Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has announced he will go on hunger strike for a third time over opposition to the draft Lokpal (ombudsman) Bill to be tabled in parliament tomorrow.

The bill, which aims to stem corruption, was approved by the cabinet yesterday and accepted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, but Hazare, who has strongly urged passage of the bill, continues to object to the denial of control of the Central Bureau of Investigation to the Lokpal.

Prashant Bhushan, a prominent Hazare supporter and lawyer, said the issue was of vital importance to stemming corruption.

“If Lokpal will not have administrative control and remains only an investigating agency, then there is no point in having a Lokpal,” he said.

Hazare said he would stage a three-day hunger strike in Mumbai from December 27-29.

“This will be followed by a three-day jail bharo [court arrest] from December 30. After this, I will go to five poll-bound states and campaign against the [federal] government,” the Economic Times quoted Hazare as saying.

Also of concern to Hazare and his supporters is a provision in the bill to bring the prime minister under the ambit of the Lokpal.

The approved draft legislation contains such a provision but with exceptions.

The prime minister would be subject to the Lokpal in all but external matters, atomic energy issues and matters of national security, which are excluded from the Lokpal’s purview.

The bill also stipulates that the Lokpal would be appointed by the prime minster, the opposition leader and the chief justice of India.

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