Kolkata:
On Monday, 25,000 people had poured into Ramlila Maidan in Delhi by noon to join Anna Hazare's protest against corruption. The 74-year-old is on the seventh day of his hunger strike; he has lost five kilos. Anna and his associates say they will not surrender their demand for their version of a new anti-corruption Lokpal Bill to be passed in Parliament by August 30.
In Kolkata, the Prime Minister reiterated that the government is "open to a reasoned debate" on the Lokpal Bill. Dr Manmohan Singh acknowledged the public frustration with systemic venality. "Corruption not only weakens the moral fibre of our country, it also promotes inefficiency and cronyism which undermine the social legitimacy of market economics. It also creates a trust deficit," he said.
The Lokpal Bill provides for the installation of an independent anti-corruption agency. Team Anna says the government's version of the bill is weak and self-serving.
"We have introduced a bill in Parliament which is now before the Standing Committee. There are differences of view on details of the Bill. We have made it clear that all concerned individuals should convey their concern on different aspects of the Bill to their representatives in parliament and to the Standing Committee. The Standing Committee has the power to propose any amendment. We are open to a reasoned debate on all these issues," said Dr Singh.
He cautioned, "The creation of the Lokpal as an institution will help. But it will not solve the problem... speedy trials and timely judgements will do a great deal to discourage corruption."
Behind-the-scenes negotiations have reportedly begun in Delhi with a bureaucrat and a spiritual guru from Maharashtra reportedly being used as the liaisons between the government and Team Anna. Both men are from Anna's home state of Maharashtra and are known to be close to him.
Addressing the crowd at Ramlila Maidan, however, Arvind Kejriwal who is one of Anna's close aides said the activists have not received any formal proposal from the government for dialogue.