Indian Prime Minister calls summit, although hunger striker accused of ignoring more urgent issues and backing xenophobic politicians. Congress takes the lead in Hazare negotiations

Moves to resolve the political crisis of corruption in India triggered by a 74-year-old anti-corruption campaigner’s hunger strike have gathered pace. As Anna Hazare’s hunger strike has wracked New Delhi, there has been a subtle but crucial change in who leads the official response: from the India government’s technocratic clampdown seven days ago to the Congress party’s search now for a political compromise in Anna Hazare case.

India Anna Hazare News : Anna Hazare forces India PM to take action

After a weekend of mass street protests, the government has appointed a representative to hammer out a deal to the week-long standoff, reports said. Today, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was preparing to hold an “iftar” party, the traditional fast breaking that follows the day-long fast during the Ramzan season. Anna Hazare’s health indicators had begun to fluctuate worryingly. And Congress officials were desperately seeking a deal on legislation that would create the institution of a national ombudsman, called the Lokpal, in a form that would be satisfactory for both sides and persuade Anna Hazare to consume food or drinks.

The impending return of Congress President Sonia Gandhi will no doubt add pressure on the party to act more decisively. After surgery abroad, Sonia Gandhi is expected to return to New Delhi later this week. The Congress leader suggested Sonia Gandhi would be frightened to see that the Congress-led India government had bungled on such a big scale in her absence.

Anna Hazare, who has fasted for a week, wants the government to create an anti-corruption ombudsman with sweeping powers. His hunger strike has focused widespread anger, fury and revolt over corruption – which is endemic in India – as well as broader grievances amid the growing middle classes.

Anti-Corruption Movement globally yours

“It is not just about corruption, not just about one issue. People are very emotional about this,” Bhaskara Rao, a political analyst from Delhi, expressed. “However … may be they strike a deal relatively soon.”

Following protests earlier this year, India’s prime minister, Manmohan Singh, proposed a small package of reforms. On Tuesday, he signalled that he would be prepared to meet further demands of the anti-corruption protest, calling for a meeting on Wednesday between all political parties involved.

Meanwhile supporters show growing concern about Anna Hazare’s health as the monument of anti-corruption protests in India enters a second week of fasting.

Anna Hazare fasts for Anti-Corruption in India

“Anna’s health is weakening by the hour,” Kiran Bedi, a former police officer and now a leading anti-corruption campaigner, told Reuters. Later, Bedi tweeted to tell followers to “pray for Anna Hazare’s health. Anna is reaching a difficult stage.”For a while, at least, Anna Hazare’s rock-hard stance seemed to soften. The night before he addressed the gathering crowed Tuesday morning at the Ramlila grounds, Anna Hazare acknowledged to his aides that some anti-Congress slogans the crowd had begun to chant (like “Sonia murdabad” or “Down with Sonia”) could affect the non-partisan character of his anti-corruption movement, according to the same Congress source.

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