Parliament censures Team Anna

 Lok Sabha on Tuesday condemned Team Anna for "lowering the dignity" of Parliament after a resolution was moved over which members cutting across party line slammed the activists for using derogatory language against MPs.

"Any remark lowering the dignity and esteem of this august House is unwarranted and totally unacceptable," Speaker Meira Kumar said summing up the sense of the House, after a brief discussion.

She said members of the House undergo rigorous scrutiny by the Election Commission under the provisions of Representation of People Act, Model Code of Conduct and other legal requirements while filing their nomination for election.

"After meticulously assessing their conduct and performance, the people of India, in their wisdom, elect them. The Parliament, therefore, reflects the collective will of the people of our country," the Speaker said.

Led by JD-U leader Sharad Yadav, members from all political hues came together in Lok Sabha to attack Team Anna for using derogatory language against parliamentarians. Some of them even said that those who levelled attack against the temple of democracy should be summoned in the House to punish them.

Moving a resolution against the civil society members, Yadav said the Speaker should take suo motu action against them for their utterances against democratic institutions.

Describing Parliament as a "supreme institution", SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said those civil society members who challenged its authority should be "summoned and taken to task". He requested consensus among members on the issue.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha today JD(U) president Sharad Yadav said that, “ People have seen what has been happening and what Team Anna has been speaking. I am worried that if the Parliament is not respected then where will the country go?

“A trend has started in the country to denigrate the politicians. Yes, the public has a right to be angry at us. But there should be a limit to it,” he added.

Directly attacking Team Anna, the JD(U) said that a kind of pessimism is being spread in the country in the wrong manner. Nonetheless, he accepted that fight against corruption should go on but in the right manner.

He also accepted that no everyone is of high morals in the Parliament. “There have been people in this House who have not been deserving of the place.” “But to disrespect the temple of democracy is not the right thing to do,” Sharad Yadav added.

“I do not object to the attack by Team Anna at us but no one should attack the institution of democracy,” he told the House.

The alleged inflammatory remarks made by Team Anna led to a huge uproar in both the Houses of Parliament on Monday and finally led to their adjournment.

Reacting to these allegations, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj had said, “Team Anna has lost its focus, crossed all limits."

Swaraj, whose party had supported Anna Hazare's call for the Lokpal Bill, even advised Team Anna to maintain its integrity.

Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam had also endorsed the views expressed by Swaraj and Yadav and said, “Team Anna members call themselves the representatives of civil society but they have themselves used unparliamentary language. They have conducted themselves in a highly irresponsible and uncivilized manner."

Team Anna landed in a fresh controversy after key team members including Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and others made derogatory remarks against the Parliamentarians during Anna Hazare’s day-long fast at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Sunday.

Anna Hazare, while addressing his supporters, also warned that the government should be prepared to be voted out of power in 2014 if it does not pass the Lokpal Bill, which provides for a national anti-corruption agency.

Will Parliament censure Team Anna?

Team Anna, which had lost support of opposition parties for making derogatory remarks against the parliamentarians, might face a censure motion for denigrating the constitutional supremacy of Parliament and putting the politicians in a bad light.

Reports, Today, claimed that a Censure Motion could be moved by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar against Team Anna as demanded by the opposition BJP and JD(U).

Opposition MPs from BJP and the JD(U) yesterday demanded a Parliamentary resolution against Team Anna to condemn the uncivilized language used by them against the parliamentarians, saying that they have deviated from the fight against corruption.

The political parties including BJP, JD(U), SP and others yesterday warned the civil society members to refrain from making such defamatory remarks against the Parliamentarians who are the most vital part of the institution of democracy and termed the statements as unfortunate.

The alleged inflammatory remarks made by Team Anna led to a huge uproar in both the Houses of Parliament and finally led to their adjournment yesterday.

Reacting to these allegations, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said, “Team Anna has lost its focus, crossed all limits."

Swaraj, whose party had supported Anna Hazare's call for the Lokpal Bill, even advised Team Anna to maintain its integrity.

On his turn, Janta Dal (U) chief Sharad Yadav termed Team Anna’s allegation as an attack on the institution of Parliament. He criticized them for referring to politicians as murderers.

Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam also endorsed the views expressed by Swaraj and Yadav and said, “Team Anna members call themselves the representatives of civil society but they have themselves used unparliamentary language. They have conducted themselves in a highly irresponsible and uncivilized manner."

Team Anna landed in a fresh controversy after key team members including Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and others made derogatory remarks against the Parliamentarians during Anna Hazare’s day-long fast at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Sunday.

Anna Hazare, while addressing his supporters, also warned that the government should be prepared to be voted out of power in 2014 if it does not pass the Lokpal bill, which provides for a national anti-corruption agency.

Anna Hazare to protest at Jantar Mantar on March 25

 Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Friday warned of a bigger anti-corruption stir if his version of the Lokpal bill is not introduced by the 2014 General Elections.

Addressing a press conference soon after the all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh failed to arrive at a consensus on the Lokpal Bill, Hazare said, “Twenty-five people fighting against corruption have been killed. The government is insensitive on this. We will sit on dharna on March 25 at Jantar Mantar to seek protection of whistleblowers.”

While blaming the government of being insensitive, he said that the dharna at Jantar Mantar would seek protection for whistleblowers many of whom have been killed while exposing corruption cases.

Claiming that the present Lokpal Bill was not strong enough to stop corruption, he said that it was sad that the all-party meet failed to break the deadlock over the issue.

We will go to the people and could even protest at the Ramlila Maidan. The Assembly polls in five states are a clear indication about the people's feeling. We will continue our agitation for a strong Lokpal Bill. If required we will sit on fast again," he said.

Hazare further stated that he and his team will build public opinion against the government's "useless" Lokpal bill.

Referring to the poll results of five states in which the Congress fared badly, Hazare said the Congress will have to face poor results in the 2014 general elections if the bill is not passed.

"We are not fighting against the government but for the better future of citizens of this country. People want the Lokpal bill and they are enthusiastic about it," he told reporters.

"The government said yes to our bill (Jan Lokpal) in the joint committee, standing committee and even in Parliament, but reversed its decision suddenly," he added.

Govt, Oppn fast track Lokpal, decision next month

The government on Friday stepped up efforts to iron out differences on contentious aspects of the Lokpal Bill, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meeting leaders of various parties during which it was decided that the legislation could be taken up during the second half of the Budget Session.

At the all-party meet of Rajya Sabha members convened by the Prime Minister at his residence here, it was agreed that the government will work for a consensus on the wording of contentious aspects of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill during the intervening period of the Budget Session.

"The government along with major political parties will come out with a consensus. The government is committed to bring the Bill in this session. The actual wording of the Lokpal Bill will be worked out during the intervening period the Budget Session," CPI(M)'s Sitaram Yechury told reporters.

He said the Bill cannot come up during the first half of the current session ending March 30, as the budget has to be passed before the end of the current financial year.

"The Bill will be taken up in the second half... This week it cannot come up in this session as the budget has to be passed," said Yechury.

There was consensus in the meeting on having Lokayuktas in states, but the prerogative for their appointment will be that of the state, he said.

UPA's allies Trinamool Congress and DMK also raised the issue that the Centre should not interfere with the powers of the states for having Lokayuktas.

Trinamool leader Sukhendu Roy said, "We opposed the inclusion of Lokayukta appointment in the Lokpal Bill in its present form as it will harm the federal structure."

Samajwadi Party general secretary Mohan Singh told reporters that the government will refer the opposition's three main demands on Lokpal issue to the Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha.

These demands were delinking of Lokayuktas from Lokpal Bill, making appointment process of the Lokpal more democratic and inclusive and creation of an independent probe agency under Lokpal and bringing superintendence of corruption cases probed by the CBI under the Lokpal.

However, Ram Kripal Yadav (RJD) and Ramvilas Paswan (LJP) opposed the creation of a Lokpal.

On the issue of bringing the CBI under the Lokpal's ambit, Yechury said, all issues related with corruption should be under the Lokpal.

"If the CBI does such investigations, then the CBI's anti-corruption wing will be under the control and superintendence of the Lokpal," he said.

Yechury also called for inclusion of corporates and NGOs which derive contracts from the government under the purview of Lokpal.

All-party meeting on Lokpal Bill ended on today

An all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, which aimed at bringing an end to the deadlock over Lokpal Bill, ended on today.

The meeting was held to discuss the proposed legislation which could not be passed on the last day of the Winter Session in Rajya Sabha amid pandemonium.

While attending the meet the prime minister said that United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is committed to an effective Lokpal to check corruption.

"Our government stands committed to an effective Lokpal legislation," Manmohan Singh said at the all-party meet.

"We look forward to benefitting from the wisdom and guidance of all leaders present here in the task that we have set for ourselves," he said.

Leaders of parties in Rajya Sabha including BJP's Arun Jaitley, BSP's SC Mishra, RJD's Ram Kripal Yadav, SP's Ram Gopal Yadav, NCP'S Tariq Anwar and CPI's AB Bardhan met at the Prime Minister's residence to discuss the controversial bill, to which 97 amendments have been moved by Opposition members in the Upper House.

Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram, AK Antony and Salman Khurshid were among those present at the meeting.

Opposition parties have moved 97 amendments to the Bill in Rajya Sabha some of which were contentious and the meeting would discuss ways to evolve consensus on them, sources said.

Some of the amendments, the sources said, are for bringing the Prime Minister's Office under the Lokpal, seek exclusion of Lokayukta from the Bill, abolition of minority quota and inclusion of Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha as one of the members of the selection committee.

Government is keen on passing the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha even as the opposition and social activist Anna Hazare have renewed pressure on the issue.

Hazare has said he will go on a fast from March 25 if the Bill is not passed while BJP has said in the Upper House that the debate and amendments to the Bill should be taken up from where they were left on the night of December 29 when the House was adjourned amid a din.

Lok Sabha has already passed the Bill.

Under the renewed effort, the government is planning to drop the clauses in the Lokpal Bill pertaining to setting up of Lokayuktas in states, a provision that faced stiff opposition from friends and foes alike.

The fresh consultation is aimed at ensuring that the anti-graft Bill is passed in the first part of the Budget Session which ends on March 30.

PM Manmohan Singh has called an all-party meeting on today

 In a fresh bid to end the deadlock over Lokpal Bill, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called an all-party meeting on today to discuss the proposed legislation which could not be passed on the last day of the Winter Session in Rajya Sabha amid pandemonium.

The meeting will be held at Singh's residence at noon on today. The Parliament will not meet on that day due to festivals like Gudi Padwa and Ugadi.

Government is keen on passing the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha even as the opposition and social activist Anna Hazare have renewed pressure on the issue.

Hazare has said he will go on a fast from March 25 if the Bill is not passed while BJP has said in the Upper House that the debate and amendments to the Bill should be taken up from where they were left on the night of December 29 when the House was adjourned amid a din.

Lok Sabha has already passed the Bill.

Under the renewed effort, the government is planning to drop the clauses in the Lokpal Bill pertaining to setting up of Lokayuktas in states, a provision that faced stiff opposition from friends and foes alike.

A senior minister had said recently that the government was contemplating the move that would help clear the obstacles in the way of its easy passage in Parliament as also dismiss the opposition campaign that Congress was against the measure.

The fresh consultation is aimed at ensuring that the anti-graft Bill is passed in the first part of the Budget Session which ends on March 30.

The status of the Bill in Rajya Sabha is still unclear. Congress has maintained that amendments moved in the Winter Session have lapsed and members will have to give fresh notices on the Bill.

However, the opposition insists that government had sought adjournment of the House on December 29 on the grounds that there were as many as 187 amendments and it needed time to go through it. Now that the government has had sufficient time, the proceedings should begin from where they were left.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the government has studied the amendments moved by opposition and UPA allies.

"We want to bring the Bill within this part of the session itself," he said in Rajya Sabha last week.

His statement marked a change of stand by the government as the minister had at a session-eve press conference said it would be difficult to take up the Bill in the first part due to financial business.

Anna Hazare will start anti-Congress campaign for 2014 polls, Government's intention on Lokpal not clean

  The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded that today's Question Hour be suspended for a discussion on the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha. And Team Anna is once again keeping a close eye on the proceedings in Parliament. However, they are not too hopeful.

Anna Hazare believes that the government has no intention of passing a strong Lokpal Bill and he and his team are preparing for an-anti Congress movement for the 2014 elections.

"We won't approach the government again. We have been doing that for the last one year. Their intentions with the Lokpal is not clean. They have been fooling the people again and again. Why go to them once again? We are now preparing for 2014. The Parliament elections are going to happen. I am going to start travelling across the country within a month or two and would instigate people against the government," said Anna Hazare.

However, Anna's close aide Arvind Kejriwal believes that the Congress-led UPA may have learnt its lesson after the recently-concluded state elections.

"We hope that the government will learn its lesson from what happened in the elections in these five states. We hope that they would withdraw this bad and dangerous Lokpal Bill which would only increase corruption. We want them to prepare a good Lokpal Bill and get it passed as soon as possible," Mr Kejriwal said.

Yesterday, on day one of the Budget Session, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had asked the Opposition to allow Parliament to function. But with BJP's plan set for the second day, it is on a collision course with the government, which wants to discuss the Bill only later in the session. With different agendas on the minds of the government and the Opposition, today's proceedings may well lead to a logjam, once again, due to the contentious Lokpal Bill.

Aggressive BJP to corner Govt over Lokpal Bill

The second day of Parliament’s Budget Session on Tuesday is expected to be stormy with the opposition BJP moving a motion for suspension of Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha for discussion on Lokpal Bill.

The Upper House was, meanwhile, adjourned till noon after opposition uproar over government's stand on atrocities on Sri Lankan Tamils.

The DMK, AIADMK and Left parties had moved notices for suspension of the Question Hour to discuss atrocities on Sri Lankan Tamils.

The motion concerning Lokpal Bill, moved by Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House Arun Jaitley, comes after the government stated that it plans to take up the Bill in the second part of the Budget Session beginning April 24.

The BJP is however demanding a discussion on the issue today itself, saying it wants an “adequate reply” from the government.

Discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President for her address to Parliament is on the agenda for today.

The Lok Sabha had cleared the Lokpal Bill on December 27 in the extended Winter Session. However, the Bill couldn't be passed in the Rajya Sabha and both sides accused each other of choreographing chaos to scuttle the legislation.

In his customary eve-of-the-session media interaction, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal had said that the government has "very little time" for legislative business in the first part of the session inspite of the fact that 39 bills are listed for consideration and passing, including the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, which has been approved by the Lok Sabha.

Soon after the BJP's threat to take up the Lokpal issue, Congress president Sonia Gandhi held consultations with her senior colleagues.

Those present included Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Bansal, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh and Political Secretary to Congress President Ahmad Patel.

Mukherjee also held a meeting with BJP leaders LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Yashwant Sinha.

Team Anna not to target Congress during polls

Taking cue from past mistakes and fast waning popular support, anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Tuesday declared that Team Anna will not target the Congress government during its campaign for a strong Lokpal Bill in the five poll-bound states.

The veteran Gandhian also said that team Anna will tour all five-poll bound states extensively to create awareness among people about the Lokpal Bill.

Confirming the development, key Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said, “Anna Hazare ji has agreed to the Core Committee’s decision not to target any political party during our campaign for a strong Lokpal bill in five poll-bound states.”

“We have decided to tour all five poll-bound states,” he added.

To a question whether Anna Hazare will also campaign in these states, he said, “Anna has said once he recovers fully from his ailments, he will extend his support to the Lokpal campaign.”

Kejriwal also refuted allegations that Team Anna has suffered heavily due to its aggressive anti-Congress stance by saying, “We were never anti-Congress.”

The decision comes a day after the Core Committee of Team Anna yesterday met in Ghaziabad to assess the political situation and chalk out a plan on how to keep up the pressure over the Lokpal issue without targeting any political party.

The meeting came against the backdrop of poor public response to Hazare's agitation in Mumbai and Delhi in the last week of December and taunts from Congress on its anti-Congress plank.

Team Anna members Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan also travelled to Hazare's village Relegan Siddhi in Maharashtra and apprised him of the outcome of the Core Committee's eight-hour meeting that took place yesterday.

The Lokpal movement has come to a faux pass after the UPA government evaded a vote on Lokpal Bill in Raj Sabha and Anna suspended his Mumbai fast due to ill health and poor public response.

Govt: Lokpal Bill to be passed in Budget Session

The UPA government squarely blamed the BJP for the failure to get the Lokpal Bill passed in the Parliament.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan kumar Bansal said that the government had wanted to table the debate in the Rajya Sabha on December 28 but the BJP didn’t agree to it.

“The minister was replying to the debate, suddenly a ruckus was created at 11.30 pm, leading to the adjournment till 11.45 pm. The house had to be adjourned at 12 midnight,” he said clarifying the government’s stand.

Bansal said that the bill is pending in the register of the Rajya Sabha and would be taken up when the house reconvenes for the Budget Session.

“They (BJP) are guilty of stalling proceeding for the simple reasons that they didn’t want it to be passed. As many as 180 amendments were passed and some of them are self contradictory,” he said.

Bansal said that even if the bill were to be passed with amendments, the bill had to be sent back to the Lok Sabha – and the lower house was already adjourned sine dine.

“The law dept fine tunes these amendments as they are to be part of the law. There had to be time with the government to consider the amendments…Suppose an amendment was to be carried, the minister will have to rise and say that the bill as amended is passed. Can any govt do it?” he added.

“187 amendments have been moved. If all amendments had to be passed then it will take time. It is the government’s responsibility to pass the bill,” Bansal said.

Anna Hazare ends fast, cancels jail bharo campaign

Smarting under poor response and bad health, Anna Hazare called off his fast a day ahead of schedule and repeated his threat to campaign against Congress in the five poll-bound states for not brining a strong Lokpal.

The 74-year-old activist made the surprise announcement midway through his three-day fast at MMRDA grounds which reported poor attendance of people for the second continous day, in stark contrast the mass swelling in Delhi earlier this year during his three fasts.

Hazare did not make any reference to the earlier plans of coming to Delhi for a dharna of the residence of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and about the jail bharo agitation (filling up of jails) after that.

"...Whatever we are seeing today in Parliament is tragic. So I have decided to call off the fast today. There is only one way now. We will make a programme in the five states and go and awaken people there. I will tell them don't vote for traitors," he told a sparsely attended protest meeting in the afternoon.

"Now two years are left for the general elections. In between, I will go to various parts of the country and keep awakening the people till next general elections," he said.

The ending of the fast by Hazare, who was having fever of 100 degree F, came doctors advised him to call off his protest saying continuing it will lead to kidney failure.

Hazare said he was already fasting four days before the start of the protest strike yesterday here.

Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal replying to questions from media also said that they have withdrawn the proposed jail bharo campaign for the time being, but will campaign against the Congress in the forthcoming assembly elections in 5 states.

Lokpal Bill in Rajya Sabha today

Two days after getting the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill passed in Lok Sabha, the UPA government will introduce the same for a debate and approval in Rajya Sabha on Today.

The decision to introduce the Lokpal Bill in the Upper House was taken shortly after President Pratibha Patil gave her approval for the same yesterday.

The President's approval was required for the measure since the Lok Sabha made some amendments to The Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill, 2011 before its passage.

After the Lokpal Bill is tabled in the Upper House, a debate on the same would be held which will conclude with a vote.

The controversial Bill is being tabled in the Upper House amid concerns that the UPA government lacks adequate majority required to get the same passed in the Rajya Sabha.

Uncertainty prevails over the smooth passage of anti-graft legislation in the Upper House since Trinamool Congress – a major UPA ally- has decided to make a key amendment to the legislation adopted by Lok Sabha further complicating the numbers game in the House.

Trinamool Congress, which has 6 members in the 243-member Upper House where the Congress and its allies do not have majority, wants removal of the provisions relating to the setting up of Lokayuktas in the state which is contained in the Bill passed by Lok Sabha yesterday. If the Government accepts the amendments, the Bill will have to be referred to the Lok Sabha again or a joint session of Parliament has to be convened for its clearance.

UPA troubleshooter and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee yesterday held talks with leaders of Trinamool Congress, which has strong reservations over provisions in the bill that it considers encroachment on the states’ rights on appointment of the Lokayukta.

Trinamool Congress leaders Mukul Roy and Sudeep Bandopadhayay met Mukherjee after which Roy said the question of creating trouble for the government does not arise. With Mukherjee reportedly ruling out any further amendments, Trinamool Congress has tabled amendments for removal of provisions relating to Lokayuktas that it feels are encroaching on the powers of states.

In a House with an effective strength of 243, the Congress and other allies in the UPA account for 94 and can count on the support of eight nominated members and independents and members of small parties accounting for around 10 MPs.

The Constitution Amendment Bill, an idea of Rahul Gandhi to give Constitutional status to Lokpal and Lokayukta, was also favoured by the Standing Committee which considered the bill.

A Constitution Amendment Bill to be passed should have more than 50 per cent of the members of the House present and of them, two-third support is mandatory.

Concerned about this, MoS in PMO, V Narayanasamy said this morning, “The Congress party had issued a whip asking its MPs to be present and vote in favour of the bill in Rajya Sabha. The party is concerned about the fate of the Lokpal Bill and is determined to get the same passed in the Upper House.”

The minister expressed concerns about the possible absence of its own MPs and those from major allies including NCP, DMK, BSP, SP and RJD during the voting in Rajya Sabha - the absence of some MPs resulted in the defeat of the Constitution Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha.

The Congress party has decided to take action against its own members, who staged a walkout or remained absent during the voting on the Constitution Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha earlier.

The government has reasons to worry in case the members of its alliance partners including the DMK. SP, RJD and BSP walk out of the House during voting as they did in Lok Sabha.

In the 245-member House, the Congress and its allies NCP, DMK, Trinamool Congress, LJP and RLD together have 93 members. Parties supporting the UPA from outside - BSP (18), SP (5) and RJD (4) -- account for 27 crucial votes.

These three parties had walked out of Lok Sabha before voting on the Lokpal Bill last night but their absence did not matter much because the bill required only a simple majority and it was passed by a voice vote.

However, the absence of 42 MPs from these three parties in the Lok Sabha spelt disaster for the government in the Constitutional Amendment Bill, which required a special majority for passage.

Probably, this has triggered concerns in the Congress government, which is making every attempt to ensure that the Lokpal Bill sails through choppy seas in Rajya Sabha.

On Tuesday, Lok Sabha voted on the two bills after a 10-hour long debate that had 38 speakers and saw heated exchanges, but Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention at 4.40 pm indicated the government's resolve to press ahead despite stiff opposition, primarily on the question of constitution of Lokayuktas in the states.

The opposition proposed nearly 90 amendments in all and the voting process for the three bills went on for nearly two hours, ending close to midnight.

Most opposition members wanted the CBI to be freed of government control, but opinion was divided on whether the agency should be brought under the Lokpal.

Members wanted deletion of Section 24, which requires the Lokpal to send reports on charge-sheeted MPs to the presiding officers of the two houses of Parliament, asking them to take action against the member.

Sonia Blames BJP For Defeat Of Constitution Bill

Hitting hard at the BJP for having backtracked after supporting constitutional status for Lokpal in the Standing Committee, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Wednesday, said that the real face of the BJP has come to the fore.

Reiterating Congress remains committed to a strong Lokpal, Sonia said, “I am very happy that an effective Lokpal Bill has been passed.”

However, she pointed fingers at the BJP saying that it was only because of the BJP that the government could not ensure constitutional status for the Ombudsman.

“The strength we wanted to give to the Lokpal…they did not want it. The BJP had committed to constitutional status for Lokpal in the standing committee but later they withdrew the support,” Sonia said.

Sonia Gandhi’s comments came after high-drama in the Parliament yesterday night which saw the government’s proposal to grant constitutional status to Lokapl being voted out by the Lok Sabha.

The Constitution (116th Amendment) Bill was defeated in the Lok Sabha by a determined Opposition, helped by the absence of parties supporting the government from outside like SP, BSP and RJD.

Samajwadi Party (22), BSP (16) and RJD (4), which support the UPA government from outside staged a walkout, bringing the numbers down for the government.

A Constitution Amendment Bill to be passed should have more than 50 per cent of the members of the House present and of them, two-third support is mandatory.

Adding to government’s troubles, around 15 Congress MPs were also absent at the time of voting, leading to a situation where the government could not muster even simple majority of 273 votes in favour as it managed only 250 votes on the crucial legislation.

The Congress has reasons to feel embarrassed, especially because it was Rahul Gandhi's idea of conferring Constitutional status to Lokpal.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had yesterday night expressed disappointment over the failure. "This is a bit of disappointment that it could not be passed," he said after the embarrassment faced by the government in the House.

Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee told the BJP-led Opposition, “It is a sad day for democracy, it is a sad for the institution. People will teach you a lesson."

On the other hand, the BJP had demanded resignation of the UPA government on moral grounds after it failed to get the Constitution Amendment Bill passed in the Lok Sabha.

“Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has no moral right to continue in office," BJP leader Yashwant Sinha told reporters after the embarassing development for the government.

"Rahul Gandhi's dream has been shattered. This shows the monumental inefficiency of this government,” he added.

Lokpal Bill: Special emissary to seek President's nod

While the Lok Sabha passed the Lokpal Bill on Tuesday, a debate in Rajya Sabha on the Bill has been delayed till Thursday as the government has not been able to seek President’s nod for the same so far.

President Pratibha Patil is currently in Hyderabad and the government will send a special emissary to the Andhra capital to seek the President’s nod.

As per Article 117 of the Constitution, the President has to approve in writing before the Lokpal Bill passed by Lok Sabha could be forwarded to Rajya Sabha for debate and vote.

Article 117 states that a Bill or amendment making provision for any of the matters specified in sub clauses (a) to (f) of clause ( 1 ) of Article 110 shall not be introduced or moved except on the recommendation of the President.

If the President gives her nod without delay, the Lokpal Bill could be forwarded to Rajya sabha today itself and taken up for debate.

However, sources say that is unlikely to happen and the debate would most likely be held tomorrow, which is the last day of the extended Winter Session.

Anna pays tribute to Mahatma ahead of fast

Carrying on his relentless campaign for a strong Lokpal, Anna Hazare will begin a three-day fast at Mumbai’s MMRDA Ground on Tuesday.

His fast, the third this year to bring about an effective legislation to combat corruption, would coincide with a three-day extended session of Parliament called to discuss, debate and possibly pass, among other Bills, the crucial Lokpal legislation.

Hazare, who would begin his fast soon, is currently at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial in Juhu beach to pay tribute to the Father of the Nation.

From here, Hazare will be escorted to the fast venue - the MMRDA Ground in Bandra-Kurla complex - by a motorbike rally. The rally will pass through Santacruz, Tulip Star hotel, Mithibai college, SV Road, Vile Parle, Khar and Bandra Highway.

Hazare reached the financial capital last night, amid attack from the political class which dubbed him impatient and his protest premature.

Before leaving his village Ralegan-Siddhi on Monday, a defiant Hazare accused the government of insincerity in the war against graft and pledged to later take his campaign to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi's residence.

"We are prepared to die," he said.

There had been speculation over Hazare’s fitness for the fast as he had been suffering from cough, cold and viral fever for the past few days, but the same was put to rest by doctors who declared the social activist fit and fine.

The fast venue will have six emergency exits, 16 fire extinguishers and six metal detector units, besides round-the-clock ambulance services.

Mumbai Police have thrown a tight security cover at Anna’s fast venue. Bomb detection and disposal squads and units of Quick Response Team are being put in place, in the wake of an Intelligence Bureau alert that a suicide attack attempt on Hazare’s life could be made.

Around 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 will keep a hawk's vigil at the MMRDA Ground.

On Monday, even as Team Anna took pains to clarify that it too opposed communalism and respected Parliament, the Congress went on the offensive vis-a-vis the former Army man-turned-activist.

Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi called him "impatient" while Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla asked him to leave the issue of Lokpal to Parliament's wisdom.

Both Alvi and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee insisted that the Lokpal Bill will be passed in the extended Winter Session of Parliament and that only Parliament could enact laws.

Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan also turned against Anna, accusing his team of "mobocracy". It was the most strident attack on Anna since his ally Lalu Prasad took him on in Parliament last week.

Hazare echoed the theme: "Our movement is not against any party or individual. We have been doing this (fighting corruption) for 25 years."

"This is not against any political party. This movement is for change. We have nothing to do with any political party."

While Hazare would sit on the fast in Mumbai, a simultaneous day-long hunger strike would be observed on all three days at Delhi's Ramlila Grounds where the Gandhian’s 12-day fast in August ignited passions and stunned the government.

Hazare's first hunger strike in April had put Lokpal on the national agenda like never before.

Anna Hazare to reach Mumbai today for Lokpal battle

The latest round of Lokpal battle is now less than 24 hours away, with focus being on both Parliament in New Delhi and MMRDA Ground in Mumbai. 

Beginning Tuesday, for the next three days, Parliament would discuss, debate and probably also vote on the government’s Lokpal Bill which was introduced in Lok Sabha last week.

While at MMRDA Ground at suburban Bandra-Kurla Complex, social activist Anna Hazare will be sitting on his latest round of fast, this time for three days. And beginning December 30 till January 1, Team Anna will hold ‘jail bharo aandolan’ if Parliament fails to pass a strong and effective Lokpal Bill.

However, a day prior to the fast there’s concern about Hazare’s health. The Gandhian has been suffering from viral fever for the past two days. While doctors have said the Lokpal campaigner is okay, a final go ahead for fast is likely to be given only tomorrow.

Hazare, who is currently at his native village Ralegan Siddhi, will be reaching Mumbai today. Doctors have however advised him not to undertake travel, especially road journey.

"Anna will leave Ralegan Siddhi on Monday at 1 pm for Mumbai by road. On the way he would visit Sant Dnyaneshwar Samadhi at Alandi near Pune. He will later reach Mumbai and halt at the state government guest house near the Sea-Link in Bandra," his associate Datta Awari said.

"Anna has cough and cold. However, there is no reason to worry. He is taking medicines. There is no cause for concern," Hazare's aide Suresh Pathare told reporters.

However, when asked by reporters Pathare said he personally and residents of Ralegan Siddhi feel Hazare should not sit on fast as he is not well and also three fasts (the first two being at Jantar Mantar in April and at Ramlila Maidan in August) in a year are too much.

In Mumbai, the 48,000 square metres Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) Ground has a capacity to accommodate over 60,000 people. However, it will be renting out 20,000 square metres for the rally and 10,000 square metres for parking.

MMRDA has specified December 26 for pandal erection and December 30 for its removal. Team Anna has paid Rs 7.78 lakh as rent and Rs 5.29 lakh as security deposit for the rally.

Preparations for the event are in full swing. IAC sources said that at the venue, a room attached with toilet will be provided to Hazare, along with a cot and continuous supply of hot water.

"There will be an invitee room for the core committee members and a visitors' room. There will be separate rooms for security, medical and police personnel. Ambulance services will be present 24 hours a day.

"A team of doctors, comprising volunteers, will be present. We will have an information centre, a media room and a registration counter," IAC coordinator Mayank Gandhi said.

The Mumbai police will be deploying 2,000 men in two shifts from December 27 for Hazare’s hunger strike. Apart from the policemen, there will be SRPF and Quick Response Team personnel to handle the crowd.

Team Anna will also provide 1,000 volunteers to the Mumbai police to manage the crowd and to maintain the peace.

Hazare and key members of his team, Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi, are scheduled to fast with him in Mumbai, while some others will undertake the fast in Delhi.

During the press meet at Ralegan Siddhi on Sunday, Anna Hazare said he would stage dharna outside residences of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi after his three-day fast in Mumbai and asked his supporters to refrain from violence during the stir.

"Some people are waiting for violence during the agitation. If there is violence, the agitation will be maligned," Hazare said addressing a "gram sabha" in the village.

"During the agitation in Delhi, we have prepared ourselves to receive lathi blows if the government resorts to cane charge," he added.

Union Law Minister Khurshid: Anna should decide limits of agitation

Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid on Friday said all demands of Anna Hazare on Lokpal Bill "cannot be accepted" and the activist has to decide the "limits" of his exercise.

"We have included all good points (suggested by Team Anna) in the Lokpal Bill. But not everything they say we are in a position to accomodate because a lot of other people think differently," Khurshid told reporters on the sidelines of a conference 'Electoral Reforms in India - The Role of Intellectuals' here.

"Anna Hazare has a role to perform and it is a legitimate exercise, but he has to decide what the limits of exercise are," Khurshid said, adding that the government would not advise him on that front.

Asked whether he would appeal to Hazare to not go on fast from December 27, he replied that personally he would not do so, but would if the government takes a collective decision on the matter. "But there is no such decision taken by the government," he said.

Asked whether the Lokpal Bill undermined the autonomy of the CBI, Khurshid said the government and other investigation agencies, including the Lokpal, would not interfere in the probes conducted by the CBI.

"CBI also must know that they would not do all the investigation themselves, Lokpal would be free to give investigation to any other agency if they wished so," the minister clarified.

"I can assure you more than the CBI, the Law Ministry understands the integrity of the investigation. We have vetted it (Lokpal Bill) very carefully and I don't believe we have any problems with it," he added.

Replying to a question, Khurshid said if corruption is encouraged by elections, as alleged by Hazare, there are ways to contain it.

"We cannot sacrifice democracy at the altar of fight against corruption. We will have to find a combined and convergent method to strengthen democracy and weaken corruption," he said.

Khurshid also appealed to the BJP to play a constructive role in passing the Lokpal Bill in Parliament. "If there are differences between the parties, they must be sorted out," he said.

However, "arguing in front of the media and sharing space at the India Against Corruption platform" was not the best way to go about it, he said.

"They are very experienced leaders. I must not be telling them what should not be done," he said.

Reacting to the BJP charge that Congress "propped up" RJD chief Lalu Prasad for derailing the focus of the Lokpal Bill by welcoming reservation for minority quota, Khurshid said, "It will not be fair to say we have propped up or provoked him.

"Laluji is very strong in his opinions and sometimes they might help the government, but sometimes they might hurt," the minister said. "They are his opinions and I think we should respect everybody's opinions".

Asked about Congress leader Digvijay Singh's stance on attacking Team Anna, Khurshid said the party leader is "a warrior".

Court to decide on Anna's fast venue

Although Anna Hazare appears firm about his plan to go on a hunger strike from December 27, the noted social crusader still remains venue-less for his proposed agitation in Mumbai.

The first choice of Team Anna – decided upon on advice of Mumbai Police – was the MMRDA grounds in Bandra-Kurla complex but given the steep rent of Rs 19 lakhs being demanded by the authorities, the venue has turned out to be ‘too expensive’.

India Against Corruption (IAC) demanded from the state government that a waiver be announced considering the fact that the ground is not being rented out for any ‘commercial’ purpose. Anna’s movement is a people’s movement and hence should qualify for an exemption, IAC asserted.

The IAC, in a statement said, "It appears that the CM is not giving Annaji the exemption for MMRDA. Andolan will be at Azad Maidan. IAC is going ahead with providing intimation to concerned authorities."

Importantly, IAC has filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court against the MMRDA and Maharashtra government for not granting the waiver. MMRDA protests site to be given for agitation beginning December 27.

Anna himself is against a ‘five-star’ protest, hence other options are being looked at.

However, the most feasible other option, Azad Maidan, is also not likely to be made available for Anna’s agitation as some portion of it is under control of the state’s Sports Department. However, further complicating things for Team Anna, the Deputy Director of the Sports Department has denied permission to use the ground for Anna’s fast.

Azad Maidan is also inadequate for Anna’s mass movement since the ground can accommodate only 3000-4000 people as compared to an estimated one lakh people that can easily fit into the MMRDA grounds.

With things not falling in line for Team Anna, the social crusader has warned that he will go to jail and launch his agitation from there if he does not get any suitable venue for his fast.

He also accused the government of deliberately complicating things for Team Anna while speaking to reporters today.

Anna Hazare plans to sit on a fast from Dec 27-29 in Mumbai, while the Parliament in Delhi debates the Lokpal Bill. In the eventuality of the bill not getting passed Anna would head to Delhi and launch a’ jail bharo’ andolan.

Anna challenges 'Jail bharo’ protest will outside Sonia’s residence

Unhappy with government’s version of Lokpal draft, anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Thursday said that the bill was a betrayal and a cruel joke.

Challenging Congress president Sonia Gandhi to debate government’s Lokpal Bill in public Anna said, “If Soniaji thinks government’s version of draft is strong then she should come in public and have an open debate with Team Anna in presence of media.”

“Let them explain it to the nation how their bill is strong and we will tell them how their version of Lokpal Bill is weak,” Anna added.

Hazare's remarks came as a response to Gandhi's speech at Congress Parliamentary Party meeting yesterday during which she said the proposed legislation was strong and she was ready for a fight for it.

He said he would go on a three-day hunger strike from Dec 27-29 and would launch "jail bharo" struggle. "My jail bharo protest will be outside the residence of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi," the 74-year-old activist said.

Hitting out at the government, Anna said that the draft makes it difficult for common man to fight corruption.

He said putting CBI out of Lokpal shows how the bill will be "useless".

"The biggest victims of corruption are the poor who have to pay bribes to get any work done. How will the common man live like this? Out demand is that lower bureaucracy be brought under Lokpal," he said.

But, Hazare said the lower bureaucracy is being brought under Central Vigilance Commission which is under the control of government.

"How will the common man get justice. Lower bureaucracy and CBI should be under Lokpal. Only then the bill will be in right form," he said.

Criticising the Grievance Redressal Bill, Hazare said the government does not have the intent to help people fight corruption.

"If a citizen has a complaint regarding a passport, he will have to go to grievance redressal officer. If he is not satisfied, he can approach the senior officer. If he does not get justice then he has to go state level and central level commissions.

"For just a passport, why would anyone take these many rounds of government offices," he said.

Lokpal Bill in Lok Sabha today

The much-awaited Lokpal Bill will be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Today and the anti-graft legislation will be discussed during Parliament's extended session on December 27.

Although, the bill has solid backing of UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, threat of a fast by noted social worker Anna Hazare also looms large on it.

The session, originally scheduled to end on December 22, will now reconvene on December 27-29 to discuss the bill.

However, the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, two parties supporting the ruling UPA from outside, have struck a discordant note, saying the bill would make the local police very powerful.

Meanwhile, Anna, who has already threatened to go on a three-day fast, has rejected the bill as a betrayal of the people and said the legislation would not provide for a strong anti-graft institution.

"People will teach a lesson to this government one day," Anna said yesterday in his Ralegan-Siddhi village in Maharashtra.

He wondered how the proposed bill could be described as strong when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was being kept outside the ombudsman's ambit.

Taking on Anna, United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi also said that there was a "deliberate and malicious misinformation" campaign that the Congress was not tackling corruption.

She listed bills on protection of whistleblowers, enhancing judicial accountability, the citizens right to grievance redressal, and the Lokpal bill which will be taken up for discussion from December 27-29.

Stating "she was ready to fight for the anti-graft Lokpal and women's reservation bills in the Lok Sabha" Gandhi dismissed as "rumours" that there were differences between the government and the ruling party.

She urged Congress MPs to be prepared for the battle in the house.

Describing the Lokpal bill as a "pathbreaking" legislation, the UPA chairperson urged the opposition parties and anti-corruption activist Hazare to accept it.

"They must accept it. I am always ready for a fight," said Gandhi.

The government draft bill brings the Prime Minister under Lokpal but leaves out two other key demands of the activist for inclusion of the CBI and the lower bureaucracy.

Interestingly, while MoS Narayanasamy said the "only opposition to the bill was from Anna" both Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal opposed the legislation.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad joined SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav in saying there should be "consensus" before the bill is brought to Parliament and a decision on such a major issue could not be taken without giving it a thought. The SP has 22 MPs while the RJD has four MPs.

However, the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said it will not comment on the bill until the final draft is circulated among MPs.

The remark came a day after several BJP leaders said they will protest the bill and called it "cheating the people."

"Even a full stop or a comma changes the meaning of a sentence... we will see the bill and only then give any comment," BJP leader SS Ahluwalia said.

The BJP said it wants the dissent note on the bill, given by its members who were on the Parliamentary Standing Committee, included.

Earlier in the day, senior BJP leader LK Advani along with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and her Rajya Sabha counterpart Arun Jaitley met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to discuss the bill.