Team Anna on Saturday dismissed an imminent breakthrough in the
Lokpal logjam. Even as Parliament debated the Lokpal Bill, Team Anna has expressed unhappiness after speaking to Law Minister Salman Khurshid.
Anti-corruption crusader
Anna Hazare's associate Prashant Bhushan accused the government of going back on its word of passing a resolution in Parliament as the fasting Gandhian had demanded.
Slamming the government for diluting the Lokpal Bill debate in Parliament, Bhushan said the least it wanted was a resolution followed by a voting on three key issues.
"Yesterday there was an impression that there would be a resolution on the key issues, to be voted upon. Now we are being told there won't be any resolution. Nor will there be any voting. Only discussion will happen," Bhushan told reporters in Delhi.
"This is not what we had understood. It's not meaningful. At least the House should move a motion and a voting should take place under Rule 184 as mentioned by Anna Hazare in his letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday," he said, adding, "This is very unfortunate. Why is there no viting?"
On being asked if Hazare would break his fast on Saturday, Bhushan said, "That is a decision that Anna has to take."
Maintaining that a voting was a must, Bhushan said, "People of this country need to know where our parties/MPs stand over the three issues that are being debated in Parliament today."
Parliament on Saturday debated the Lokpal Bill, including three contentious issues raised by Team Anna, including covering the entire bureaucracy and Citizens' Charter for public grievances under Lokpal and Lokayuktas in the states.
Draft for the Lokpal Bill
The power corridors are abuzz with hectic activity with leaders weighing pros and cons of an apparent reconciliation draft for the
Lokpal Bill.
The
draft that will be put before
Parliament will reflect the sense of the House. It is being vetted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Copies of the same have been circulated to all political parties.
Sources told Headlines Today that all three demands of the fasting Anna Hazare have been accepted.
The BJP, JDU and the Congress, it seems, are now in agreement, while the BSP has agreed to only two points.
Team Anna is meeting Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid at his house.
While Prashant Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal are part of the meeting, there is no confirmation yet if Kiran Bedi is there or not.
Khurshid went into that meeting after having a brief closed-door conference with the prime minister.
Earlier, the government asked Parliament to consider Anna Hazare's three key demands on Lokpal Bill within Constitutional framework and by preserving Parliament's supremacy.
The three issues are: bringing the lower bureaucracy under the Lokpal, setting up Lokayuktas in states and setting up Citizens Charter in government offices.
Making identical statements in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to form the basis for a debate, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the issues raised by Hazare are "important" and "genuine" which "deserve our serious consideration".
BJP said it found considerable merit in three contentious issues raised by Team Anna, including covering the entire bureaucracy and Citizens' Charter for public grievances under Lokpal and favoured Lokayuktas in the states.
However, it said inclusion of Prime Minister under Lokpal should be with the exception of certain areas like national security.
Pranab hoped that there could be a consensus in the House on the issues contained in the Jan Lokpal bill propsed by Team Anna so that the sense of the house could be conveyed to the parliamentary committee that is currently examining the government version of the Lokpal bill.
"The standing committee can take up their practicality, constitutionality and implementability," Mukherjee said.
"We are at the crossroads. This is a rare occasion when the proceedings (of the House) are drawing the attention of the entire nation and perhaps outside the nation also
He hoped for an objective discussion to "ensure we can resolve the impasse" and without compromising parliament's supremacy and the framework of the constitution.
Anna Hazare's fast for a stringent Lokpal bill entered its 12 day Saturday. Team Anna has made three demands: that the lower bureaucracy be brought under the purview of the Lokpal, that Lokayuktas in the states be brought under the Lokpal and that a citizen's charter for government departments be worked out.
Hazare's health condition worsens
As
Anna Hazare's fast spilled over to the 12th day, doctors on Saturday raised concerns over his health saying they are more worried as the Gandhian's blood pressure has dipped while heart beat has increased.
More doctors have been stationed at
Ramlila Maidan to keep a watch on the health of the 74-year-old
Gandhian, whose hunger strike for a strong Lokpal has crossed 260 hours.
Dr Naresh Trehan, whose team is examining Hazare during the fast, said "We have more concerns than last night. His blood pressure has decreased while heart beats have increased.
"The blood pressure was going steady but it has come down. We have taken blood samples. Due to his weight loss, there is energy loss also," he said.
He said since blood pressure has decreased, they have doubled the number of doctors at the Maidan to attend to him.
Team Anna sources said doctors were really worried and they fear that his internal organs have started getting affected due to the fast.
Hazare has lost more than seven kgs since August 16 when he sat on a hunger strike for a strong Lokpal Bill.
Last night, Trehan said, "There are concerns though his blood pressure and heart beat are okay. He has been asked to take more rest and not to strain himself."
BJP, Team Anna wanted voting after debateThe BJP and Hazare's team were in favour of voting after the discussion in Parliament. Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj gave a notice for discussions under Rule 184. In Rajya Sabha, Opposition leader Arun Jaitley moved a motion demanding discussion under Rule 168. Both the rules mandate voting.
Rahul suggests Lokpal on lines of ECHazare's ongoing fast was lauded by Rahul in his Zero Hour speech in Lok Sabha on Friday, but he emphasised that the fight against corruption had to move beyond setting up an effective Lokpal.
"We can't wish away corruption. It will require a comprehensive programme of action. There is a perception that enactment of single Bill will eradicate corruption. I have serious doubts about that," Rahul said.
"The Lokpal law is just one element in the fight against corruption. Laws are also required on government funding of elections, land issues and mining," he said, reminding MPs that they had the responsibility of allowing Parliament to function so that such laws could be enacted.
"Why not make the Lokpal a constitutional body like the Election Commission?" asked Rahul, all the while being backed by Congress MPs.
"Democractic processes cannot be undermined. Underming Parliament's supremacy is dangerous for democracy," he cautioned. "Let us commit ourselves to truth and probity in life. We owe it to the people of India."
Split in Hazare camp?Clear divisions appeared in Hazare's camp as civil society members Swami Agnivesh and Justice Santosh Hegde criticised the continuing hardline over the fasting.
Justice Hedge, the former Lokayukta of Karnataka, said Hazare should end his fast and even hinted that he was being used by some members of his team. "Sometimes I feel that I am not in Team Anna... that's what I feel. I am with him (Anna), but too far away," Hegde said.
Swami Agnivesh claimed Hazare was being misguided by his key associates Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal. He said he had pulled himself out of the campaign to retain self-respect.
"A few people have hijacked Anna Hazare's movement. People running the show are being disrespectful," Agnivesh said, insisting that Hazare should have called off his fast after the prime minister's appeal.
