A veteran Indian social activist renews a fast to the death in New Delhi on Tuesday to force tougher laws against corruption, to the dismay of the embattled prime minister and his ruling party as they grapple with scandals and a slowing economy. Decked out in a plain white shirt, white cap and spectacles in the style of Mahatma Gandhi, the septuagenarian Anna Hazare became the unlikely thorn in the side of the Congress party-led coalition when he went on an indefinite hunger strike in April. Police on Monday denied permission for Hazare to fast near a cricket stadium, putting the activist on a collision course with authorities. Police said he had failed to meet certain conditions, including ending his fast in three days.