With Team Anna indicating that they may come out with a political alternative, the government on Thursday claimed that its stand on the movement by Anna Hazare and his team has been vindicated and it was glad that their intention has come out in the open.
As social activist Anna Hazare's fast entered the 10th day on Thursday, his team accused "some strong elements" in the government of nullifying the entire dialogue process and said they have become victims of Congress' "internal politics".
Talks between government and Team Anna Hazare ended in a deadlock on Wednesday tonight with the two sides failing to resolve the key issues, prompting the civil society to declare that they were "back to square one".
Lashing out at Team Anna for its anti-Congress propaganda, Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief president Rita Bahuguna Joshi
The Congress on Friday said Team Anna's decision to launch a political party was a face- saver to end the fast as the issues raised by the activists were "completely hollow". "Both the issues at this point in time were completely hollow in substance because the Lokpal is before a Select Committee. The allegations were not backed by evidence," Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said.
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".
Team Anna on Monday rejected government's proposal of excluding lower bureaucracy from Lokpal's ambit, saying they must be covered to fight graft like alleged swindling by Group C employees of over Rs 30,000 crore worth of ration annually meant for poor.
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.
Team Anna on Friday saw a "conspiracy" behind the attacks on Prashant Bhushan and volunteers by members of a right-wing group, saying they did not feel that the lawyer's controversial remarks on Kashmir were the provocation for the assault.
As the Congress suffered a major blow in the elections to five states, Team Anna member Kiran Bedi on Tuesday claimed that the opposition to an effective Lokpal cost the party dearly and took a dig at its top leaders. In her tweets, Bedi said when the Congress started to use its power "to discredit" the anti-corruption movement, it put its own grassroot workers on the defensive. "Congress appeared to be suffering today," she said.
Team Anna appeared to be divided on Raj Thackeray on Thursday with Anna Hazare praising the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray saying his work "appeals" to him and its key member Prashant Bhushan disapproving his politics.
Maintaining that they were "transparent" in their functioning, Team Anna on Sunday dismissed Swami Agnivesh's allegations that donations for Anna Hazare's agitation was siphoned off by Arvind Kejriwal, saying he might be levelling such accusations out of anger.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday attacked Team Anna for raising "hue and cry" on Lokpal issue issue despite a pledge by her government to bring an effective and strong Bill and said corruption cannot be eradicated by merely making speeches or by pointing a finger at others.
High drama was witnessed at the Team Anna core committee meeting in Noida on Sunday with the group expelling one of its members Mufti Shameem Kazmi for allegedly recording its proceedings even as he claimed that he quit the movement as it was turning anti-Muslim.
Congress leader Dijvijay Singh on Monday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party coming to the defence of Arvind Kejriwal in the controversy surrounding the transfer of money to his non-government organisation was proof enough of the alliance between Team Anna and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-BJP.
Yoga guru Ramdev on Sunday came under attack from Team Anna as he shared the stage with Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Ahmedabad and said he found no basis for allegations of corruption in Gujarat.
Raising its pitch against Members of Parliament, Team Anna on Tuesday asked lawmakers whether the "good MPs" will support 162 of those with a criminal background or demand the cleansing of Parliament.
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Government and Team Anna on Tuesday night began discussions on the Lokpal issue amidst clear indications that government might consider bringing the Prime Minister under the ambit of the anti-corruption ombudsman while differences persisted on other key issues during the inconclusive talks.
The Delhi high court on Thursday disposed of a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation probe against Team Anna members and some NGOs affiliated to them for allegedly receiving funds illegally from foreign organisations.
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 for Anna's fast, reports Toral Varia Deshpande
In the most candid admission of Team Anna's political ambitions, Arvind Kejriwal has said a non-Congress, non-Bharatiya Janata Party people's front will be put up in the 2014 polls, which will be backed by Anna Hazare and his team.
In fresh turmoil in Team Anna, two prominent activists P V Rajagopal and 'Waterman' Rajendra Singh on Tuesday quit its core committee objecting to the movement taking a "political turn" and claimed that it was mired in confusion.
Paving the way for the formation of a political party, Team Anna on Monday disbanded itself and decided not to have any more talks with the government on the Lokpal issue.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi's speech in Uttarkhand on Wednesday, which made a veiled attack on Team Anna, sparks a political slugfest between the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party over the issue of corruption.
The 'Gram Sanvad Yatra', as it is called, will start from June 18 and end on July 12 and will be anchored by Team Anna member Manish Sisodia. The yatra is aimed at drumming up support for its indefinite fast in New Delhi from July 25 against the United Progressive Alliance government for failing to pass a strong Lokpal Bill
Delhi Police on Saturday sought a fresh undertaking from one of the prominent members of erstwhile Team Anna to allow their dharna in New Delhi on the coal allocation issue while warning them against gheraoing the residences of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and BJP chief Nitin Gadkari.
As Team Anna's fast against corruption entered the eighth day, Congress on Wednesday said it had never closed its doors for talks but accused the group of going ahead with the agitation "individually and arbitrarily".
Team Anna on Saturday clubbed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee with 13 other cabinet ministers, whom they accused of corruption, which the Congress dismissed as "unsubstantiated averments" that need not be responded to.
Team Anna on Tuesday met senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj to lobby for the party's support for inclusion of lower bureaucracy, judiciary and Central Bureau of Intelligence under the purview of proposed Lokpal.
Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament Maneka Gandhi on Saturday took out a leaf from Ramayana to support Team Anna's entry into electoral politics, saying a confident Ravana had dismissed Lord Rama's army as "monkeys and bears" but ended up vanquished.
Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh has favoured a dialogue between Team Anna and the government, but said it should not be at "gunpoint" even as he sought an end to their fast first.
Government on Monday released audio tapes of proceedings of the joint drafting committee meetings on Lokpal Bill that brings out sharp differences that had always marked the relationship between Team Anna and Union ministers on issues like inclusion of prime minister and the judiciary under its ambit.
Asserting that it was for Parliament to take a final view on inclusion of Prime Minister under the ambit of Lokpal, Parliamentary Standing Committee chairman Abhishek Singhvi on Wednesday said the panel was not meant to reach out to or please Team Anna or any other group.
Team Anna on Friday dismissed as "pretence" the Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the irregularities in the coal block allocation and alleged such a probe is meant to give a "clean chit" to Prime Minister Mahmohan Singh.
Questioning the government's move to make the Lokpal a Constitutional authority, Team Anna on Wednesday said it was a tactic to delay or avoid its passage and "fool" the people.
A better option will be a nation-wide campaign by Team Anna to convert what has remained an elitist middle class movement into a mass movement of the people based on three slogans: "Say No To Bribe", "Bring in Jan Lokpal" and "Free the CBI From Govt Clutches", notes B Raman.
In this Team Anna versus Parliament tussle, Parliamentarians have registered a considerable victory, believes Sheela Bhatt
Cut off from the world in his solitary confinement in the Jodhpur jail, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has turned his attention to a group of usually unremarkable visitors -- ants. Perhaps, he is drawn to the sense of solidarity and team spirit they display, his wife and HIAL co-founder Gitanjali Angmo says.
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