Indian Parliament Affirms Anti-Graft Proposals

New Delhi, Aug 27: India’s Parliament expressed nonbinding support for a series of anti-corruption proposals on Saturday in the hopes that would be enough to persuade a reform activist to end his 11-day hunger strike.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told Parliament after a nearly nine-hour debate on a plan to create a government watchdog that the “sense of the House” backed Anna Hazare’s demands for a stronger bill than one proposed by the government.

Aides to the 74-year-old activist said they had wanted a Parliamentary vote on a nonbinding resolution pledging support for a bill that would ensure greater transparency in governance and include millions of low-level bureaucrats and state officials under the watchdog’s oversight.

It was not clear if Mukherjee’s statement would be enough for Hazare, but his supporters said it was a victory for a protest that has attracted tens of thousands of supporters to his demonstration in the capital and more to rallies around the country.

From: http://ping.fm/xev91