Govt must withdraw its Lokpal Bill draft: Team Anna

NEW DELHI: In an interaction with the media at the historic Ramlila Maidan from where Anna Hazare on Friday launched his protest fast, Team Anna said that the government must withdraw its draft of Lokpal Bill and table the Jan Lokpal version in Parliament.

Hitting back at the government, Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said, "The government feels it can throw us in jail any time they want." The government is using the parliamentary standing committee as a shield, Kejriwal said and demanded an introduction of a new Jan Lokpal Bill.

Kejriwal also alleged that the govt was betraying the people in the name of the Judicial Accountability Bill to keep higher judiciary out of Lokpal.

Accusing it of treating them badly, Team Anna said that the government should understand the strength of the anti-corruption movement. Civil society member Prashant Bhushan slammed the government's action as arrogant and whimsical.

Anna Hazare appealed to the people to not take or give bribes and demanded strict law to deal with corrupt people. Team Anna said they have made an effort to reach out to the people and even people from far flung villages are lending their support to the movement.

Anna Hazare in his address at the Ramlila Maidan on Friday gave indications that his fast will be a prolonged one when he declared that he will not quit the venue till the Jan Lokpal Bill is brought.

On the fourth day of his fast, the 73-year-old Gandhian looked totally fit when he ran a short distance in Rajghat to escape from rain though he had lost three kg of weight since Tuesday. He came out of the jail this morning after reaching an agreement with government for holding his hunger strike for 15 days.