Putting forth more conditions before the Government, Team Anna on Saturday demanded that the Jan Lokpal Bill be introduced on Tuesday, when Parliament opens and the Government Bill be withdrawn.
Addressing a gathering at the fast site, senior lawyer Mr Shanti Bhushan said the Government should give an assurance to Mr Hazare that whenever the Jan Lokpal Bill comes, they will issue a whip and get the Jan Lokpal Bill passed.
This declaration came in the backdrop of the advertisements in national dailies by the Standing Committee on Parliament seeking suggestions from the public within 15 days.
The advertisement makes it clear that the August 30 deadline set by Mr Hazare for passing the Bill would not be met.
Reacting to the advertisement, Mr Hazare's aide, Mr Arvind Kejriwal said, “We appeared before the Standing Committee and told them that this is a Promotion of Corruption Act. We again request them to withdraw the Bill and not waste time on it”.
Veiled attack
Later, as his fast entered the fifth day, Mr Hazare, in a veiled attack on the Congress, said all those saying that BJP and RSS are behind the anti-graft stir should be sent to mental hospital. “Today, they see America's hand, tomorrow they will see Pakistan's,” he said.
Meanwhile, countrywide support continued to pour in for the movement, with the faculty and students of IITs and IIMs even launching an online petition.