Jail bharo agitation from April 13

New Delhi: As his fast-unto-death entered the fourth day here Friday, social activist Anna Hazare asked supporters to court arrest April 13 under a 'Jail Bharo Andolan' after the government turned down two of his demands on the anti-graft Lokpal Bill.

Hazare's announcement came after Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said two demands of the activists could not be met. These are notification on an anti-corruption panel and for electing former chief justice of India Justice J.S. Verma or former Supreme Court judge Justice Santosh Hegde as chairman of the committee.
Looking determined, Hazare said: "I have made a decision and appeal to you that April 13 will be Jail Bharo Andolan. How can they refuse the people's appeal?
"These people (politicians) who have turned us down will come tomorrow asking for votes and say 'give us a chance to serve you'. When the people are giving you the chance to serve, for the country's good, they turn you down. So people will go to jail to teach them a lesson," he added amid thunderous applause from the ever growing crowd of supporters.

The 72-year-old Gandhian said he would not eat till the government gave a role to civil society in drafting a stringent Lokpal Bill.
Amid the growing sea of supporters which included doctors, lawyers, teachers, students, homemakers, Friday saw actor Anupam Kher and Pritish Nandy sitting at Jantar Mantar in support of the movement.
"I want to thank all the youngsters, the school children, who have come to support this movement," Hazare said.
The government earlier today talked tough on Anna Hazare's demand for an effective Lokpal Bill, saying it cannot accede to the demands of chairmanship of the joint drafting committee being given to a civil society member and for issuing an official notification.
A meeting of HRD Minister Kapil Sibal with activists Swami Agnivesh and Arvind Kejriwal scheduled this morning did not take place with both sides saying they were waiting for each other. The meeting is now scheduled at 6 PM.
Sibal said only government officials will be members of the joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill and that no minister will be part of it.
"There is no possibility of an official notification on the constitution of the joint committee but we have told them that we are willing to give an official letter through the law ministry and a press note," he said.

A close aide of Mr. Hazare said the 71-year-old activist was in good health though there he was feeling weak. "We are waiting for the results of third round of talks," the aide said.
Last night, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi had appealed to Mr. Hazare to end the fast. "I am sure that Hazareji's views will receive the government's full attention as we move forward to fight this menace. I appeal to Anna to give up his fast," Ms. Gandhi had said in her appeal.
Mr. Hazare had asked Ms. Gandhi to tell her government to get the Lokpal bill enacted at the earliest.
"I will fight till death," Mr. Hazare had said addressing hundreds of supporters gathered near Jantar Mantar here after word spread that talks between government and anti-corruption activists were deadlocked.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the government's reluctance to come out with a notification to constitute the committee, he said his fast will continue.
Source: PTI/India Syndicate