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.
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.
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"
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.
"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.
Ahead of Anna Hazare's fast, Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh on Saturday accused him of playing into the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party to harm the party despite it fulfilling the commitment to bring the Lokpal Bill.
With the Bombay high court on Friday rejecting the petition seeking direction to Maharashtra government for waiving or reducing the rent for MMRDA ground for his fast, Anna Hazare said the volunteers should not have sought legal remedy. "Our volunteers shouldn't have approached court," he told the media Ralegan Siddhi.
Coming down heavily on Team Anna's agitation, the Bombay high court on Friday said it can't allow "parallel canvassing" when Parliament is seized with debate on Lokpal Bill and questioned its decision to seek exemption from charges to use MMRDA grounds for Anna Hazare's proposed fast.
Seeking to galvanise public opinion in favour of its version of Lokpal Bill, the Anna Hazare team on Thursday initiated a "referendum" on the law in Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency represented by Human Resources and Development Minister Kapil Sibal.
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.
India Against Corruption, the Non-Governmental Organisation spearheading Anna Hazare's proposed fast, on Tuesday expressed shock at the prohibitive cost of hiring the MMRDA ground and asked the Maharashtra government to waive it entirely or allow use of Azad Maidan for the agitation.
Veteran social activist Anna Hazare has questioned the government's intention to draft an effective Lokpal Bill. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in Pune on Friday, Hazare expressed apprehensions over the commitment of political leaders to build a corruption-free India.
Even as Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh assured the nation that his government was committed in passing the Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare continued to accuse the government of deceit.
Even as Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh assured the nation that his government was committed in passing the Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare continued to accuse the government of deceit.
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.
Anna Hazare on Wednesday found fault with the government for bringing a separate Citizens' Charter bill saying it was against the assurance given by Parliament to him and urged Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjee to pressurise the United Progressive Alliance on Lokpal issue as she did on FDI in retail.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has had a change of heart as far as Anna Hazare's campaign for the Jan Lokpal Bill is concerned. Singing the same tune as the anti-corruption crusader, Mayawati said on Tuesday that the prime minister, the Central Bureau of Investigation and all section of government employees should be brought under the ambit of the Lokpal.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday announced a slew of stricter laws to fight corruption and amendments in the existing Lokayukta Act. Gogoi said, "The new anti-corruption legislations and the amendments to State Lokayukta Act will be tabled in the state assembly in the next budget session." "We were committed to tackling corruption even before Anna Hazare started his campaign. With that in mind, we will make amendments in the present Lokayukta Act," he said.
If the nascent US upturn gathers momentum, then the global scenario could look less disaster-prone a year from now.
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.
Targeting the political class, Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress of misusing the Central Bureau of Investigation while in power. He also took on Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee for not being vocal about Lokpal like she was on the issue of Foreign Direct Investment in retail.
Contrary to Anna Hazare's view -- that Rahul Gandhi was behind the Standing Committee's decision to exclude the lower bureaucracy from the purview of Lokpal -- there are indications now that it may be Gandhi who may want their inclusion, says Neerja Chowdhury
With the threat of Anna Hazare's agitation looming large, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called an all-party meeting next week to evolve a broad consensus on the Lokpal Bill and ensure its passage during the current session of Parliament that ends on December 22. Before the all-party meeting, the United Progressive Alliance allies will hold confabulations among themselves on December 13 to devise a common strategy and speak in one voice in Parliament.
Activist Anna Hazare on Saturday blamed Rahul Gandhi for encouraging Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, chairman of the Standing Committee of Law and Justice, Public Grievances and Personnel, for overlooking the letter written by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Two days ahead of Anna Hazare's fast for a strong Lokpal Bill, his team today stepped up attack on government questioning the "credibility" of the Standing Committee report on the issue saying it has only the support of 12 members.
Abhishek Manu Singvi, chairman of 30-member Standing Committee of Parliament, on Wednesday adopted the Lokpal draft for consideration and approval by the union cabinet before it is tabled in both houses in the form of an anti-corruption bill.
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday lashed out at Anna Hazare for his remarks justifying the recent physical attack on him, saying any further assault on him would be amply clear from where the instigation emanates.
The Congress on Wednesday charged Yoga guru Ramdev and social activist Anna Hazare of having a "hidden agenda" to destabilize the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre.
Team Anna member Kiran Bedi on Thursday contended that the Parliamentary Standing Committee recommendations on Lokpal Bill will only help in making the ombdusman an "Enquiry Pal" with no powers at all. Bedi said Anna Hazare and his supporters did not fight for such an anti-corruption watchdog.
As fresh cracks appeared in Team Anna after the expulsion of a Muslim leader, activist Anna Hazare on Monday said there is no rift in the group over the "leakage" of information. In his first reaction after the expulsion of Mufti Shameem Kazmi after he was allegedly found recording the proceedings of a core committee meeting in Noida on Sunday, Hazare said that there is no fallout over the issue.
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.
There are some who go with the flow, while there are others who try to change the world for better with their revolutionary thinking.
Within a month of stitching an alliance to fight corruption, Team Anna is now fuming at yoga guru Ramdev for his "one-upmanship" and "not taking into confidence" Anna Hazare while announcing the future course of action.
Confusion prevailed over Anna Hazare's protest plans on Monday with a prominent Municipal Corporation of Delhi functionary saying that the civic body has not given permission for the agitation at Ramlila Maidan even as Team Anna insisted that they have got the nod.
