Insisting that there was no wrongdoing in the arrest of Anna Hazare, Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday said the government would deal with him "administratively and politically" but made it clear that his Jan Lokpal Bill was not acceptable.
Describing Anna Hazare's campaign as 'brahminvaad', activist Swami Agnivesh today hit out at the Gandhian saying there was "no democracy" in his agitation and dissenting voices were thrown out of the team.
As Anna Hazare's fast entered the 11th day on Friday, the Gandhian lost seven kg of weight but doctors said he appeared to be healthy.
Following a meeting of Congress Parliamentary Party, where some members felt that leaders from Maharashtra should be roped in to talk to the 74-year-old Gandhian, Deshmukh drove to Ramlila Maidan to meet Hazare but maintained that it was "in his personal capacity."
Strongly defending Anna Hazare's detention, the government on Tuesday said the Gandhian activist was taken into custody after the Delhi police came to the conclusion that he and his supporters would commit a "cognisable offence" by defying prohibitory orders. Home Minister P Chidambaram said that after being taken into custody, the 73-year-old was taken to the Police Officers Mess in Civil Lines and he will be produced before a magistrate.
Rajeev Srinivasan on how Ramdev, Hazare, and Husain are all representative of different strands in Indian society.
Rediff.com's Toral Varia, who has been covering Anna Hazare's fast at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, spoke to prominent civil society member Swami Agnivesh on the way ahead for the team Anna.
Right to Information activist Arvind Kejriwal has been in the forefront of the massively publicised movement to demand a Lokpal Bill. A close associate of Gandhian Anna Hazare, Kejriwal has staunchly defended the movement and rebuffed many allegations made against civil society activists by the ruling Congress party. He has also taken on senior Congress leaders like Digvijaya Singh and Pranab Mukherjee who had taken pot shots at Hazare's movement.
Janata Dal-Secular leader H D Kumaraswamy's remarks that Mahatma Gandhi would have turned corrupt in the present day politics on Monday drew sharp reaction from leaders including Gandhian Anna Hazare, who wondered how the country could eliminate corruption if leaders talk like this.
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has driven Indian government into a political corner, the US media has said, but a leading paper feels that the methods being used by the social activist are a recipe for 'anarchy.'
The notification, one of the key demands of the anti-corruption campaign launched by Gandhian Anna Hazare, has been signed by V K Bhasin, Secretary, Legislative Department of the law ministry.
A core member of Team Anna and expert of food security, Devinder Sharma, told rediff.com that there is a debate going on within Team Anna whether the Gandhian should hold his proposed fast to press for a stringent Lokpal Bill from December 27 in Mumbai.
As Anna Hazare's fast entered Day 11 on Friday, the split in his team widened. It's now Swami Agnivesh and Justice Hegde versus the rest! The duo feel that Hazare should have called off the fast on Thursday and that protesting out the prime minister's residence was uncalled for.
Lok Satta party president Dr Jayaprakash Narayan may have his differences with Anna Hazare over the Lokpal Bill, but he salutes the Gandhian's efforts to bring the youth and the middle class to the forefront of the anti-corruption movement. Sheela Bhatt reports
Declaring government's commitment to a strong Lokpal, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said Anna Hazare's demand for 'right to reject' provision in electoral law needs political consensus.
The tremendous response, especially from the youth of the country to a 74-year-old Gandhian, has put paid to many political dreams. It is the leadership vacuum that Anna Hazare has filled, write Col Anil Athale
Reacting to Mayawati's objection over the absence of any Dalit on the Jan Lokpal Bill draft committee, Agnivesh said, "I do welcome her objection and thank her for raising the issue. But I would also like to ask the UP chief minister to declare whether she had taken any effective steps to curb the rampant corruption in her government.
Fresh controversy dogged Team Anna on Saturday as Anna Hazare's former blogger made public a blog, which was kept under wraps to blunt the Gandhian's claim that he had not spoken to him about re-organising his core team.
Congress on Wednesday hit out at Anna Hazare saying he should not call himself Gandhian as he justified slapping.
The case of Gujaratis also the eye-opener for all Indians, who are agitating for the Lokpal bill.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will join social activist Anna Hazare in his protest against the land ordinance on Tuesday at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
In an interview with rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar says that even though he supports the cause, he would never support anybody who resorts to violence.
Accusing the government of reducing the meetings of the joint committee to a mere "show of formality", Gandhian Anna Hazare expressed surprise that the government told them that finally two Bills will be sent to the Cabinet -- one drafted by the civil society and one by the government representatives.
Curtains were drawn on the anti-corruption campaign that drew instant nationwide support with a little girl giving the 73-year-old activist a glass of water at 10.45 am at Jantar Mantar, the nerve-centre of the agitation for a strong legislation to combat political and administrative graft.
Annasaheb, I have known of your good work in Ralegaon Siddhi in Maharashtra for the past 30 years. Most Maharashtrians know you well, but this generation of youth has not been fed much information of 'good works' by the media.
A court in Pune has discharged social activist Anna Hazare in a case of alleged misappropriation of funds in the Hind Swaraj Trust, headed by him.
There seems to be a split within Team Anna over whether or not the Gandhian should continue his fast in the backdrop of his deteriorating health.
Vicky Nanjappa talks to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, founder of the Art of Living foundation, on the Lokpal Bill and why Gandhian Anna Hazare's movement against corruption was lapped up by the common man
Anna Hazare's former blogger Raju Parulekar on Friday night fired yet another salvo at prominent Team Anna members accusing them of using the Gandhian as a demi-god and as their brand to further their interests.
Amid continuing deadlock between government and Team Anna Hazare on Lokpal, the Gandhian on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.
In yet another indication of the growing discomfort in sections of Congress with the handling of the Anna Hazare crisis, a senior party leader on Monday said that the government underestimated the Gandhian's movement against corruption and asked it to enter into dialogue with him.
From Ramlila Maidan to Ralegan Siddi -- Anna Hazare's village, celebrations at full blast replaced days of protests as the Gandhian broke his fast on Sunday with his supporters marking "people's victory" with dancing, waving of tri-colour and handing out of sweets and flowers.
Anna Hazare was discharged from a hospital in Gurgaon on Wednesday evening where he was admitted on Sunday after he broke his 12-day fast demanding a strong Lokpal.
Parliament complex on Friday witnessed high drama as a supporter of Anna Hazare shouted slogans in favour of the Gandhian before being taken away by the security personnel.
Civil society activist Kiran Bedi, in a tweet early morning on Thursday said that social activist Anna Hazare has accepted the Delhi police offer of a two-week fast at Ramlila Maidan.
As Anna Hazare's fast entered tenth day today, thousands of his supporters organised mass prayers for the well being of the Gandhian leader. A large number of Anna supporters stayed at the Ramlila ground whole night singing patriotic songs and chanting anti government slogans.
Among the old and the young who have made their way to the dharna site of Anna Hazare in New Delhi is a small group of visually handicapped students who want to 'feel the pulse' of the protest and 'see' the man who is speaking for them.
Arvind Kejriwal met Anna Hazare on Saturday night shortly after which the Gandhian had a jibe at the Delhi chief minister saying some people take bungalows despite having promised not to do so.
A group of Anna Hazare supporters on Friday protested outside the residence of Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, shouting slogans in favour of the Gandhian and his demand for a strong Lokpal.
Concerns over Anna Hazare's health grew on Tuesday as the Gandhian entered the eighth day of his fast even as doctors said he was fine but advised the Gandhian not to venture out in the sun.
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