Delhi: Hundreds gather for Team Anna's show of strength

New Delhi: Hundreds showed up on Sunday in a show of strength by Team Anna ahead of the December 11 dharna that Anna Hazare has called, over demands for the Lokpal Bill.

Team Anna member Kiran Bedi said, "They have gone back on whatever the Prime Minister and Parliament had promised. Keeping the CBI under their control they have shown they are not serious about tackling corruption. It's a useless Lokpal. It seems whatever Anna fasted for has been wasted."

Clearly Team Anna and the government is on collision course again, the rally in the national capital could well mark the beginning of the third chapter for the demand of the Lokpal Bill.

Parliamentary Standing Committee vetting the Lokpal Bill is likely to recommend against some key Anna demands like bringing the Prime Minister and group C and D employees under the ambit of the Lokpal. The judiciary has also been kept out of the purview of the anti-graft watchdog.

Some opposition parties including the BJP may give a dissent note when the recommendations are tabled in Parliament.

The Standing Committee report is likely to be tabled in Parliament later this week. In the absence of a political consensus and Team Anna also sticking to its earlier stand, the question remains as to whether a middle path can be ever achieved.

Hazare's supporters hold rallies, fast

Various organisations held rallies and meetings, and undertook fasts in support of the social activist Anna Hazare, at Manipal and Malpe here on Wednesday.

The citizens, office-bearers, and members of various voluntary organisations from Manipal, Parkala, Sarlebettu, Indrali, and Sagri took out a vehicle jatha supporting Mr. Hazare and demanding an end to corruption, and a strong and effective Lokpal Bill. A public meeting was held near the Manipal bus-stand.

Adarsh Gokhale, lecturer at Jnana Sudha Pre-University College, Karkala, said that corruption had struck deep roots in the country. It was a tragedy that persons with dubious track records were getting elected as MLAs and MPs. Only a strong Lokpal Bill could check corruption in the country.

The members of the Malpe Nagarika Kriya Samiti observed a fast from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in support of Mr. Hazare at Malpe. The shops in the Malpe bus-stand area downed shutters from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. backing Mr. Hazare and demanding a strong Lokpal to prevent corruption.

Rotary Governor Jnanavasantha Shetty said that there was no sphere in the country where corruption had not entered. Hence removal of corruption should be given priority. The people in the country were fed up of corruption.

Mr. Hazare, who was undergoing a fast at the Ramalila Grounds in New Delhi, was echoing the deep desire of every Indian against corruption. The Opposition parties at the Centre should put more pressure on the Centre to introduce a strong Lokpal Bill in Parliament, Mr. Shetty said.

Leader of Samskara Bharati Srikrishna Upadhya said it was the duty of every Indian to support Mr. Hazare. Those who were not doing so were cowards, he said.

Municipal councillors Panduranga Malpe and Vijay Kundar, president of Malpe Fishermen's Association Hiriyanna Kediyoor, leaders of fishermen community Rama Kanchan, Gopal Kundar, Balakrishna Mendon, and members of nearby bhajan mandalis were present.