Door not closed for dialogue with govt: Anna

His close associates referred to the Prime Minister’s readiness to discuss the issue and said so far no proposal has come from the government.

“With whom and where should we discuss what,” Arvind Kejriwal,a key aide of Hazare,said announcing the five decisions taken at the core committee meeting of ‘India Against Corruption’ in the morning.

Both Hazare and Kejriwal also asked their supporters to hold dharnas in front of houses of MPs in their constituencies and demand written commitments in support of the Jan Lokpal Bill.

“The dharna should cover ministers and leaders of various political parties,” they said.

Kejriwal said a ‘maha rally’ will be held today from India Gate to Ramlila Maidan in support of the Gandhian’s movement and tomorrow the Ramzan and Janmashtami fast will be broken together at the ground in solidarity with the anti-corruption crusader’s campaign.

The Prime Minister had said yesterday that there was “a lot of scope for give and take” and that the government was open to “discussion and dialogue”. Kejriwal,however,said they have not received any communication from the government in this matter.

Making it clear that he will not budge from his stand of getting the Jan Lokpal Bill passed in Parliament,Hazare said even if the Prime Minister is covered,he will not end his campaign.

“Even if the Prime Minister is covered,the Jan Lokpal Bill has to be passed. Till Jan Lokpal Bill is passed,we will not go back on our mission,” the Gandhian said.

Taking a jibe at the critics of his movement,Hazare said,“People’s Parliament is higher than the national Parliament.

“We send MPs as trustees of the treasury but they go there and start looting peoples’ money. But now people,who are the masters have awakened. Now we have to send several of these corrupt ministers out of power and to jails,” he said.

On the other hand,Hazare lauded the fact that people from all faiths and creeds have come to support him. He also praised the media’s role in highlighting the issue.

“The media has driven the movement to every home and the public has risen in protest,” he said,with a word of praise for the protesters for keeping the movement peaceful which he called “unprecedented”.

He was all praise for the youth who have joined the anti-corruption movement and expressed confidence that with the youth power,the “revolution” will be able to demolish corruption through the enactment of a strong Lokpal.

A large number of people observing the Ramzan fast have also thronged the Ramlila Maidan over the past few days to join Hazare’s fight against corruption. Muslims,who abstain themselves from food and water from sunrise to sunset during the month of Ramzan,have joined the cause in support of a strong Lokpal.

“Everyone is troubled by the phenomenon of corruption and it is a cause worth fasting for,” said Kamran Siddiqui,president of Jamia Nagar-based Real Cause NGO,which has appealed to people of its area to spend whatever time of their fast possible with Hazare.

In fact,Kejriwal said the people gathered at the grounds will together break the Ramzan and Janmashtami fasts on Monday in solidarity with the Gandhian’s fast.

Meanwhile,Vice Chancellor of leading Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband,Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani,said the seminary supports Hazare in his struggle against corruption,but it was an educational institution and could not openly jump into any such campaign.

Hazare’s protest site was today also visited by Delhi Mayor Rajni Abbi,who inspected the conditions on the grounds. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi was criticised earlier after the ground was swollen by rain.

Abbi said the MCD was concerned about garbage accumulating at the ground as a large number of people who had gathered also disposed packaged materials.

“We have cleaned it twice but we can’t help it if it rains. MCD has deployed its men to look after the place and I will myself be inspecting the place everyday. Besides,we will also conduct fogging here,” she said.

As many as 30 Arjuna awardees also made their show of support to Hazare today. Bhim Singh an Arjuna awardee and 1968 Olympian said they had come together to support the cause.