Accusing the Centre of "betrayal" on the Lokpal Bill, anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare on Friday threatened to launch a fresh stir at Ramlila ground in Delhi later this year to raise the pitch over the issue.
Hectic political activity is on in New Delhi with the government upset with what it terms as Team Anna's attempts to seek political consensus on its Jan Lokpal Bill. There is also uncertainity surrounding the scheduled debate in Parliament over the draft bill.
Sharp differences broke out among Team Anna, the government and the Opposition on Friday over the wording of the resolution for the debate in both Houses of Parliament on various drafts of the Lokpal Bill
Addressing a press conference after an hour-long meeting with anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare, the chief minister said the Lokpal Bill was likely to be passed in the current session of Parliament.
The Lokpal can't be appointed in the current scenario as amendments regarding the definition of the Leader of Opposition in the Lokpal Act was pending in Parliament, AG said.
In a move that is bound to add to the woes of the Congress, activist Anna Hazare on Tuesday announced his decision to begin a national tour after Dusshera.
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.
Decrying the failure of Rajya Sabha to pass the Lokpal bill, Anna Hazare on Thursday made a curious suggestion to bring a law to empower gram sabhas that will be above Parliament.
BJP leader Arun Jaitley said, "the BJP core group would be meeting later today to decide what it will do on the road (on the Lokpal issue). We will expose the government on the road and make the public aware in the wake of Thursday's developments. We will take up this Bill in the next session and expose the government there also."
In an interview with CNN-IBN, author and activist Arundhati Roy outlines the reasons why she strongly opposes Anna Hazare's movement for the Jan Lokpal Bill
Anna Hazare is all set for a full blown confrontation with the government on the Lokpal bill, giving a call to his supporters to fill up jails across the country if he is arrested on Tuesday after being denied permission to hold fast in Delhi and prohibitory orders clamped.
With Anna Hazare sitting on an indefinite fast and the Congress having received a huge drubbing in Delhi at the hands of newcomers Aam Aadmi Party -- who fought the elections on the plank of eradicating corruption and bringing transparency in public discourse -- the party-led United Progressive Alliance government has finally decided to bring the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
The much-delayed insurance bill and the goods and services tax bill are among the 39 bills that are expected to come up during the month-long Winter Session of Parliament beginning next week.
The Lokpal bill, uncontrolled inflation, corruption, a slew of issues will play out in the month-long winter session of parliament beginning on Tuesday.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of blocking passage of six anti-graft bills by Parliament, which form part of the government's anti-corruption framework.
Launching its campaign in five poll-bound states, Team Anna on Saturday sought to be even-handed by targeting the Centre, Bharatiya Janata Party, Bahujan Samaj Party for bringing a "toothless" Lokpal Bill which is like a "dead body strewn with flowers".
Stepping up pressure, Anna Hazare on Thursday announced a new agitation of filling up jails (jail bharo) from January 1 if Parliament does not pass a strong Lokpal law, amid indications that it is unlikely to be done before the scheduled conclusion of the current winter session.
Condemning the recent assaults on civil society activists and stating that Anna Hazare's movement had served its purpose, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday assured that a bill for a strong Lokpal would soon be cleared.
On the eve of the winter session of Parliament, rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt narrates how the Congress party views the issues of corruption, Team Anna and Lokpal bill.
Reacting to Parliament's appeal to end his fast, Anna Hazare on Thursday demanded that Parliament discuss from Friday three key issues on Jan Lokpal and create an agreement, failing which he will not end his fast.
Changing his stand, Anna Hazare on Friday said he will campaign against Congress in the five poll-bound states if the United Progress Alliance government fails to get the Jan Lokpal Bill passed in the winter session of Parliament.
Attacking lawmakers, Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal has courted controversy by saying that "rapists, murderers and looters" are sitting in Parliament, with enraged parties claiming that his "outrageous" remark showed that he had no faith in democracy and the Constitution.
A more informed electorate, rather than the Lokpal, can fight corruption better, argues Neeta Kolhatkar.
Describing the passing of Lokayukta Bill in Uttarakhand as a "revolution" in governance, Team Anna member Kiran Bedi on Wednesday said their campaign in Hisar bypolls has paid dividends though some of them had to face "bitter" experiences due to it.
In an interview with rediff.com's Sahim Salim social activist Medha Patkar said that Team Anna expected a deadlock between the Congress and BJP when the BJP took a stance on the matter.
The way appears to have been cleared for Anna Hazare to end his fast possibly on Friday when Parliament will discuss the Jan Lokpal Bill along with other civil society drafts on the subject after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made the ice-breaking offer.
"Corrupt" politicians will never allow Lokpal Bill to be passed in Parliament, anti-graft activist Anna Hazare has said while urging people to elect representatives with clean image in next Lok Sabha polls.
Sonia Gandhi has expressed her agreement with the concerns of Anna Hazare on the land bill and vowed to oppose it.
Anna Hazare on Tuesday faced a low turnout as he launched his three-day fast against a "weak" Lokpal Bill asking people to be ready for an 'aar paar ki ladai' (fight to finish) to stamp out corruption and ensure that "goondas" do not enter Parliament.
Ahead of Anna Hazare's fast from Tuesday to demand a 'strong' Lokpal, Team Anna on Monday said it was not aligned with anyone in particular and that it was only fighting to achieve an "independent" and "non-partisan" Central Bureau of Investigation.
As Parliament takes up the debate on the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2011, on Tuesday, the Congress party will try to ensure three things.
With Team Anna stepping up the heat on the corruption issue, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said the government was open to reasoned debate on the Lokpal Bill but made it clear that there was no single solution to tackle the problem.
Social activist Anna Hazare on Tuesday began his protest against the government for putting forth a "weak Lokpal bill" before Parliament, with a bike rally from Dadar to Azad Maidan in south Mumbai
The seven-hour-long debate on the Lokpal bill witnessed some interesting arguments and counter-arguments on Saturday in the Lok Sabha. Earlier, while initiating the debate, Mukherjee said that the nation was at a "cross-roads" in view of Hazare's campaign. He asked the Parliament to consider the Gandhian's three key demands within the Constitutional framework and by preserving Parliament's supremacy. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj had a go at Rahul Gandhi.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday said Congress President Sonia Gandhi's statement that the opposition had always obstructed the passing of a strong and effective Lokpal Bill in Parliament, and growth in Gujarat, as one full of half-truths.
Team Anna has been granted permission by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority to use its ground in Bandra-Kurla complex from December 27.
Constitutional experts were on Friday divided on who should be blamed for the fiasco over the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha, holding both the government and the Opposition responsible for leaving the historic legislation in limbo.Describing the high drama in the Upper House as unprecedented in the history of Parliament, former chief justice of India V N Khare said that the interest of the nation is taking a backseat.
Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Varun Gandhi, who has given a notice in Lok Sabha for tabling Anna Hazare's Jan Lokpal Bill as a private members' bill, on Wednesday sat with protesters at Ramlila Maidan where the Gandhian is on a fast. Wearing a green kurta and sporting a tricolour badge, the 31-year-old Philibit MP came to the ground around 8:30 am and sat in the protesters' enclosure. "I have come here as a common man," Gandhi said.
Apprehending arrest, Anna Hazare late on Wednesday night gave a "Chalo Delhi" call to people all over the country and filling up of jails by gheraoing Parliament, demanding passage of Jan Lokpal Bill.
Team Anna on Friday made it clear that a mere discussion in Parliament will not serve any purpose and the Gandhian will not call off his fast till Parliament passes a resolution that the cleared Lokpal Bill will include the three contentious points raised by them.
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