Bill changes: 'Govt must take Anna's permission'

As Anna Hazare's fast entered the fifth day, his team on Saturday demanded early introduction of the Jan Lokpal Bill in Parliament and said government can get it passed in days if it has the will.

"It is the people's demand that next Tuesday when Parliament opens, then the government should withdraw its version of the Lokpal Bill and introduce our Bill," former Law Minister and Hazare's associate Shanti Bhushan said.

Addressing the gathering at the Ramlila Maidan, he said the government should give an "assurance to Hazare that whenever the Jan Lokpal Bill comes, they issue a whip and get the Jan Lokpal Bill passed."

Indicating that Hazare could be open to minor changes in the Jan Lokpal Bill, he said an assurance from the government to the Gandhian on his demand will be like showing respect for the public sentiment demanding action against corruption.

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"If the government feels that some small changes need to be made to the Bill, then even those should be made only after taking permission and support from Anna. If they are willing to give that assurance, then it will show a respect for public sentiment and it is possible that Anna may agree to it," Bhushan said.

On the deadline set by Hazare, Bhushan said the government can pass it within days if it has a "strong will" to do it. It can happen. I have been a Union Law Minister and I know how things happen in government," he said.

Hazare yesterday gave a 12 day deadline to the government to pass the Jan Lokpal bill failing which he will continue his fast "till my last breath".

Asked whether the deadline was a little impractical, Kejriwal told reporters, "If the government desires, it can pass 15 bills in five minutes. But for the anti-corruption bill, they are taking more than 42 years. So we want to know how many more years will they take?"

Team Anna also appealed to people to sit on dharnas in front of the residences of their respective MPs and urge the lawmakers to raise concerns about the Lokpal Bill in Parliament.

Kejriwal said they had received a set of suggestions from common people and now they were appealing to people to sit on dharnas in front of the residences of MPs.

"People should sit on dharnas in front of their MP's residence. Ask him to raise concerns about the present Lokpal Bill. If he refuses to do, tell them that in the next election you won't vote for him," Kejriwal said.