Nation Celebrates as Anna Promises to End Fast at 10 am on Sunday
Daijiworld Media Network
New Delhi, Aug 27: In what may be termed as one of the biggest victories for the people of India, the fight against corruption received a huge boost on Saturday August 27 when the nation's parliament accepted and agreed to adopt the three major points with regard to the Jan Lokpal Bill.
Considered a ray of hope for millions, Anna Hazare, the 74-year-old social activist became a national hero after initiating his movement against corruption, when, on August 16 at 7 am he started his second fast which he called the 'Second freedom struggle.' He has now promised to break the 12-day fast after former Maharastra CM and current union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh officially handed over a letter from the Prime Minister confirming the acceptance of Anna Hazare's conditions by the parliament.
"This is the victory of the people. I thank you all for supporting me. I thank each and every member of the parliament for supporting this resolution and agreeing to pass it in the parliament. The task is not complete still, but only half done. Our fight will continue until we reach the goal. I am breaking my fast tomorrow at 10 am, and I humbly request every person who started fasting with me to break the fast right now and join me here tomorrow when I break my fast," said Anna Hazare to a huge round of cheer from thousands of his supporters at the Ramlila ground.
Vilasrao Deshmukh read out the letter from the Prime Minister and handed it over to Anna Hazare.
Civil society members Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal, Sisodia, Prashant Bushan and others were also present.
Celebrations have already begun across the nation, with young and old marching into the streets and shouting slogans in favour of Anna Hazare.
No Voting, Government Agrees to Anna's Three Key Demands
Update: 8.50 pm
New Delhi, Aug 27 (IANS): The day-long long extraordinary debate on the Lokpal issue Saturday ended with the Lok Sabha adopting "a sense of house" that included an in-principle acceptance of three key demands of Anna Hazare. There was, however, neither any resolution nor a voice vote that was expected at the end of the debate.
Replying to the over eight-hour debate on the Lokpal issue in a special sitting of parliament, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee expressed "a broad sense of the house" expressing an in-principle acceptance of three key demands that brought the government and civil society activists on a collision course.
These included an agreement on the citizens' charter, the bringing of the lower bureaucracy under the Lokpal and the setting up of Lokayuktas in the state.
Amid the thumping of desks from MPs, Mukherjee made it clear that the outcome of the proceedings will be submitted to the parliamentary standing committee examining the Lokpal bill. The standing committee will bring a revised legislation to the House, he said.
"It will be subjected to the parliamentary standing committee and then it will be brought to the house," he said, adding that it will be parliament which will eventually decide on the final legislation.
"Our democracy is powerful enough, strong enough and flexible enough to accommodate different viewpoints," he said.
Mukherjee Saturday took a subtle dig at Team Anna, saying there is a distinction between democracy and mobocracy.
"To say that the government bill should be withdrawn and to burn it in public. This is not democratic behaviour," Mukherjee said.
"There is a distinction between democracy and mobocracy," he said while alluding to the deadlines set by Anna and his associates for passing their version of the Jan Lokpal bill in the current session of parliament.
Parliament "does not necessarily follow the conventional way of lawmaking," he said. "India is the largest democracy. It is a functional democracy," he added.
"I accept the lapse of our governments," said Mukherjee. "One piece of legislation, however strong and empowered it may be, cannot completely eradicate corruption," he said, reiterating his party line.
Anna will Break his Fast at 10 am on Sunday
New Delhi, Aug 27 (IANS): Anna Hazare declared that he will break his fast on Sunday at 10 am.
After 12 days that had India on the edge, Anna Hazare was poised to end his fast Sunday morning, capping a day of highs and lows that saw a historic parliament debate a possible anti-corruption legislation that ended with the broad acceptance of key demands of the social reformer.
"It is not possible for Anna to break his fast today (Saturday). He will break his fast tomorrow (Sunday)," a Team Anna member told IANS earlier in the day.
"Annaji will make this announcement after he receives the copy of the resolution that will be passed by parliament," the member had said.
As the news reached Ramlila Maidan, where Hazare was on his fast in the presence of tens of thousands of people, thanksgiving prayers were conducted for the successful conduct of a movement that has seen few parallels in 64 years of India's history as an independent nation.
"We have won only half the battle," said Hazare standing before wildly cheering crowds and flanked by his key aides and union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, former Maharashtra chief minister who has been an interlocutor.
Looking none the worse for his ordeal, Hazare paid tribute to the common people for making the government bend to its demands and said he would break his fast at 10 a.m. Sunday.
Hazare, 74, began his fast Aug 16 in support of a strong anti-corruption legislation. He had said he would end his fast only when the resolution accommodated the three key issues - having Lokayuktas in every state, citizen's charters for government departments and inclusion of lower bureaucracy in the Lokpal's ambit.
Govt Agrees for Voice Vote - Team Anna Consents
Daijiworld Media Network
at 5.40pm IST
New Delhi, Aug 27: The government has agreed to adopt by a voice vote fasting Anna Hazare's demands on the Lokpal bill, sources said Saturday.
The debate in parliament on Hazare's demands will be followed by a resolution that will reflect a unanimous sense of the two houses.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who made a suo moto statement in both houses following which the respective discussions were initiated, will read out the resolution in each house before the voice-vote takes place.
The sources said the government will have to give in writing to Speaker Meira Kumar to conduct the voting on the debate in the Lok Sabha.
The decision to have a voice vote on the resolution was taken after Mukherjee met senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, who also agreed.
Vote on the three demands of Hazare is hoped to make the 74-year-old activist give up his 12-day-old fast.
Both opposition and the ruling parties have more or less agreed on unanimously supporting Hazare's demands on the floor of the two houses during a special sitting conducted on the weekend.
The three demands are: to include the lower bureaucracy in the ambit of the Lokpal, set up Lokayuktas in states, and have Citizen's Charter in government offices for greater accountability.
Government going Back on Hazare Demand : Bhushan
update at 3.30pm IST
New Delhi, Aug 27 (IANS) The government has refused to move a resolution in parliament or have a voting to resolve the Lokpal logjam that could end Anna Hazare's fast, Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan said Saturday.
"This will be a very unfortunate response to what Anna Hazare has written to the PM," Bhushan told reporters, dashing hopes of an imminent end to the 74-year-old activist's 12-day-old fast.
He said after a meeting with Law Minister Salman Khurshid that Hazare aides had been told that despite a special sitting of parliament over the Lokpal bill Saturday, "there won't be any resolution or voting".
There would only be a discussion, he said.
Sounding disappointed, he said: "We were given the impression last night that there will be a resolution after parliament discusses the matter or a voting. But now we are told that it won't happen.
"Now this is not what we had understood at all. This is not ging to be helpful or meaningful.
"If the government is serious about (Hazare ending the fast), let them at least move a resolution... This will be a very unfortunate response to what Hazare has written to the PM."
Asked if in this case Hazare would break his hunger strike, he said that would be for him (Hazare) to decide.
Earlier Update:
Victory for Anna: Government Accepts Anna's Conditions
Daijiworld Media Network
New Delhi, Aug 27: In a possible breakthrough which may finally put an end to Anna Hazare's 12 -day fast, the union government on Saturday August 27 reportedly accepted all three conditions put forward by Anna Hazare on Thusday August 25 to end his fast.
The three points raised by Anna Hazare were: introducing Lokayukta in each and every state, adopting citizens' charter, and bringing the lower bureaucracy under the ambit of Lokpal.
Pranab Mukerjee, leader of the house in Lok Sabha and finance minister is expected to meet Team Anna anytime during the afternoon and present the draft copy of resolutions prepared by the parliament. The official resolution is expected to be moved in the parliament at 4.30 pm today by the finance minister and is expected to be passed without anymore hurdles.
Medha Patkar, Arvind Kejriwal and Sisodia will represent Team Anna in the meeting with Pranab Mukerjee.
With this, there are good chances that Anna Hazare may break his fast by this evening. If the resolution is passed around 4.30 pm, Anna may end his fast by 6 pm, it is learnt.