Parliament agrees to Anna's demand; fast to end at 10 am
Source: Hueiyen News Service

New Delhi,, August 27 2011: Surrounded by a sea of flags, Anna Hazare received the news that his three conditions have been unanimously accepted by Parliament.

Thousands gathered to celebrate the 74-year-old and his role in helping India take a huge step forward towards a historic new anti-corruption law.

Anna will end his fast at 10 am tomorrow.

"Parliament has spoken.

The will of Parliament is will of the people," said the Prime Minister.

A letter signed by him was delivered in a moment of drama and political opportunism to Anna on stage at Ramlila Maidan.

The letter-bearers included Vilasrao Deshmkuh, who is from Anna's home state of Maharashtra and shares a good rapport with the Gandhian.

"We have won half the battle," said Anna, thanking thousands of workers and supporters.

"I will end my fast with you at 10 am.

Celebrate what we have won, but please be peaceful," he urged.

The government held its ground and did not conduct a vote, as Anna's associates had demanded in the afternoon.

Instead, the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha unanimously adopted a resolution that conveyed "the sense of the House" .

The Lokpal is an ombudsman committee that will be set up by a new law to investigate charges of corruption against public servants.

Anna wanted it to be born with three must-have powers.

These have been cleared today in principle.

In Parliament, both Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee referred to the fact that nine times, the Lokpal Bill has been introduced in Parliament but was not pushed through, Pranab Mukherjee however, reinforced his party line: "One piece of legislation, however strong and empowered it may be, cannot completely eradicate corruption." Hazare's methods have been criticized by many, including Rahul Gandhi, who delivered a rare speech on the Lokpal Bill in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

So political parties have signed off on Anna's trio of essentials: The Lokpal model will also be introduced in the states; junior bureaucrats will be accountable to it, they will now be reviewed by a parliamentary standing committee which will also check their compatibility with the constitution.

The committee will then send the bill back with detailed feedback to Parliament for its consideration.

The Lokpal debate was initiated by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha.

A series of impressive speeches followed, topped by BJP leader Sushma Swaraj.

"Let us show the country that its representatives can function well and conduct a healthy and mature political debate devoid of partisan acrimony," she urged.

Since last night, the government had been working on a carefully-calibrated plan to find a way to satisfy Anna without undermining Parliament and its right to legislate.

Senior ministers consulted last night and again this morning with both Anna's associates and the Opposition.

But by 3 pm, the plan, as it has so often in the last few days, fell apart.

Anna's associates, who arrived at Parliament while the Lokpal debate was underway, said they were also told that instead of a resolution, they said unless there was a vote in both Houses, the deal was off.

"If no resolution will take place or no voting will happen and if this is the response given to Anna Hazare's letter then it is very unfortunate," said Anna's aide, Prashant Bhushan.

The Prime Minister then met with senior ministers and with the BJP's Sushma Swaraj and LK Advani.

The close coordination between the government and the Opposition today was impressive.

While the debate was being conducted in both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, Ramlila Maidan was filling up.

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