Late on Saturday evening, Hazare receives news that his three conditions have been accepted, in principle, by Parliament; will break fast at 10 am today
Late on Saturday evening, Hazare receives news that his three conditions have been accepted, in principle, by Parliament; will break fast at 10 am today
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In what is being viewed as a thumping victory for Indian democracy, the government on Saturday agreed to bring the Jan Lokpal Bill under the purview of the government's draft of the Lokpal Bill by including anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare's demands for which he has been fasting for 12 days at the Ramlila Grounds in New Delhi. The news of the government's decision led to large-scale celebrations through the country.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee moved a motion for a resolution on the Lokpal Bill at the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha on Saturday, on the three demands made by the septuagenarian activist and members of people's group India Against Corruption.
However, instead of a voice-vote, the parliamentarians displayed their agreement by thumping their tables, which speaker Meira Kumar said was "akin to passing a motion by voice vote." After an eight-hour debate on the Lokpal issue in a special sitting of the parliament on Saturday, Mukherjee said that "a sense of the House" had been achieved and that the parliament had "in principle" accepted the three key demands of Hazare, leading to a spontaneous outbreak of celebrations among supporters agitating at the Ramlila Grounds since August 16.
'Team Anna' had demanded a citizens' charter, bringing the lower bureaucracy under the Lokpal and setting up Lokayuktas in all states. The resolution will now move to the standing committee, said Mukherjee. "In principle, the House agrees to set up a strong and effective Lokpal. The House agrees to discuss the three issues raised... (including) All employees of the State and the Centre be under the Lokpal and under appropriate mechanism...u00a0 (and) the setting up of effective Lokyuktas," said Mukherjee, addressing the Lok Sabha.
"The Jan Lokpal Bill has been incorporated into the Lokpal Bill and will be put in front of the Standing Committee," he added. The committee will check the compatibility of the Bill with the constitution and send it back to the parliament with feedback.
"Today the maturity of all of us and our democracy is on trial. There is a popular agitation going on in the country, which has sent us a message that people of this country are no longer willing to accept the present status quo. The present status quo is that corruption in many areas has almost become a way of life. People in higher positions have a tendency to get away," leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley said during the debate, which saw stirring speeches by 27 members of parliament.
Union Science and Technology Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and Congress' East Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit visited Hazare at the Ramlila Grounds after the Lok Sabha was adjourned, and presented him with a letter from Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.
"You will be happy to know that a resolution has been passed by parliament on your demands on Lokpal Bill. Considering the resolution passed by parliament, I appeal to you to withdraw your fast," the letter read.
Calling this a victory of people's power but a fight that is only half won, a visibly weakened Hazare donned his cap and said, "I congratulate every MP on what has happened today. It is a victory of people power. This is just half the victory for us and this victory is for you, the people. I thank the media also for this victory. I'll break my fast at 10 am tomorrow."
Magsaysay Award winner Kiran Bedi, who shared the dais with Hazare, later tweeted about his fast, "Anna is known to have never broken his fast after sunset. Recall he did so even in April Fast. This is his decision."
Actor Aamir Khan and director Rajkumar Hirani were among the supporters present at the grounds in Delhi on Saturday. Khan sang a song from his film Lagaan and was accompanied by all the people present there.
"This struggle against corruption is all of ours. I have read Anna's Jan Lokpal Bill. I have also read the other version. But Anna's bill is the one I support," he said.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned till Monday, after Saturday's talks were almost derailed. Supporters of the Jan Lokpal Bill alternated between hope and despair onu00a0 Saturday, even as several of Hazare's aides accused the Manmohan Singh government of reneging on its pledge to move a resolution on the Lokpal Bill in parliament. Mukherjee, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushma Swaraj and cabinet minister Deshmukh were then involved in the last ditch effort to break the logjam, ultimately leading to the unanimity in parliament (see This is how it happened).
Law Minister Salman Khurshid said, "A new chapter has been written in Indian history. I congratulate Anna Hazare." Hazare confidant Arvind Kejriwal added, "It is the beginning of a process."
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