New Delhi:
On the eighth day of Anna Hazare's fast, hours after the 74-year-old told an audience of thousands "I am fine...my doctors will not permit me to die," the government finally took some real steps to end the impasse with the anti-corruption crusader and his associates. (
Read: Who is Anna Hazare?) | (
Read: What is Jan Lokpal Bill?)
Anna's doctors say his vital signs and blood pressure are worrying. He has refused their advice to be hospitalized.
As his ministers began discussions with Team Anna, the Prime Minister sent a letter to Anna at the Gandhian's massive sit-in at Ramlila Maidan, urging him to end his hunger strike. In his letter, Dr Manmohan Singh wrote, "Over the last few days, I have watched with increasing concern the state of your health. Despite the differences between the Government and your team, I do not think that anybody is or should be in any doubt about the deep and abiding concern which I and our Government share about your health, arising from your continuing fast."
He also said that a Parliamentary Committee will ask the Lok Sabha Speaker for permission to study Anna's version of the anti-corruption Lokpal Bill.The PM stressed, "I have maintained that your and our object is identical viz. to reduce significantly, if not eliminate, the scourge of corruption from this country. At worst, our paths and methodologies may differ, though I do believe that even those differences have been exaggerated."
This committee - the Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Personnel - has so far been scrutinising the government's version of the Bill. The activists led by Anna say that this draft is weak and provides too many outs to public servants accused of corruption.
(Read: The Standing Committee looking into the Lokpal Bill)Before the PM's letter, the government had suggested that some features of Anna's Bill could be added as amendments to the government's Bill. The PM has gone a step further, suggesting that Anna's Bill in its entirety may be discussed by the Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Personnel which combines 31 MPs from different parties.
Team Anna has so far said it wants its Bill to be debated directly by Parliament; various close associates of Anna's like lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan have dismissed the Standing Committee's deliberations as "a delaying tactic" because the panel's recommendations are not binding.
The government's newly-solicitous attitude towards Team Anna comes after it has sullenly watched thousands of people embrace Anna's war-cry against corruption. At his camp in Delhi, crowds have recorded unprecedented numbers, streaming in despite the alternately hot and rainy days that Delhi has traversed recently. Anna's frail condition has loomed over the government today, finally pushing it into action. Anna promised this morning," I am 5.5 kilos lighter...but my doctors will not let me die...you will see."
The Prime Minister met with Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi this evening to discuss the Anna crisis; and the government's senior-most minister, Pranab Mukherjee, has been deputed to lead the talks with Anna's aides.
The official negotiations were launched at a meeting between Law Minister Salman Khurshid and Anna's close aide, Arvind Kejriwal. "Time is running out," said Mr Khurshid. "We need to find a solution fast...and a solution is possible through such talks," said the Law Minister.
The Lokpal Bill provides for an independent agency that will examine charges of corruption against public servants.
Team Anna says the government has deliberately drafted a weak Bill that will not effectively combat systematic venality. The activists who front the India Against Corruption movement have drafted their own version of the Bill. Two weeks ago, the government ignored Team Anna's Bill and introduced its own in Parliament. The activists declared war and delivered on their threat that Anna would start a fast and appeal to Indians to join his demonstration against corruption.
The government had underestimated Anna's appeal in a country confronting massive graft in both everyday life and in its political landscape. While many of the thousands who show up to support Anna don't know how his Bill differs from the government's, they say he will help cleanse a system rabid with ostentatious improbity.
Among Anna's main objections to the government's draft of the Lokpal Bill is that it doesn't apply to the PM, senior judges or junior bureaucrats. While the government may agree to let the Bill apply to the Prime Minister, the activists say they could be persuaded to accept other pieces of legislation that would tackle corruption among senior judges and junior bureaucrats.