Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday forced adjournment of Rajya Sabha till noon when it created uproar over alleged shift in government stand on anti-graft activist Anna Hazare's Jan Lokpal Bill.
Eight-year-old Ikrah and five-year-old Simran took centrestage at the Ramlila Maidan on Sunday when they gave a glass of tender coconut water to Anna Hazare for ending his fast on the Lokpal issue after 12 days.
Close on the heels of activist Anna Hazare threatening another round of agitation about the Lokpal Bill, the government, Team Anna and opposition parties Bharatiya Janata Party and Communist Party of India Marxist on Saturday said they were ready for an open dialogue on a strong anti-corruption bill. "The doors are open and we have never shut it. Rather, it was Team Anna which had slammed the door on us," Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid said.
Even as Congress spokesman Manish Tewari on Thursday expressed regret over his remarks against Anna Hazare, the Gandhian's lawyer said a case of defamation would be filed against the Lok Sabha MP in a court in Pune next week.
Declaring that there were no two views on the need for combating corruption, Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday appealed to Anna Hazare to give up his fast, assuring the Gandhian that his views would receive government's "full attention".
Two days before Anna Hazare sits on his second round of indefinite hunger strike on August 16 to press for his demand for total acceptance of Jan Lokpal Bill, an all-out war has broken out between the Congress, United Progressive Allince government and Team Hazare. Onkar Singh reports.
The Congress on Monday dared social activist Anna Hazare to contest from the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat in New Delhi after the latter released findings of his team's survey in Union Minister Kapil Sibal's constituency on the Lokpal issue
The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a PIL seeking action against Anna Hazare and his team members for allegedly showing disrespect to the national flag during his agitation for the Lokpal bill last year.
In a bid to project a non-partisan face, Anna Hazare and his team on Sunday shot off a series of letters to leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi and Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Gadkari, trying to put them on the mat on the Lokpal issue ahead of Assembly polls in five states.
Initiating their dialogue with political parties, the Anna Hazare team on Friday met senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L K Advani to drum up support for their version of the Lokpal Bill.
Anna Hazare on Thursday threatened to go on hunger strike from August 16 alleging "backtracking" on Lokpal bill but the government refused to yield, saying it cannot allow creation of a "parallel" structure.
After learning that Rajghat is not placed under Section 144 social activist Anna Hazare may shift the venue of his Wednesday's hunger strike against police atrocities to the Mahatma Gandhi memorial. This in case permission is denied to him by the Delhi police to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar.
Questions were raised on Sunday about the use of funds donated by the public to Team Anna with Swami Agnivesh alleging that money was deposited in the trust run by Arvind Kejriwal from which the names of major team members were missing, a claim dismissed as made "out of anger".
The Anna Hazare team on Wednesday met Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Prakash Karat in New Delhi to explain the civil society's position on the Lokpal Bill ahead of the all party meeting on the issue.
Stating that the government is shocked at the comments made by veteran social activist Anna Hazare's team, Union Human Resource and Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Monday said steps as these would only slow down the drafting process of the Lokpal bill.
Did Anna Hazare abruptly announce the ending of the fast, taking his associates by surprise?
Social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday cautioned people against those trying to create "schisms" and "discord" in the movement against corruption and appealed for their unity in the wake of the controversy over his endorsing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and some allegations.
Anna Hazare on Thursday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to immediately convene a meeting of Ganga Basin Authority and stop construction of dams on the holy river till a decision is taken by the body.
Activist Swami Agnivesh, who fell out with Anna Hazare's team during the agitation over Lokpal Bill, on Tuesday sought forgiveness from the Gandhian and the others "who felt hurt" through his "unintentional acts".
After having been beaten black and blue by Team Anna, the Congress party and the government are finally waking up to take the Gandhian on even as media managers in the party have so far not come out actively against the anti-corruption crusaders.
Coming out in support of Arvind Kejriwal on his allegations against Robert Vadra, Anna Hazare on Saturday asked why Congress fears a judicial probe in the matter if they are sure that the charges are false.
Social Activist Anna Hazare and his team have signed an agreement with the government to abide by certain conditions on the basis of which they will go ahead with the fast at Ramlila Grounds starting from Friday. Renu Mittal reports.
The government objected to the demand throwing the Lok Sabha into turmoil, while the Rajya Sabha witnessed ruling party members opposing permission by the Chair to Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley to raise the matter.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh on Sunday slammed Gandhian Anna Hazare for failing to acknowledge that its workers had played an "active role" in his nationwide crusade against corruption last year, though the Sangh itself was not part of the civil society agitation.
Anna Hazare on Sunday warned of "unprecedented revolution" in the country if Lokpal Bill is not passed by August 30 and said the government will have to "either get the bill passed or go."
In a late night breakthrough in the deadlock between Anna Hazare and Delhi police over the duration of his anti-corruption protest, the Gandhian accepted the offer for 14 days of hunger strike beginning on Thursday at the Ramlila Maidan.
Activist Anna Hazare on Sunday night said the civil society representatives will decide on Monday whether he should first undertake a nationwide tour against corruption before undertaking fast if a strong Lokpal bill is not ready.
A Delhi court has rejected a plea against a trial court order, dropping Abhishek Manu Singhvi's name as a witnesses from a complaint for prosecution of social activist Anna Hazare and his mates for allegedly instigating public against government during their anti-graft campaign.
Expressing disappointment with the new draft Lokpal Bill to be tabled in Parliament, Anna Hazare on Tuesday said he would fast for three days from December 27, followed by a three-day 'jail bharo' agitation.
Accusing the government of conspiring to split his team, Anna Hazare on Wednesday said he will not hold talks with government any more on Lokpal issue, an announcement that came in the wake of leak of reports of his meeting with Law Minister Salman Khurshid recently.
Social activist Anna Hazare will observe a week-long maun vrat (fasting into silence)' from October 17 at his native Ralegan Siddhi village for "peace of soul", a close aide of the Gandhian said in Pune on Saturday.
Alleging that crores of rupees are being spent to jeopardise the Jan Lokpal bill, Anna Hazare on Thursday said the activists will not lose sight of their goal and will not reply to continuous innuendos made by those seeking "cheap publicity".
The Lokpal bill drafting committee on Monday appeared to be headed for a collision course with the government opposing demands to bring the prime minister, higher judiciary and MPs' corrupt acts inside Parliament under its purview, provoking a civil society threat to take to the streets again.
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In remarks that could stoke a fresh controversy, Gandhian Anna Hazare on Tuesday night said a person is left with no option other than going for a slap when his power of tolerance of corruption runs out.
India Against Corruption volunteers demonstrate in front of the UN headquarters in New York in support of Anna Hazare's fast.
With just three days left for Anna Hazare's fast to commence, members of India Against Corruption are running from pillar to post to secure requisite clearances, reports Toral Varia Deshpande
Recuperating in a private hospital here, Anna Hazare on Sunday asked his supporters not to worry about his health saying he will be alright in a few days even as doctors attending on him said he should not go on fast for at least one month.
Anna Hazare's fast demanding a strong Lokpal entered the fifth day on Saturday with his Team saying they were ready to talk to the government but no such communication channels have been opened.
The Delhi police is understood to have sought two more days to take a decision on giving permission to social activist Anna Hazare to organise his indefinite fast against Lokpal Bill in New Delhi even as his team has secured a no-objection certificate from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi to hold the protest at Ramlila Maidan.
