Irom Sharmila looks forward to Anna visit

IMPHAL: Irom Sharmila Chanu, who is on an indefinite fast for the last 10 years seeking repeal of the controversial Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act, has expressed gratitude to Anna Hazare for deciding to visit Manipur to support her campaign.

"If he comes to support my stir, it will be really good for the people. It's up to his conscience whether he would fast or not. But I will not insist him to do so," the Iron Lady said. 

A core committee member of India Against Corruption has already said Anna would soon visit the state to support Sharmila's cause. Notwithstanding the media report of the Gandhian's visit, Sharmila also invited Anna to join her campaign against Afspa in Manipur.

Demanding repeal of the army Act that gives sweeping powers to the armed forces to the extent that they can even shoot persons on mere suspicion, Sharmila is on a fast since November 5, 2000. She took the step a couple of days after Assam Rifles jawans mowed down 10 civilians at Malom village in Imphal West.

At present, she is being forced-fed through her nose by the government at the security ward of Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital, close to her Konpal Kongkham Leikai residence in Imphal East.

Minutes before being remanded in judicial custody by an Imphal court on Tuesday, Sharmila expressed her desire to call UN Commission of Human Rights to see for itself gross violation of human rights by security forces in the country and Manipur in particular.

"It's up to God's will that AFSPA would be scrapped and for me I'll continue with my mission against the draconian Act," she said.

Earlier, Team Anna's core committee member Arvind Kejriwal had invited Sharmila to join Anna's agitation at Ramlila ground. While supporting Anna's movement, Sharmila had said she could not join him in Delhi as she was in judicial custody and state authorities would not allow her to leave Manipur. She, however, expressed solidarity with Anna's cause from Imphal.

As decided by the Just Peace Foundation (JPF), a trust formed for Sharmila's cause, it sent its coordinator, Seram Rojesh, to join Anna rally on the Ramlila Maidan. Hordes of film personalities, including Amir Khan, civil society leaders and academicians had also extended support to the fight of the Iron Lady.

Last Sunday, Seram quoted Aamir as saying, "The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, should be repealed and I support Sharmila's crusade." On being briefed about Sharmila's condition, the Bollywood actor, who's in New Delhi to support Anna's cause, said, "Let's think what I can do for Sharmila."

Social activist Medha Patkar is also said to have told the JPF that they would support Sharmila's fight against the military act.

Thousands gather at India Gate to celebrate Anna's victory

NEW DELHI: 'Anna has pulled off a miracle', was the unanimous cry from Hazare supporters who thronged the India Gate in thousands following anti-corruption crusader's call to celebrate their victory.

Cutting across the barriers of age and gender, people looked into a mode of celebration while dancing on the tunes of bands, doing Bhangra, singing patriotic songs, raising impromptu slogans, flying kites names after Anna, waving Indian flags, and some even distributing free sweets and chocolates among themselves.

"Anna has awakened the nation", said 80-year-old Retd. Army Officer Shiv Kumar Sharma, who had come with his wife and friends to the India Gate.

"I don't think that Lokpal alone will eradicate corruption from India. However, I do feel that Anna Hazare through his movement has woken up the nation... The whole country has stood up against corruption and I think this is the biggest achievement of this movement," Sharma said.

Though, Lokpal is not the whole answer to the problem, it is a very good beginning, said R S Yadav, a retd Colonel.

Amidst huge media presence and police deployment, people sang patriotic songs and waved Indian flags while some were seen getting their face painted in the colours of tricolour.

"I am proud to be an Indian today," said 22-year-old Sunil, who is pursuing his MBA in Delhi.

Mohan Aggarwal, a businessman, had come with a group of 40 people from Vaishali, and was seen distributing free sweets and chocolates among the people gathered at the India Gate.

"It's our way of celebrating by distributing sweets. Only a God can do what Anna has done through his struggle. We had never imagined in our dreams that one day the whole country would stand up against corruption... He has done a miracle," said Aggarwal.

Some were not "satisfied" with the government's response to the whole movement.

"Though I am not fully satisfied with the government's response, at least something is being done to rid this country of corruption. Anna has shown us a path and now it's our responsibility to follow it... At least I won't give or accept bribes from now on," said Yudhishter Singh, a Customs Manager, who had come all the way from Ethiopia to be a part of the movement.

Anna Hazare wins, Parliament passes resolution on Lokpal Bill

NEW DELHI: Both Houses of Parliament on Saturday passed a resolution conveying the sense of the House on the Lokpal Bill, paving the way forAnna Hazare to break his fast.

On a motion moved by Pranab Mukherjee, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha passed a resolution conveying the sense of the House on the Lokpal Bill.

After the passage of the resolution, Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the Lok Sabha till Monday.

There was some confusion over whether the resolution was passed by a voice vote or not. Apparently, no voice vote took place.

"Thumping of the desk is akin to passing a motion by voice vote," Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar told Times Now.

After the passage of the Lokpal resolution in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha also passed the resolution.

Team Anna welcomes the passage of the Lokpal resolution, Kiran Bedi said.

Some of the important points of the Lokpal resolution passed by Parliament are:

*An effective Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states be set up.

*Employees of centre and state governments to be brought under purview of Lokpal and Lokayuktas respectively.

*All government departments to have citizen's charter with timeline.

With a copy of Lokpal resolution and a letter from PM Manmohan Singh, Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh would now go to Ramlila Maidan to meet Anna Hazare.

Earlier, the team Anna said they have received a communication from the government that a resolution carrying their demands on Lokpal Bill will be put to a voice vote, a move which they termed as a "very happy" development.

Fresh trouble emerged this afternoon after government decided only to convey sense of House to Team Anna and not put the resolution for voting, the activists hardened their position saying it was "betrayal" and only a resolution which will be put to vote will be acceptable.

This forced the government to change its stand. The activist's camp said they have received the communication from the government about its decision to put the resolution to voice vote.

The 74-year-old Gandhian has been on fast for the last 12 days, demanding the passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill by Parliament.

BJP slams Rahul Gandhi's 'sermon' on Lokpal Bill

NEW DELHI: Asking Rahul Gandhi not to give "sermons" but to persuade the Prime Minister to bring changes in Lokpal Bill, the BJP on Friday slammed his speech in Parliament saying it closes the way for ending Anna Hazare's fast.


"We don't want Rahul's sermons. It is surprising that he is giving sermons to the nation but his party under Manmohan Singh is dill-dallying on a strong Lokpal issue. We urge him stop sermonising and persuade Prime Minister to bring changes in the Lokpal Bill," senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar said.

Leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley was equally dismissive of Gandhi's speech in which he proposed making Lokpal a constitutional body like the Election Commission.

"When you have no solution to offer you talk of systemic changes," Jaitley said.

His counterpart in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said, Gandhi's speech "closes the way for ending Anna's fast."

She also made clear her displeasure at Speaker Meira Kumar giving 15 minutes to Gandhi to give his "sermon" in the House when he was not scheduled to speak on Friday.

Some BJP leaders said that the speech reflected that Gandhi differs with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the Lokpal issue and Hazare's fast.

While Singh had been full of praise for Hazare in his speech on Thursday and this led to the Lok Sabha passing an unanimous resolution requesting the Gandhian to end his fast, Gandhi made no such gesture and even questioned such methods of protest.

Ananth Kumar alleged that the current stalemate on Lokpal issue and Hazare's fast was "due to the Congress and the UPA led by Manmohan Singh".

"Yesterday, the entire house and Manmohan Singh expressed concern over Anna's falling health but government is still dragging its feet on the issue. The government Lokpal Bill is totally malafide," Kumar said.

The BJP leader said his party wants "a strong and effective" Lokpal on the lines of Jan Lokpal Bill proposed by the Anna Hazare and his team.

"BJP has clarified its stand. We are for a strong and decisive Lokpal on the lines of Jan Lokpal Bill," he said.

Anna Hazare supporter enters Parliament complex, shouts slogans

NEW DELHI: Parliament complex on Friday witnessed high drama as a supporter of Anna Hazare shouted slogans in favour of the Gandhian before being taken away by the security personnel.

The middle-aged man, who identified himself as Manjeet from Rohtak in Haryana, had come to Parliament on visitor's pass.

Wearing a grey safari suit, he was in a queue along with visitors at around 3pm. Suddenly he took off his shirt, revealing a white undershirt with Hazare's photo and 'I am Anna' written on it and shouted slogans in favour of the Gandhian and attacking the government.

He chanted slogans like "Anna Zindabad" and "Anna on fast, government not acting".

Security personnel immediately rushed towards the well-built man and took him away.