days. I have been talking about this for six months, now you are worried." Looking energetic and alert despite only drinking water since August 16, Hazare said he had lost around 6.5 kilos (14 pounds) but was still feeling well. The government argues that adopting Hazare's bill would undermine the parliament's authority, but Singh on Thursday said it could be discussed by lawmakers. "Perhaps we could have a debate in this house on all the bills that are in the public domain and have a discussion on what are the weak points," Singh suggested, raising the possibility for the first time. Many Hazare supporters attending his fast said he should not give in. "He should keep going. This country is dying from corruption," said Dinesh Jain, a health technician. Singh's direct and emotional appeal came as talks between Hazare's aides and the government appeared deadlocked. A meeting late Wednesday ended in recrimination, with a senior Hazare aide saying the government had reneged on previous assurances and that negotiations were "back to square one". "It appears that there are some strong elements in the government who want to nullify the entire dialogue process," Arvind Kejriwal, a senior leader of Hazare's campaign, said. Hazare is staging his protest in a large open-air venue in Delhi where huge, flag-waving crowds have gathered each day to support his campaign amid chants, live music and rousing speeches. Indian authorities at first took a tough stance against the activist, arresting him in an aborted attempt to stop him holding his fast in public. But the groundswell of support for Hazare, who associates his campaign with India's independence struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi, left the government looking out of touch with public opinion. Singh's administration has also struggled under corruption allegations focused on a telecoms scandal that lost the treasury billions of dollars of revenue and contracts for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last year.