Hazare ends 19-day 'maun vrat' at Rajghat

Anna Hazare on Friday broke his 'vow of silence' for the past 19 days after paying tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat in New Delhi.

Seventy-four-year-old Hazare visited Gandhi's memorial at around 7:00 hours and broke his maun vrat, observed since October 16, saying Bharat Mata ki Jai aloud.

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Hazare had reached Delhi on Thursday night to attend a meeting of the Standing Committee on Lokpal Bill. He had begun his 'maun vrat' at his native village in Maharashtra for atma shanti (peace of soul).

Team Anna had got engulfed in a series of controversies including financial misconduct, during Hazare's 19-day maun vrat.

He had last week held a meeting with prominent members in Ralegan Siddhi during which it was decided that the anti-corruption movement will have a constitution and its core members will have to adhere to certain norms.Hazare had threatened to launch another hunger strike if a strong Lokpal Bill is not passed in Parliament's winter session.