Anna Hazare's fast to demand a strong Lokpal Bill entered the seventh day in New Delhi on Monday with his team asserting that they have no intention to topple the government.
Thousands of Delhiites today rallied behind Anna Hazare's campaign against corruption by thronging India Gate, from where they marched to Ramlila Maidan, where the Gandhian is on a fast demanding a strong Lokpal.
Speculation was rife on Sunday about back-room negotiations to resolve differences between Centre and Anna Hazare after a senior Maharashtra government official met the Gandhian in New Delhi but his team ruled out any compromise on its demand for bringing Prime Minister and higher judiciary within Lokpal's ambit.
A "disgruntled" volunteer of Team Anna today attempted self-immolation at the fast site of Anna Hazare and yoga guru Ramdev, alleging that he was mistreated by prominent members of India Against Corruption. The volunteer, donning a Team Anna T-shirt and cap and carrying a mega phone, surfaced at the media enclosure of the protest site at Jantar Mantar around 12:15 pm when a close aide of Ramdev was speaking on black money.
People from all walks of life took to the streets in Bihar to express their support for activist Anna Hazare and his demand for the Jan Lokpal Bill.
Facing controversy, the Congress on Thursday washed its hands off party spokesperson Rashid Alvi's comments suspecting a foreign hand behind Anna Hazare's anti-graft movement and resenting American comments on the agitation.
Ever since veteran social activist Anna Hazare was lodged in the Tihar Jail in New Delhi, the whole of India has been swamped by peaceful protests. Angry protestors are expressing their angst against the malice of corruption.
Leader of opposition in Bihar Abdul Bari Siddiqui today suggested Anna Hazare and his aides to launch a movement against corruption from the state.
Rediff.com's Prasanna Zore in a freewheeling chat with Prashant Bhushan, member of the Lokpal bill joint drafting committee.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday evening asked Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta to revoke the detention orders against veteran activist Anna Hazare and all his supporters with immediate effect, sources told rediff.com.
In the wake of Anna Hazare's arrest, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said a "nervous" United Progressive Alliance government was adopting an "undemocratic attitude" by laying down unreasonable conditions on peaceful protestors and misusing the police to serve its ends."The government has been adopting an undemocratic attitude outside Parliament till now. Today this was seen inside the Parliament as well. This government has lost its balance," she said.
Accusing the Opposition of not allowing the government to put forth its views in Parliament on Anna Hazare's detention, two senior ministers on Tuesday said such an attitude was "not fair" in a parliamentary system. Leader of the Lok Sabha and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the Opposition created a pandemonium in Parliament forcing its adjournment.
A legal tussle between Team Anna and the government of India now seems certain after the social activist's proposed indefinite fast against corruption was forcibly curbed by the might of the government. Vicky Nanjappa explains the nitty-gritty of such a case before the apex court.
"No fundamental right has been violated. Section 144 was already in place and anyone who breaks the law can be taken into preventive custody," Noted constituional expert Fali Nariman told rediff.com.
Delhi Police on Monday sought the services of two magistrates from Delhi government ahead of the protest by Anna Hazare and his team who have announced they would go ahead with their fast against corruption despite denial of permission for the agitation.
Social Activist Anna Hazare hit back at Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari for making false allegations against him and challenged the government to register a First Information Report against him and investigate the claims made by Tewari at a press conference.
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.
Peeved at being denied permission to hold an indefinite fast from August 16 on a venue desired by him, Anna Hazare on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accusing the government of "crushing" the fundamental rights of people.
Amid "confusion" on how to take the movement forward, Team Anna's Core Committee met in Ghaziabad on Monday sans ailing Anna Hazare to decide on their future strategy.
Ahead of the proposed August 16 fast against corruption by social activist Anna Hazare, United States has hoped that New Delhi would exercise democratic restraint in the way it deals with peaceful protest.
Team Anna Core Committee member Kiran Bedi on Saturday rubbished a media report that claimed she had complained to social activist Anna Hazare that colleague and fellow Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal was not using funds of the Public Cause Research Foundation adequately
A day after a photograph of Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh was published in a Hindi daily with the leaders of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Prakash Javadekar mockingly advised the former to join the Sangh.
In an exclusive interview to rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, Arvind Kejriwal said that people should vote for a party they think will ensure a better future.
Anna Hazare and his team may not have managed to see introduction of their version of Lokpal Bill in Parliament, but an Independent MP on Monday submitted in Rajya Sabha a Private Member's Jan Lokpal Bill aimed at checking corruption.
Anna Hazare was on Wednesday admitted to a local hospital for a medical check-up after he complained of fatigue and weakness. Hazare, 74, had arrived in Nashik on Wednesday morning from Dhule town as part of his state-wide tour for a strong Lokayukta Bill.
The condition of Anna Hazare, who is suffering from bronchitis, is stable and improving, doctors attending on him said on Wednesday.
Maintaining strong opposition to entering politics as it is "full of dirt", Anna Hazare on Thursday claimed that he did not get answers from Arvind Kejriwal-led group on questions raised by him on how to organise a political alternative.
In a veiled attack on his former close aide Arvind Kejriwal, Anna Hazare said, "Politics has split" the anti-corruption movement and the pro-party group has gone against his will.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur were today shown black flags by supporters of anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare at the Golden Temple.
Activist Anna Hazare claims that 85 per cent people in Telecom and Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal's constituency in Chandni Chowk, Delhi, support the draft Lokpal Bill drawn up by 'civil society' activists.
Yes, we are into politics, says Arvind Kejriwal in an interview to CNN-IBN. Kejriwal said that an announcement on the new political party was likely to be made on October 2.
With the bill giving constitutional status to the Lokpal defeated in the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Wednesday took potshots at the Bharatiya Janata Party and Team Anna, asking Anna Hazare whether his colleagues would stage a dharna in front of LK Advani's residence pleading with the BJP not to oppose it in the Rajya Sabha
The much-awaited Lokpal Bill was on Tuesday taken up for consideration by the Lok Sabha on a stormy note with the Opposition demanding its withdrawal contending it was full of deficiencies, even as the government asserted that it had sought to strike a fine balance.
Concern over Anna Hazare's health weighing on their minds, villagers of Ralegan Siddhi will arrive here tomorrow, the second day of his fast for a strong Lokpal Bill, after observing a bandh on Tuesday.
The Karnataka high court on Tuesday rejected a petition challenging the fast undertaken by Anna Hazare in connection with the Lokpal Bill. A division bench comprising Justices Ram Mohan Reddy and Venugopal Gowda stated that there is no violation in undertaking such a protest.
Hazare, who reached Mumbai on Monday night from his village Ralegan Siddhi, paid respects at Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Juhu before proceeding to the fast venue, MMRDA ground, in suburban Bandra in a rally.
"Agitation is the right of every citizen," a vacation bench of Justices Girish Godbole and M L Tahalayani observed while hearing the PIL filed by a social worker Mangleshwar Tripathi, seeking the fast being observed by the 74-year-old Gandhian at MMRDA ground in Bandra East, Mumbai, be declared as "illegal and unconstitutional"
"It is the job of Parliament to legislate. We (government) had several rounds of discussion with him (Anna Hazare) and his team. We know their viewpoints. About nine rounds of meetings have already been held with them. Thereafter also, through interlocutors some discussions also took place with them," Mukherjee told media persons at his south Kolkata residence.
The security at the ground of Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority in suburban Bandra-Kurla Complex will comprise 2,000 constables, 200 sub-inspectors of police, six platoons of state reserve police force, three teams of Quick Response Team and two Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads.
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