New Delhi:
Anna Hazare has told the government exactly what he has planned if an effective anti-corruption Lokpal Bill is not passed before this Parliament session ends on December 22. He said he will begin an indefinite fast on December 27, will ask people to participate in a
jail bharo (go to jail) movement from January 1 and commission demonstrations outside the home of any MP who voted against the bill, or tried to dilute it.
"I will be found outside the homes of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi," the 74-year-old said.
Anna's close aide Kiran Bedi told NDTV tonight that "...if Anna sees Parliament is engaged in drafting the Lokpal Bill, why will he go and sit on a fast on December 27? Why will we do a
jail bharo from January 1? If Anna sees the Parliament engaged, he would love to facilitate the engagement."
Ms Bedi added, " As long as they stay engaged and give us the date, we will wait and watch. Why will we rush? We will wait till that last day. I am sure Anna would do that."
The BJP said it supports Anna's deadline. "We want the bill to be passed with our suggestions," said the party's Rajiv Pratap Rudy. "The government seems to be faltering. So if the government fails (to deliver), and Anna decides to sit outside MPs' homes, we will join him."
If an effective Lokpal Bill is passed, Anna said, "a rose will be given to the government's top person" and parliamentarians will be thanked en masse on December 27, the date he has currently reserved for his new fast.
"If the climate is good in Delhi, I'll fast here, or else in Mumbai," Anna said.
The government today said that though it expects to introduce the bill in Parliament soon, a lot of work remains to be done, mainly because of a lack of consensus among different parties on some parts of the bill. When asked about Anna's deadline, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Bansal said, "We are not talking to him, whatever he does is his right. But being an honourable citizen of the nation he should understand that Parliament's job can be done by Parliament only."
In reality, the only point of dispute now among parties seems the relationship between the new Lokpal or ombudsman agency and the premier investigating agency, the CBI. Some parties are reluctant to allow the Lokpal complete control over the CBI. The agency wants its investigative independence to be protected.
The Cabinet will meet on Sunday to discuss amendments to the Lokpal Bill, based on the different points of view expressed last night at a meeting of all parties that was chaired by the PM. The government is reportedly leaning towards asking the CBI to report to the Lokpal only for the cases of corruption that it investigates for the ombudsman.
The government is also likely to give in to the demand by Team Anna and the Opposition for the CBI director to be appointed independently. The PM, Leader of the Opposition and the head of the Lokpal may form the selection committee.
The need for an ombudsman agency - the Lokpal - to combat corruption among government servants has been the focus of Anna's India Against Corruption campaign this year. He has fasted thrice before for this, including last Sunday's one-day token fast, where he invited senior leaders of political parties to debate the contentious points of the Lokpal Bill. Most Opposition were represented - they assured Anna that they would ensure a strong Lokpal Bill, but he must leave it "to the wisdom of Parliament" to pass that law.