With Anna's fast entering its eleventh day, the parliament gears up to discuss his bill and the two other drafts on Friday. Small instances of violence were reported last night in Ramlila where Anna supporters clashed with the police on the grounds. As Hazare's fast enters a critical stage, we bring you the latest on what is likely to be a decisive day for the movement.
10: 00 am: One of Team Anna's key associates, Arvind Kejriwal said that the BJP "broadly agrees with us" on the issues relating to their version of the Lokpal after the two parties met today.
10: 00 am: One of Team Anna's key associates, Arvind Kejriwal said that the BJP "broadly agrees with us" on the issues relating to their version of the Lokpal after the two parties met today.
9: 50 am: Team Anna met with senior leaders of the BJP to discuss their version of the bill. Arun Jaitley said the meeting was productive with the idea of amendments to the bill being discussed.
9: 45 am: Rahul Gandhi is expected to meet the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today to apparently discuss on the Lokpal issue.
9: 40 am: And if anyone is under the illusion that the BJP or other opposition parties are actually in favour of the passing of Jan Lokpal in its current format then they should hear LK Advani's comment today.
The BJP leader said the several inherent flaws in the Jan Lokpal Bill cannot be passed in the parliament, but expressed hope on the passing of a more fault-free version. He said his party supports any good bill that helps cut down on corruption.
Advani said: "I know what are the flaws in the provisions of the Jan Lokpal Bill due to which it will not get passed. And this, I tried to explain to them (Team Anna) yesterday," Advani told a group of students from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) who called on him.
"I also told (Finance Minister) Pranab (Mukherjee) and the government, that look... these people are emotionally attached to the title 'Jan Lokpal Bill' so assure them whatever be the final shape of the Lokpal Bill after amendments, do continue to call it the Jan Lokpal Bill," he said at his residence.
"They (the government) said we will think about it," said the top BJP leader, adding that his party would support any legislation that was aimed at ending corruption.
9: 30 am: With the government assuring to debate a resolution in parliament on the Jan Lokpal Bill today, Team Anna last night said they were hoping the solution would be "clear enough" to enable the activist to end his fast.
"We hope it (the resolution) is clear enough to enable Anna ji to end his fast," Hazare's associate Prashant Bhushan said last night to reporters.
Chronology of Thursday's events:
19: 00 pm: On the 10th day of his fast, Anna Hazare on Thursday refused to end his protest until Parliament begins debating three key issues related to his call for a strong anti-corruption law.
Speaking hours after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj urged him to call off his hunger strike, Hazare placed three conditions -- inclusion of lower bureaucracy in the Lokpal bill, formation of Lokayukta in all states, and citizen's charters in government offices. Read
18: 30 pm: Amid continuing deadlock between government and Team Anna Hazare on Lokpal, the Gandhian on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.
"Anna has written a letter to the Prime Minister and a response is awaited. Once Anna gets the reply, he will brief you," activist Manish Sisodia told Hazare's supporters. Read
18: 00 pm: News reports suggest that the Parliament is set to discuss all three versions of the bill tomorrow.
Vilasrao Deshmukh said he went in his personal capacity to convey his concerns over Anna's health. He urged Anna to come discuss all versions of the bill in the parliament, but Hazare said discussions should only take place over the Jan Lokpal Bill.
17: 30 pm: A high-level meeting between ministers is underway at the PM's residence as Anna supporters continued their protest outside his house.
16: 20 pm: After the brief meeting with Deshmukh, Hazare sent a message back to the Prime Minister who had urged him to end his fast and continue the protest if he so chooses to.
15: 45 pm: Deshmukh has urged Anna to listen to PM's offer and end his fast.
15: 00 pm: In another attempt to break the fast, the government has sent Maharashtrian mediators, namely Vilasrao Deshmukh, to convince Hazare to end his fast.
Meanwhile, the Parliament, namely the Speaker and all parties present in the House, have urged Hazare to end his fast amid growing concerns to his health.
14: 05 pm: In a quest to end the crisis, the PM said the only way forward is to bring all three drafts (including Aruna Roy's version of the bill) to the table and reach a consensus.
14: 00 pm: Law minister Salman Khurshid said, despite his cabinet colleagues being skeptical of talks with Team Anna, he proceeded with discussions with the activists, but felt they just aren't willing to take the talks further. He said there is nothing much he could do if Team Anna is unwilling to discuss the issue further.
"There is no impression of any breakthrough in the meeting. The government is keen on dialogue and are committed to talks," Khurshid said.
Asked what is the way forward, Khurshid said: "I don't know ask them (Team Anna). Government is willing to talk, but if they don't want to come then what is the way out?
"Should the government only listen, they can't suggest?" he asked.
"We might have different strategies but finally one strategy has to prevail. Why should there not be any scepticism if people just talk and walk out and say something to us inside and something else outside," he said, accusing civil society activists of double talk.
"We were talking, they walked out. Now they are asking whom should they talk to...," he added.
13: 55 pm: Congress spokesman Manish Tiwari has apologised to Anna Hazare for accusing him of being corrupt. He said at times during political discourse, things are said without proper reflection.
13: 30 pm: The PM is hopeful Team Anna would come to the discussion table (the standing committee in the parliament) and look into all three versions (including Aruna Roy's lokpal bill) of the bill and reach a consensus.
12: 55 pm: Urging Hazare to end his fast, the PM said he has registered his point. PM said an agreement had been reached on the shape of the draft but little details had to be worked out. He asked Anna to abide by the parliamentary procedures and work towards the drafting of a strong lokpal bill.
Admitting that he might have made some mistakes, the PM denied accusations that he had ever "connived with corruption" and reassured the members of the parliament that his "government would do everything possible to cleanse the system".
"We need to find credible solutions to deal with the scourge of corruption," he said, admitting that the opposition charges against him has hurt him.
11: 55 am: Echoing Pranab's views, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today made it clear that the Parliamentary democracy cannot be undermined.
Responding to a letter from former Chief Justice J S Verma, the PM asserted that it is only after "due deliberation" that a law can be passed that not only meets the aspirations of the people but is also "practical and effective".
Virtually rejecting the August 30 deadline set by Hazare for passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill, he said, "It is the bounden duty of Parliament to pass a law only after its members have had reasonable time and opportunity to hear a wide range of public opinions and apply their minds to its various provisions."
The PM asked Verma to use his good offices to urge Hazare and his supporters "to adopt a more rational approach in dealing with this complex problem".
11: 44 am: Laws can only be made in the parliament seems to be overwhelming government response as that seems to be the reason why the talks broke down yesterday.
Pranab Mukherjee reiterated today that the Lokpal Bill can only be passed in the Parliament in accordance with the set procedures but Team Anna wanted to skip the procedures.
Taking to reporters here, Pranab said: "The all party meeting which was convened on Wednesday rejected the idea of bypassing the parliamentary procedures and opined for the bill to go through the standing committee.
"We are appealing to Anna to end his fast. Then they gave these three conditions. If they are fulfilled, then they would request Anna to break his fast. Those three conditions were one; the government bill will have to be withdrawn. Two, Jan Lokpal Bill will have to be introduced. Three, parliamentary standing committee route will have to be avoided and the bill will have to be passed straightway in the parliament before the end of this session.
"Today, we informed them that this is not possible. Parliamentary process will have to be worked out and parliamentary process should be allowed to function,
11: 28 am: Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till noon after the BJP created an uproar over shift in government's stand on Anna's agitation.
11: 26 am: Pranab Mukherjee told Congress MPs that Team Anna were trying to hijack legislative functions.
11: 00 am: Doctors treating Hazare are concerned about his failing health as they feel he requires immediate hospitalisation.
"We already recommended Hazare to get admitted in a hospital on Wednesday, but he refused. We are yet to check the blood samples," a doctor treating Hazare said.
Hazare, 74, has so far refused to be administered glucose drips. He has been asked to drink lots of water and told not to take any strain.
10: 55 am: Blaming internal politics for disrupting progress in talks, activist Arvind Kejriwal said Team Anna is a "victim of Congress politics". He also feared that Anna could be evicted from Ramlila today.
"We have become victims of internal politics of Congress. How many rounds of talks we have had with senior leaders like Kapil Sibal and Chidambaram, but nothing has happened till now. Whom will we talk to?" Kejriwal said..
"There were strong indications that Annaji could be evicted from Ramlila Maidan early morning on Thursday. As the issue was publicised, but nothing was done," Kejriwal told reporters here.
10: 50 am: Amid fears that police might take action against Anna Hazare, his aide Kiran Bedi last night said she has been assured by the Delhi police chief that the fasting social activist won't be removed forcibly unless his health was in jeopardy.
"I got an SMS from Delhi Police commissioner that police won't take any action till the doctors declare that Anna needs serious medical attention. So even if they got orders from the ministers, they would not touch Anna," she said.
10: 45 am: Despite the talks breaking down yesterday, both sides said that discussions would continue today.
A day after their parleys ended in a logjam, the two sides will meet again around noon to thrash out a solution.
Hazare's representatives -- Arvind Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan and Kiran Bedi -- were visibly upset at the lack of progress in a 90-minute meeting with government negotiators led by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee yesterday.
They alleged that the government had done a U-turn and was not being serious about bringing in a strong anti-corruption law that would set up a powerful and an independent watchdog.
10: 40 am: One of the members of Team Anna, activist Arvind Kejriwal, blamed "some elements" within the government for the breakdown of talks.
He claimed that senior ministers -- namely Kapil Sibal and P. Chidambaram -- strongly opposed the talks between government and Team Anna representatives and jeopardised the negotiations over the contentious Lokpal bill.
"It is unfortunate that some elements in the government were trying to jeopardise the talks. We had reached a consensus," Kejriwal told reporters.
Chronology of Wednesday's events:
19: 00 pm: The all-party meet into the Lokpal issue here on Wednesday asked the government to give due consideration to activist Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal Bill.
The parties felt there should be an effective Lokpal. They appealed to Hazare to end his fast. Read
18: 30 pm: Appealing to Anna Hazare to end his fast, the government on Wednesday said it has forwarded Jan Lokpal Bill to Parliament's Standing Committee for consideration and it is up to it to take a decision.
"We have forwarded Jan Lokpal Bill to the Standing Committee for its consideration. It is for the Committee to decide," Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy said in the Rajya Sabha. Read
18:00 pm: Amid concerns over his health as his protest entered ninth day, Anna Hazare on Wednesday said he could fast for another nine days.
"My fast has entered the ninth day. Nothing will happen to me. I can fast for another nine days. We will fight together," he told the gathering at Ramlila Maidan. The statement by the 74-year-old Gandhian was greeted by loud applause and cheers by his supporters. Read
17:30 pm: I am receiving energy from the enthusiasm of the crowd. Some people have spoiled the country, we will all together re -build the country: Hazare.
16: 30 pm: PM in the all-party meet told members that Team Anna wants a Lokpal Bill passed in four days. Meanwhile, Salman Khurshid has said that there are only two or three key differences in opinion between the government and Team Anna on the bill and is hoping the issue will be sorted out soon.
15: 30 pm: The all-party meeting begins as the PM and Pranab start briefing the members on the details of their new draft and initiating the talks that are potentially decisive to forming a solution to the Lokpal issue.
15: 00 pm: The opposition managed to invoke a rare smile out of Manmohan Singh today as BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi took the lead in the parliament and cracked a jestful comment on the PM's earlier "magic wand" remark.
The Lok Sabha broke into a fit of laughter as Joshi quoted the PM's I-Day speech in which he had said "the government had no magic wand to end corruption".
Joshi on Wednesday jested: "Science and technology has developed in India. We need to invent a magic wand to end corruption."
That comment provoked a smile out of the usually serious-looking Manmohan.
Noticing the PM smile over his comment, Joshi said he had been "waiting to see that smile on Dr. Singh's face".
He said: "There is a smile on your face. I have been dying for this day. This is a very special day for the parliament."
14: 15 pm: Senior BJP leader, Yashwant Sinha and two other party members have threatened to quit the party because they feel that their party took a "soft" stance on the issue of Lokpal and should have instead come out openly in support of Anna and his demands.
13: 37 pm: A meeting, which lasted for nearly two hours, between members of Team Anna and the government just ended with media reports suggesting that another round of talks will soon follow in the evening once the all-party meeting (due to start at 3.30 pm) ends.
13: 35 pm: Almost 200 hours have passed since Anna started his fast and the government is more keen to end his fast first amid concerns to his health and then sort out the nuances concerning the bill, news reports claim.
Urging the need to find a point of convergence on the issue and that it takes time to do so, Salman Khurshid said the government is working on resolving matters and is urging Team Anna to come to the talking table.
13: 15 pm: Calling this moment in time a historic period to introspect and react, Arun Jaitley elaborated on the issues the government and parliament faces in addressing the Anna movement and their core issue of corruption in the country.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley said: "While we are in this delicate situation and discussing the issue of corruption, I believe this opportunity presents a historic challenge to us. The Parliament is the ultimate law-making authority... movements outside parliament are all intended to convey public opinion and the intensity of public opinion to us.
"That message coming to all of us could not be louder and clearer. That the country is expecting Parliament to perform its obligation and duty and take effective steps so we are able to substantially tackle the problem of corruption."
Noting the complexity of law making and the levels of thought needed in striking a balance and consensus on the issue, Jaitley said: "We must also have the honesty of purpose to analyze where we have gone wrong. There is erosion of credibility as far as governance is concerned. People are losing faith (so much so) that (they believe that) normal mechanisms will be adequate to tackle the problem. So it is extremely important that we introspect honestly. We must truthfully accept the situation on the ground. We should raise the bar for accountability."
13: 00 pm: In his extended speech expressing disgust at government's inability to tackle corruption, Jaitley said, "people are losing face in the government. There is a crisis of credibility in there. Corruption has become so rampant in every corner.
Accusing the CBI of working for "political masters," Jaitley said: "The enormity of this protest is proportionate to public anger. In this country, public opinion is fierce and fair. Can you blame the people for expressing their anger in such a situation?"
12: 40 pm: The opposition has initiated the lokpal debate in the parliament, Arun Jaitley has accused the government of inaction and inability to deal with the issue of corruption in Rajya Sabha.
12: 30 pm: The PM today wrote to Anna Hazare on the Lokpal issue. His letter to Anna can be read here.
12: 25 pm: Meanwhile Hazare has said that he is feeling fine despite having lost 6 kgs and that he can carry on the fast until his demands are met.
12: 00 pm: While much of the television media (which has been accused of giving rise to the movement) has been going by the populist support that Anna has received, many critics within the larger media have come out to express their disapproval of Anna's methods, and more importantly, his version of the draft (which they point out is potentially draconian in nature).
The likes of AP Shah (as quoted in Tehelka) have already questioned the bill, calling many of its provisions "overboard, defective and preposterous".
"To attribute such 'mind-boggling' power to an ombudsman is unprecedented, not just in the history of India, but the history of the world", he argued.
Shah is not alone in his criticism. There are many who feel the institution Hazare and his team desire to create would resemble one "gargantuan, authoritarian, sweeping" body that is potentially in danger of becoming corrupt by itself without a larger check.
Columnist Manish Chand is one such critique who prefers to look at the movement's hysteria or 'Annamania' as he calls it.
11: 55 am: Meanwhile one of Team Anna's key members, Kiran Bedi said the Jan Lokpal Bill is the "cause of every Indian today".
Terming the bill a "citizen's charter" and a boon for the "common man", Bedi said: "We have the right to have an honest India and the right to our own belief. To a common man, corruption has also become a very vital issue and the government should pass the Lokpal bill. The benefit of the Lokpal to the common man would be just like the Right to Information (RTI). We are urging the government to pass the bill in the benefit of the common man."
11:35 am: Aruna Roy, member of the National Advisory Council, met Anna today at Ramlila to convey her concerns on his deteriorating health.
11: 20 am: In an extended speech, Anna maintained his position on the government by claiming that their intentions "are not good" and that they lacked the will or desire to tackle corruption.
11: 00 am: Meanwhile the Prime Minister said he was "concerned about Anna's health" and asked him to take medical assistance amid worries to his kidney.
10: 50 am: Reports say that Pranab Mukherjee and his aides are busy drafting a new bill that they hope will be the solution forward as small differences still persist between the government's version and team Anna's version of the draft.
Law Minister Salman Khurshid and New Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit are heading over to meet Pranab to help with the drafting of the bill.
10: 40 am: To know more about the key talking points between the government's version of the lokpal billl and Team Anna's version, check this detailed table highlighting the differences of the two drafts.
10: 25 am: Ahead of an all party meeting due this afternoon at 3.30 pm, Home Minister P. Chidambaram submitted a report detailing the current situation of Anna's fast to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Sources said the report was given to the PM this morning, but declined to divulge the contents of the report.
Concerning the afternoon talks, the sources said a final decision would only be taken after the meeting as the opposition parties had earlier pointed out that the government had taken all decisions on its own without consulting them.
Many of the demands of Team Anna, which is insisting on its version of the Lokpal bill, have been met, sources said, adding that talks with the two continued.
10: 17 am: BJP MP Varun Gandhi, who has already tabled the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Lok Sabha as a private members' bill, was found sitting as "a common man" (in his own words) with the rest of Anna's supporters at Ramlila Maidan.
10: 12 am: According to a health bulletin issued by the doctors treating Hazare, his blood pressure and sugar levels hit dangerous levels as his weight fell by 200 gm. Ketone particles (created by the body during starvation) levels have also risen posing a threat to his kidneys and liver, the doctors said.
10: 10 am: After late night discussions between the government and Team Anna on Tuesday night, both sides agreed on a variety of issues leading to hopes of the fast ending today. But Team Anna insist that only upon clear written assurance from the government would it end its fast.
"Anna will read every word of the written agreement when it comes. Rest assured he is not going to take any chances at all. Today is crucial. His health as well as government giving a written commitment for tabling and passing in current session the Jan Lokpal is important," his aide Kiran Bedi said.
10: 05 am: Hazare said the government could attempt to shift him to a hospital and asked his supporters to not let that happen. "If they try to take me away forcibly, park yourself at the gates and don't let me be taken away," he said.
But insisted they continue their protest in a non-violent manner. "But there should be no violence," Hazare said, adding that "whatever we do, it should be done non-violently. Violence is a crime."
10: 00 am: Looking weak compared to the first days of his protest, Hazare today said that he was not afraid of dying.
On being told that his kidneys showed signs of weakening and that he needed drips, Hazare said: "I consulted my inner conscience... My inner conscience does not allow me to take saline drips. It doesn't matter if I die. If I die, so many Annas will emerge."
9: 45 am: Rahul Gandhi is expected to meet the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today to apparently discuss on the Lokpal issue.
9: 40 am: And if anyone is under the illusion that the BJP or other opposition parties are actually in favour of the passing of Jan Lokpal in its current format then they should hear LK Advani's comment today.
The BJP leader said the several inherent flaws in the Jan Lokpal Bill cannot be passed in the parliament, but expressed hope on the passing of a more fault-free version. He said his party supports any good bill that helps cut down on corruption.
Advani said: "I know what are the flaws in the provisions of the Jan Lokpal Bill due to which it will not get passed. And this, I tried to explain to them (Team Anna) yesterday," Advani told a group of students from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) who called on him.
"I also told (Finance Minister) Pranab (Mukherjee) and the government, that look... these people are emotionally attached to the title 'Jan Lokpal Bill' so assure them whatever be the final shape of the Lokpal Bill after amendments, do continue to call it the Jan Lokpal Bill," he said at his residence.
"They (the government) said we will think about it," said the top BJP leader, adding that his party would support any legislation that was aimed at ending corruption.
9: 30 am: With the government assuring to debate a resolution in parliament on the Jan Lokpal Bill today, Team Anna last night said they were hoping the solution would be "clear enough" to enable the activist to end his fast.
"We hope it (the resolution) is clear enough to enable Anna ji to end his fast," Hazare's associate Prashant Bhushan said last night to reporters.
Chronology of Thursday's events:
19: 00 pm: On the 10th day of his fast, Anna Hazare on Thursday refused to end his protest until Parliament begins debating three key issues related to his call for a strong anti-corruption law.
Speaking hours after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj urged him to call off his hunger strike, Hazare placed three conditions -- inclusion of lower bureaucracy in the Lokpal bill, formation of Lokayukta in all states, and citizen's charters in government offices. Read
18: 30 pm: Amid continuing deadlock between government and Team Anna Hazare on Lokpal, the Gandhian on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue.
"Anna has written a letter to the Prime Minister and a response is awaited. Once Anna gets the reply, he will brief you," activist Manish Sisodia told Hazare's supporters. Read
18: 00 pm: News reports suggest that the Parliament is set to discuss all three versions of the bill tomorrow.
Vilasrao Deshmukh said he went in his personal capacity to convey his concerns over Anna's health. He urged Anna to come discuss all versions of the bill in the parliament, but Hazare said discussions should only take place over the Jan Lokpal Bill.
17: 30 pm: A high-level meeting between ministers is underway at the PM's residence as Anna supporters continued their protest outside his house.
16: 20 pm: After the brief meeting with Deshmukh, Hazare sent a message back to the Prime Minister who had urged him to end his fast and continue the protest if he so chooses to.
15: 45 pm: Deshmukh has urged Anna to listen to PM's offer and end his fast.
15: 00 pm: In another attempt to break the fast, the government has sent Maharashtrian mediators, namely Vilasrao Deshmukh, to convince Hazare to end his fast.
Meanwhile, the Parliament, namely the Speaker and all parties present in the House, have urged Hazare to end his fast amid growing concerns to his health.
14: 05 pm: In a quest to end the crisis, the PM said the only way forward is to bring all three drafts (including Aruna Roy's version of the bill) to the table and reach a consensus.
14: 00 pm: Law minister Salman Khurshid said, despite his cabinet colleagues being skeptical of talks with Team Anna, he proceeded with discussions with the activists, but felt they just aren't willing to take the talks further. He said there is nothing much he could do if Team Anna is unwilling to discuss the issue further.
"There is no impression of any breakthrough in the meeting. The government is keen on dialogue and are committed to talks," Khurshid said.
Asked what is the way forward, Khurshid said: "I don't know ask them (Team Anna). Government is willing to talk, but if they don't want to come then what is the way out?
"Should the government only listen, they can't suggest?" he asked.
"We might have different strategies but finally one strategy has to prevail. Why should there not be any scepticism if people just talk and walk out and say something to us inside and something else outside," he said, accusing civil society activists of double talk.
"We were talking, they walked out. Now they are asking whom should they talk to...," he added.
13: 55 pm: Congress spokesman Manish Tiwari has apologised to Anna Hazare for accusing him of being corrupt. He said at times during political discourse, things are said without proper reflection.
13: 30 pm: The PM is hopeful Team Anna would come to the discussion table (the standing committee in the parliament) and look into all three versions (including Aruna Roy's lokpal bill) of the bill and reach a consensus.
12: 55 pm: Urging Hazare to end his fast, the PM said he has registered his point. PM said an agreement had been reached on the shape of the draft but little details had to be worked out. He asked Anna to abide by the parliamentary procedures and work towards the drafting of a strong lokpal bill.
Admitting that he might have made some mistakes, the PM denied accusations that he had ever "connived with corruption" and reassured the members of the parliament that his "government would do everything possible to cleanse the system".
"We need to find credible solutions to deal with the scourge of corruption," he said, admitting that the opposition charges against him has hurt him.
11: 55 am: Echoing Pranab's views, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today made it clear that the Parliamentary democracy cannot be undermined.
Responding to a letter from former Chief Justice J S Verma, the PM asserted that it is only after "due deliberation" that a law can be passed that not only meets the aspirations of the people but is also "practical and effective".
Virtually rejecting the August 30 deadline set by Hazare for passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill, he said, "It is the bounden duty of Parliament to pass a law only after its members have had reasonable time and opportunity to hear a wide range of public opinions and apply their minds to its various provisions."
The PM asked Verma to use his good offices to urge Hazare and his supporters "to adopt a more rational approach in dealing with this complex problem".
11: 44 am: Laws can only be made in the parliament seems to be overwhelming government response as that seems to be the reason why the talks broke down yesterday.
Pranab Mukherjee reiterated today that the Lokpal Bill can only be passed in the Parliament in accordance with the set procedures but Team Anna wanted to skip the procedures.
Taking to reporters here, Pranab said: "The all party meeting which was convened on Wednesday rejected the idea of bypassing the parliamentary procedures and opined for the bill to go through the standing committee.
"We are appealing to Anna to end his fast. Then they gave these three conditions. If they are fulfilled, then they would request Anna to break his fast. Those three conditions were one; the government bill will have to be withdrawn. Two, Jan Lokpal Bill will have to be introduced. Three, parliamentary standing committee route will have to be avoided and the bill will have to be passed straightway in the parliament before the end of this session.
"Today, we informed them that this is not possible. Parliamentary process will have to be worked out and parliamentary process should be allowed to function,
11: 28 am: Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till noon after the BJP created an uproar over shift in government's stand on Anna's agitation.
11: 26 am: Pranab Mukherjee told Congress MPs that Team Anna were trying to hijack legislative functions.
11: 00 am: Doctors treating Hazare are concerned about his failing health as they feel he requires immediate hospitalisation.
"We already recommended Hazare to get admitted in a hospital on Wednesday, but he refused. We are yet to check the blood samples," a doctor treating Hazare said.
Hazare, 74, has so far refused to be administered glucose drips. He has been asked to drink lots of water and told not to take any strain.
10: 55 am: Blaming internal politics for disrupting progress in talks, activist Arvind Kejriwal said Team Anna is a "victim of Congress politics". He also feared that Anna could be evicted from Ramlila today.
"We have become victims of internal politics of Congress. How many rounds of talks we have had with senior leaders like Kapil Sibal and Chidambaram, but nothing has happened till now. Whom will we talk to?" Kejriwal said..
"There were strong indications that Annaji could be evicted from Ramlila Maidan early morning on Thursday. As the issue was publicised, but nothing was done," Kejriwal told reporters here.
10: 50 am: Amid fears that police might take action against Anna Hazare, his aide Kiran Bedi last night said she has been assured by the Delhi police chief that the fasting social activist won't be removed forcibly unless his health was in jeopardy.
"I got an SMS from Delhi Police commissioner that police won't take any action till the doctors declare that Anna needs serious medical attention. So even if they got orders from the ministers, they would not touch Anna," she said.
10: 45 am: Despite the talks breaking down yesterday, both sides said that discussions would continue today.
A day after their parleys ended in a logjam, the two sides will meet again around noon to thrash out a solution.
Hazare's representatives -- Arvind Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan and Kiran Bedi -- were visibly upset at the lack of progress in a 90-minute meeting with government negotiators led by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee yesterday.
They alleged that the government had done a U-turn and was not being serious about bringing in a strong anti-corruption law that would set up a powerful and an independent watchdog.
10: 40 am: One of the members of Team Anna, activist Arvind Kejriwal, blamed "some elements" within the government for the breakdown of talks.
He claimed that senior ministers -- namely Kapil Sibal and P. Chidambaram -- strongly opposed the talks between government and Team Anna representatives and jeopardised the negotiations over the contentious Lokpal bill.
"It is unfortunate that some elements in the government were trying to jeopardise the talks. We had reached a consensus," Kejriwal told reporters.
Chronology of Wednesday's events:
19: 00 pm: The all-party meet into the Lokpal issue here on Wednesday asked the government to give due consideration to activist Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal Bill.
The parties felt there should be an effective Lokpal. They appealed to Hazare to end his fast. Read
18: 30 pm: Appealing to Anna Hazare to end his fast, the government on Wednesday said it has forwarded Jan Lokpal Bill to Parliament's Standing Committee for consideration and it is up to it to take a decision.
"We have forwarded Jan Lokpal Bill to the Standing Committee for its consideration. It is for the Committee to decide," Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy said in the Rajya Sabha. Read
18:00 pm: Amid concerns over his health as his protest entered ninth day, Anna Hazare on Wednesday said he could fast for another nine days.
"My fast has entered the ninth day. Nothing will happen to me. I can fast for another nine days. We will fight together," he told the gathering at Ramlila Maidan. The statement by the 74-year-old Gandhian was greeted by loud applause and cheers by his supporters. Read
17:30 pm: I am receiving energy from the enthusiasm of the crowd. Some people have spoiled the country, we will all together re -build the country: Hazare.
16: 30 pm: PM in the all-party meet told members that Team Anna wants a Lokpal Bill passed in four days. Meanwhile, Salman Khurshid has said that there are only two or three key differences in opinion between the government and Team Anna on the bill and is hoping the issue will be sorted out soon.
15: 30 pm: The all-party meeting begins as the PM and Pranab start briefing the members on the details of their new draft and initiating the talks that are potentially decisive to forming a solution to the Lokpal issue.
15: 00 pm: The opposition managed to invoke a rare smile out of Manmohan Singh today as BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi took the lead in the parliament and cracked a jestful comment on the PM's earlier "magic wand" remark.
The Lok Sabha broke into a fit of laughter as Joshi quoted the PM's I-Day speech in which he had said "the government had no magic wand to end corruption".
Joshi on Wednesday jested: "Science and technology has developed in India. We need to invent a magic wand to end corruption."
That comment provoked a smile out of the usually serious-looking Manmohan.
Noticing the PM smile over his comment, Joshi said he had been "waiting to see that smile on Dr. Singh's face".
He said: "There is a smile on your face. I have been dying for this day. This is a very special day for the parliament."
14: 15 pm: Senior BJP leader, Yashwant Sinha and two other party members have threatened to quit the party because they feel that their party took a "soft" stance on the issue of Lokpal and should have instead come out openly in support of Anna and his demands.
13: 37 pm: A meeting, which lasted for nearly two hours, between members of Team Anna and the government just ended with media reports suggesting that another round of talks will soon follow in the evening once the all-party meeting (due to start at 3.30 pm) ends.
13: 35 pm: Almost 200 hours have passed since Anna started his fast and the government is more keen to end his fast first amid concerns to his health and then sort out the nuances concerning the bill, news reports claim.
Urging the need to find a point of convergence on the issue and that it takes time to do so, Salman Khurshid said the government is working on resolving matters and is urging Team Anna to come to the talking table.
13: 15 pm: Calling this moment in time a historic period to introspect and react, Arun Jaitley elaborated on the issues the government and parliament faces in addressing the Anna movement and their core issue of corruption in the country.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley said: "While we are in this delicate situation and discussing the issue of corruption, I believe this opportunity presents a historic challenge to us. The Parliament is the ultimate law-making authority... movements outside parliament are all intended to convey public opinion and the intensity of public opinion to us.
"That message coming to all of us could not be louder and clearer. That the country is expecting Parliament to perform its obligation and duty and take effective steps so we are able to substantially tackle the problem of corruption."
Noting the complexity of law making and the levels of thought needed in striking a balance and consensus on the issue, Jaitley said: "We must also have the honesty of purpose to analyze where we have gone wrong. There is erosion of credibility as far as governance is concerned. People are losing faith (so much so) that (they believe that) normal mechanisms will be adequate to tackle the problem. So it is extremely important that we introspect honestly. We must truthfully accept the situation on the ground. We should raise the bar for accountability."
13: 00 pm: In his extended speech expressing disgust at government's inability to tackle corruption, Jaitley said, "people are losing face in the government. There is a crisis of credibility in there. Corruption has become so rampant in every corner.
Accusing the CBI of working for "political masters," Jaitley said: "The enormity of this protest is proportionate to public anger. In this country, public opinion is fierce and fair. Can you blame the people for expressing their anger in such a situation?"
12: 40 pm: The opposition has initiated the lokpal debate in the parliament, Arun Jaitley has accused the government of inaction and inability to deal with the issue of corruption in Rajya Sabha.
12: 30 pm: The PM today wrote to Anna Hazare on the Lokpal issue. His letter to Anna can be read here.
12: 25 pm: Meanwhile Hazare has said that he is feeling fine despite having lost 6 kgs and that he can carry on the fast until his demands are met.
12: 00 pm: While much of the television media (which has been accused of giving rise to the movement) has been going by the populist support that Anna has received, many critics within the larger media have come out to express their disapproval of Anna's methods, and more importantly, his version of the draft (which they point out is potentially draconian in nature).
The likes of AP Shah (as quoted in Tehelka) have already questioned the bill, calling many of its provisions "overboard, defective and preposterous".
"To attribute such 'mind-boggling' power to an ombudsman is unprecedented, not just in the history of India, but the history of the world", he argued.
Shah is not alone in his criticism. There are many who feel the institution Hazare and his team desire to create would resemble one "gargantuan, authoritarian, sweeping" body that is potentially in danger of becoming corrupt by itself without a larger check.
Columnist Manish Chand is one such critique who prefers to look at the movement's hysteria or 'Annamania' as he calls it.
11: 55 am: Meanwhile one of Team Anna's key members, Kiran Bedi said the Jan Lokpal Bill is the "cause of every Indian today".
Terming the bill a "citizen's charter" and a boon for the "common man", Bedi said: "We have the right to have an honest India and the right to our own belief. To a common man, corruption has also become a very vital issue and the government should pass the Lokpal bill. The benefit of the Lokpal to the common man would be just like the Right to Information (RTI). We are urging the government to pass the bill in the benefit of the common man."
11:35 am: Aruna Roy, member of the National Advisory Council, met Anna today at Ramlila to convey her concerns on his deteriorating health.
11: 20 am: In an extended speech, Anna maintained his position on the government by claiming that their intentions "are not good" and that they lacked the will or desire to tackle corruption.
11: 00 am: Meanwhile the Prime Minister said he was "concerned about Anna's health" and asked him to take medical assistance amid worries to his kidney.
10: 50 am: Reports say that Pranab Mukherjee and his aides are busy drafting a new bill that they hope will be the solution forward as small differences still persist between the government's version and team Anna's version of the draft.
Law Minister Salman Khurshid and New Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit are heading over to meet Pranab to help with the drafting of the bill.
10: 40 am: To know more about the key talking points between the government's version of the lokpal billl and Team Anna's version, check this detailed table highlighting the differences of the two drafts.
10: 25 am: Ahead of an all party meeting due this afternoon at 3.30 pm, Home Minister P. Chidambaram submitted a report detailing the current situation of Anna's fast to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Sources said the report was given to the PM this morning, but declined to divulge the contents of the report.
Concerning the afternoon talks, the sources said a final decision would only be taken after the meeting as the opposition parties had earlier pointed out that the government had taken all decisions on its own without consulting them.
Many of the demands of Team Anna, which is insisting on its version of the Lokpal bill, have been met, sources said, adding that talks with the two continued.
10: 17 am: BJP MP Varun Gandhi, who has already tabled the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Lok Sabha as a private members' bill, was found sitting as "a common man" (in his own words) with the rest of Anna's supporters at Ramlila Maidan.
10: 12 am: According to a health bulletin issued by the doctors treating Hazare, his blood pressure and sugar levels hit dangerous levels as his weight fell by 200 gm. Ketone particles (created by the body during starvation) levels have also risen posing a threat to his kidneys and liver, the doctors said.
10: 10 am: After late night discussions between the government and Team Anna on Tuesday night, both sides agreed on a variety of issues leading to hopes of the fast ending today. But Team Anna insist that only upon clear written assurance from the government would it end its fast.
"Anna will read every word of the written agreement when it comes. Rest assured he is not going to take any chances at all. Today is crucial. His health as well as government giving a written commitment for tabling and passing in current session the Jan Lokpal is important," his aide Kiran Bedi said.
10: 05 am: Hazare said the government could attempt to shift him to a hospital and asked his supporters to not let that happen. "If they try to take me away forcibly, park yourself at the gates and don't let me be taken away," he said.
But insisted they continue their protest in a non-violent manner. "But there should be no violence," Hazare said, adding that "whatever we do, it should be done non-violently. Violence is a crime."
10: 00 am: Looking weak compared to the first days of his protest, Hazare today said that he was not afraid of dying.
On being told that his kidneys showed signs of weakening and that he needed drips, Hazare said: "I consulted my inner conscience... My inner conscience does not allow me to take saline drips. It doesn't matter if I die. If I die, so many Annas will emerge."
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