Anna Hazare breaks his indefinite fast as parliament passes Lokpal Bill

After the Lok Sabha reassembled at 12 noon Wednesday after being adjourned for an hour, Law Minister Kapil Sibal moved the bill as amended by the Rajya Sabha to be taken up for consideration by the Lok Sabha.

Opening the debate from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj said the government should not make any attempts to take credit for the passage of the bill.

"If at all anybody should be given credit for the bill, it is the old man who has been fasting (Anna Hazare)."

From the treasury benches, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi urged all parties to pass the bill. "We have the chance to make history."

After hearing the news of parliament passing the Lokpal Bill, Social activist Anna Hazare broke his 9 day long fast today.

Hazare launched the hunger strike Dec 10 and vowed to continue it till the bill was presented during the current winter session of parliament and passed to make it a law.

An overjoyed social activist Anna Hazare hailed the passage of the Lokpal bill in parliament and said "we will be able to do something for the society and country".

"On behalf of the people of the country, the citizens of Ralegan-Siddhi and all others who took part in the agitation, I thank the authorities for passing the bill," Hazare said, addressing a large crowd of supporters shortly after the Lok Sabha too passed the legislation cleared by the Rajya Sabha Tuesday.

Several thousand supporters of Anna Hazare lustily cheered as the Lok Sabha passed the much-anticipated Lokpal bill.