New Delhi, Dec 15 (IANS) An angry Anna Hazare Thursday announced a 'jail bharo' agitaton from Jan 1 and an indefinite fast either in Mumbai or Delhi from Dec 27, but the government tried to placate him by saying that the contentious Lokpal bill will be passed this winter session.
Addressing journalists after a meeting with members of his team, Hazare said if time was an issue, then the winter session of parliament, scheduled to end Dec 22, should be extended.
'All those people attached with this movement and who feel strongly about the Jan Lokpal bill will participate in the jail bharo andolan. We will fill jails all over the country,' he told reporters here.
Hazare added that there would be an indefinite fast either in Mumbai or Delhi from Dec 27. Besides, protests would be staged outside MPs' houses. The crusader said Delhi is the first option, but the agitation could be shifted to Mumbai if the national capital sees bitter cold.
And if the Lokpal bill became effective, there would be a 'swagat' (welcome) ceremony at the Ramlila ground, Hazare said.
His warning came a day after the all-party meet failed to reach a consensus on the Lokpal bill that aims to tackle corruption in the country.
Although the government said the bill could be passed this session, the Congress party said there is no need to hurry through with it.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said: 'I believe that it would be possible. There was an all-party meeting yesterday (Wednesday) where 35 different parties participated. All had different views on the issue. To say there was broad consensus on the issue would be wrong. This has increased the workload of the government.'
He said the government was working hard to bring it in the current session of parliament.
'Even if we do it by Dec 20-21, I don't think why it cannot be done. On one day it can be discussed in one house and on the other day it can be done in the second house,' Bansal said.
But Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said at a party briefing that there was no need to hurry.
'There is no need to hurry as attempts are made (by the government) to harmonise and reconcile divergent views,' he said.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitely also strongly pressed for the bill to be passed in the current session.
'The government must not delay the Lokpal bill. The bill must come in this winter session,' Jaitley said.
The 74-year-old Hazare said the bill had come in parliament eight times but has not yet been passed.
'This is not a question of Anna, this is a national question... It is a question related to the poor,' Hazare said, stressing the importance of his version of the Lokpal (ombudsman) bill.
He declared that Class 3 and 4 government employees had to be brought within the ambit of the Lokpal.
'We will not accept it otherwise,' Hazare said, adding that he would insist on it even if it meant risking his life.
However, Shiv Sena president Bal Thackeray came out strongly against the proposed Jan Lokpal bill, stating it could create a 'Gaddafi' in the country.
'There is no need to create an impression among people that the Jan Lokpal bill will lead to 'Ram Rajya' in the country. There is a need to strengthen the existing anti-graft laws to end corruption in India,' Thackeray said in Mumbai.
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