Click to Expand & PlayNew Delhi: Anna Hazare's hunger strike is approaching the early hours of its tenth day. Talks between the government and his associates ended a little before 10 pm without any progress. "We are trying to understand each other's perspectives," said Law Minister Salman Khurshid after the meeting. "There is nothing to report immediately...we will talk tomorrow as well...the priority is Anna's health." (Read: Who is Anna Hazare?)
Anna's associate Prashant Bhushan's diagnosis was more severe. "We are back to square one," he said. The two other Anna representatives, Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi said the language used by the ministers was less conciliatory than yesterday. "Today they scolded us," they reported. Ms Bedi also tweeted that the government said it was up to Team Anna to end his fast. Team Anna said after progress made at last night's negotiations, there has been a complete breakdown tonight. The crisis centres around the Lokpal Bill, which provides for a new agency to handle official corruption, and whose version should transform into law.
The government has refused to allow Anna's version of the Lokpal Bill to be introduced directly in Parliament for a debate, bypassing the procedure that refers bills first to a Standing Committee for review. Instead, Mr Khurshid and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee allegedly told Anna's aides that they should discuss which features are not acceptable to them in the government's version of the Lokpal Bill, which has already been introduced in Parliament.
The 74-year-old activist's doctors said his blood pressure and vital signs are stable, but his health is now the over-riding concern for the government, some of his associates, and the thousands of Indians who have reposed their faith in his movement against corruption. "If anything happens to Anna, the government will be responsible," warned Anna's close aide, Arvind Kejriwal, at the massive camp set up in Delhi by Team Anna. "I can last for another nine days," said Anna, who has not eaten for nine days, to an audience of nearly 15,000 people this evening at Ramlila Maidan.
Sources say the government is preparing an emergency plan to move Anna to hospital; the doctors attending to the activist have been consulted, they will indicate if and when Anna should be air-lifted to hospital. For now, they've deemed that unnecessary. (Read: Government evaluates plans to move Anna to hospital)
Earlier this evening, the government met with the leaders of all major political parties to discuss how to tackle the stand-off with Team Anna over the Lokpal Bill, which has provoked the crisis. The bill provides for a new agency to investigate corruption among public servants. The government has submitted its own version to Parliament. Faulting that bill as weak and toothless, Team Anna has produced its own Jan Lokpal Bill, which it describes as the People's Version of the Lokpal Bill.
After wide criticism of its vertiginous handling of Anna over the last few weeks, the government is anxious to end its isolation. The Prime Minister told opposition leaders he seeks "their guidance on the way forward."
What all parties agreed on was a formal appeal to Anna to end his strike. They also said "due consideration should be given to the Jan Lokpal Bill." Ten parties including the Left and the BJP asked the government to withdraw its version of the Lokpal Bill and introduce a new draft that incorporates features from Anna's bill, as well as suggestions from other activists like Aruna Roy. The government did not agree to this, said the BJP's Sushma Swaraj.
Instead, the government stressed that Anna's Lokpal Bill has been sent for scrutiny to the parliamentary committee that has received the government's version. The suggestion is that both bills will be treated equally for review. However, Team Anna wants their Lokpal Bill to be debated directly by Parliament, which would entail bypassing any deliberations at the committee level.
The Opposition also told the government that while it should settle all issues with Anna urgently, his team's demands cannot be allowed to subvert parliamentary procedures. Team Anna wants its version of the Lokpal Bill to be introduced in parliament in the next four days; it wants the bill passed before this session ends on September 8. Most parties have disagreed with this deadline. "No bill can be passed in this session," said the Left's Sitaram Yechury. "Procedure should not be overruled. The procedure must be followed. It is serious for parliamentary democracy." (Watch) Earlier in the day, the BJP's Arun Jaitley had said that it's not the timeline of the bill but its content that should be the priority for Parliament.
PTI reported that the Prime Minister said of the schedule suggested by Team Anna, "It is their suggestion. It does not mean we accept everything." His comment was made to reporters at his Iftaar party.
Team Anna and the government devoted two rounds of talks last night and early this morning hammering out a compromise, point by point. Most differences were reported resolved till this evening. The government, for example, has accepted that corruption charges against the Prime Minister can be investigated while he or she is still in office.
Three sticking points prevent a truce. Anna believes that all bureaucrats must be covered by the Lokpal or ombudsman committee. The government says this is not possible, because it would bestow sweeping powers upon the Lokpal and would require 20,000 officers to work with the Lokpal to investigate junior bureaucrats. Team Anna also wants the Lokpal Act to apply not just at the centre, but in states as well; but the government wants states to develop their own versions of the bill. Finally, the activists also want a citizen's charter to be adopted by every government department which would detail the duties of officials in that team and include penalties for under-performance.
Anna's associate Prashant Bhushan's diagnosis was more severe. "We are back to square one," he said. The two other Anna representatives, Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi said the language used by the ministers was less conciliatory than yesterday. "Today they scolded us," they reported. Ms Bedi also tweeted that the government said it was up to Team Anna to end his fast. Team Anna said after progress made at last night's negotiations, there has been a complete breakdown tonight. The crisis centres around the Lokpal Bill, which provides for a new agency to handle official corruption, and whose version should transform into law.
The government has refused to allow Anna's version of the Lokpal Bill to be introduced directly in Parliament for a debate, bypassing the procedure that refers bills first to a Standing Committee for review. Instead, Mr Khurshid and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee allegedly told Anna's aides that they should discuss which features are not acceptable to them in the government's version of the Lokpal Bill, which has already been introduced in Parliament.
The 74-year-old activist's doctors said his blood pressure and vital signs are stable, but his health is now the over-riding concern for the government, some of his associates, and the thousands of Indians who have reposed their faith in his movement against corruption. "If anything happens to Anna, the government will be responsible," warned Anna's close aide, Arvind Kejriwal, at the massive camp set up in Delhi by Team Anna. "I can last for another nine days," said Anna, who has not eaten for nine days, to an audience of nearly 15,000 people this evening at Ramlila Maidan.
Sources say the government is preparing an emergency plan to move Anna to hospital; the doctors attending to the activist have been consulted, they will indicate if and when Anna should be air-lifted to hospital. For now, they've deemed that unnecessary. (Read: Government evaluates plans to move Anna to hospital)
Earlier this evening, the government met with the leaders of all major political parties to discuss how to tackle the stand-off with Team Anna over the Lokpal Bill, which has provoked the crisis. The bill provides for a new agency to investigate corruption among public servants. The government has submitted its own version to Parliament. Faulting that bill as weak and toothless, Team Anna has produced its own Jan Lokpal Bill, which it describes as the People's Version of the Lokpal Bill.
After wide criticism of its vertiginous handling of Anna over the last few weeks, the government is anxious to end its isolation. The Prime Minister told opposition leaders he seeks "their guidance on the way forward."
What all parties agreed on was a formal appeal to Anna to end his strike. They also said "due consideration should be given to the Jan Lokpal Bill." Ten parties including the Left and the BJP asked the government to withdraw its version of the Lokpal Bill and introduce a new draft that incorporates features from Anna's bill, as well as suggestions from other activists like Aruna Roy. The government did not agree to this, said the BJP's Sushma Swaraj.
Instead, the government stressed that Anna's Lokpal Bill has been sent for scrutiny to the parliamentary committee that has received the government's version. The suggestion is that both bills will be treated equally for review. However, Team Anna wants their Lokpal Bill to be debated directly by Parliament, which would entail bypassing any deliberations at the committee level.
The Opposition also told the government that while it should settle all issues with Anna urgently, his team's demands cannot be allowed to subvert parliamentary procedures. Team Anna wants its version of the Lokpal Bill to be introduced in parliament in the next four days; it wants the bill passed before this session ends on September 8. Most parties have disagreed with this deadline. "No bill can be passed in this session," said the Left's Sitaram Yechury. "Procedure should not be overruled. The procedure must be followed. It is serious for parliamentary democracy." (Watch) Earlier in the day, the BJP's Arun Jaitley had said that it's not the timeline of the bill but its content that should be the priority for Parliament.
PTI reported that the Prime Minister said of the schedule suggested by Team Anna, "It is their suggestion. It does not mean we accept everything." His comment was made to reporters at his Iftaar party.
Team Anna and the government devoted two rounds of talks last night and early this morning hammering out a compromise, point by point. Most differences were reported resolved till this evening. The government, for example, has accepted that corruption charges against the Prime Minister can be investigated while he or she is still in office.
Three sticking points prevent a truce. Anna believes that all bureaucrats must be covered by the Lokpal or ombudsman committee. The government says this is not possible, because it would bestow sweeping powers upon the Lokpal and would require 20,000 officers to work with the Lokpal to investigate junior bureaucrats. Team Anna also wants the Lokpal Act to apply not just at the centre, but in states as well; but the government wants states to develop their own versions of the bill. Finally, the activists also want a citizen's charter to be adopted by every government department which would detail the duties of officials in that team and include penalties for under-performance.
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