Anna Hazare was a bit unwell for a couple of days, but his health has recovered on the eve of his three-day fast protest in Mumbai. He spoke to the media at his Ralegan Sidhi village on Monday afternoon, accusing the UPA government of changing stands and urging his supporters to remain steadfast on the path of non-violence in the days to come. (read full stoy)

He also threatened to fast outside Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s home in the national capital from December 30.

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4 demands ''non-negotiable'': Team Anna

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Here are some of Anna Hazare's statements before the media on Monday:

•    The government has been changing its stance on the Lokpal.
•    The government is not concerned about the poor.
•    People are fed up with corruption.
•    Remember what happened with “Ramdev Baba”? Something similar is likely to happen with us. But I urge the whole of India not to resort to violence.
•    I will protest outside the Congress president’s residence from December 30.
•    Health had somewhat weakened for two days, but now it has recovered – for fast.

Meanwhile, Team Anna members Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan addressed the media in  Mumbai and New Delhi respectively.

Kejriwal clarified that the agitation for a stronger Lokpal was not against the minorities and the dalits. To counter Congress leader Digvijay Singh’s charge that Anna Hazare was an ‘RSS agent’, Kejriwal said when Anna visited Gujarat and there was a public hearing on corruption in the state, the Gandhian had publicly criticised the Narendra Modi administration, also saying that the “rivers of liquor” were flowing in Gandhi’s Gujarat. “But when I spoke with some Muslim leaders, they did not know about this statement. Obviously, propaganda work is on,” Kejriwal said. (read full story)

Bhushan announced that protests would continue in Delhi too – at Ramlila Maidan, from 10 am to 6 pm, for the three days when Anna would be on fast in Mumbai, Dec 27-29. [Read full report: Team Anna members to protest at Ramlila ground]

Also read Prison guard sits on fast, alleges corruption inside jail

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Changes suggested in Lokpal Bill 'non-negotiatble':Team Anna

Hardening their stand, Team Anna members today said the four changes suggested by them in the Lokpal Bill were "non-negotiable" and plans to sit on dharna outside MPs' houses could be called off only if the government agreed to amendments in the proposed legislation.

Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan also said a parallel programme will be held at Ramlila maidan here on December 27, 28 and 29 between 10 am and 6 pm and the proceedings of Parliament, where the bill will be debated, will be telecast live.

"The four changes are non-negotiable...for other changes we can continue our fight later," Bhushan told reporters here.

He said the changes include giving Lokpal an independent investigative wing or bringing CBI under the administrative control of the ombudsman. "If Lokpal has an independent investigative wing, the government can keep control over CBI," he said.

Team Anna is also demanding that Lokpal and Lokayuktas must be able to suo motu initiate own investigations, without a complaint or reference from anyone.

Another suggestion of Team Anna is that Lokpal should not be required to alert the accused through preliminary enquiry or hearing before filing an FIR.

Team Anna has also demanded that the jurisdiction of Lokpal and Lokayuktas should include Class C and D officers directly.

On the selection of the Lokpal, Bhushan said it should be through consensus of the selection panel and the Lokpal's removal should be independent of government's control.

"Anna will arrive in Delhi on December 30 for dharna outside an MP's house...it could be Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi ....that can be decided....It will depend on what transpires in Parliament. If there are indications that Parliament or the government is ready for amendments then there will be no need for it (dharna)," he said.

He said people have been requested to hold dharna outside houses of MPs who either oppose a strong Lokpal Bill or support the new bill in Parliament.

Anna to fast in Mumbai from tomorrow

Showing no signs of relenting, Anna Hazare today said he will go ahead with his three-day fast in Mumbai from tomorrow against a "weak" Lokpal Bill with his team raising the pitch for an independent probe agency for the ombudsman saying it was "non-negotiable" even as government asked him to wait till Parliament decides on the legislation.

Amid concerns over his health as he was suffering from viral infection, 74-year-old Hazare said he will go ahead with his protest and claimed that his movement was not against any side, person or party.

"For 25 years we have been fighting corruption. Congress people feel that this movement is against them. Tell us, how many times in 25 years have we led movements against you?" he said a day before his fast in MMRDA grounds here.

In New Delhi, the government asked the activist to wait for the outcome of the debate on Lokpal Bill in Parliament tomorrow before launching his agitation.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla said everyone should leave it to Parliament to decide on the Lokpal as it is in its domain now.

Hazare's close aide Prashant Bhushan told a press conference in national capital that the four demands they raised in an open letter to MPs were "non-negotiable" and they were ready to call off gherao of MPs' houses if government was ready for amendments.

The demands were Lokpal and Lokayuktas should have power to suo moto initiate their own investigations, the obmudsman should be able to carry out independent probe, selection of Lokpal should be through consensus of selection panel and bringing lower bureaucracy under direct control of Lokpal.

"The four changes are non-negotiable...for other changes we can continue our fight later," Bhushan said.

"Anna will arrive in Delhi on December 30 for dharna outside a MP's house...it could be Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi's residence...It will depend on what transpires in Parliament. If there are indications that Parliament or the government is ready for amendments, then there will be no need for it (dharna)," Bhushan said.

In Kolkata, Pranab Mukherjee said it was Parliament to decide what should be the final shape of Lokpal.

Hazare said people from several areas of the Maharashtra are going to come to Mumbai while people from many states of the country would reach Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, despite the cold there.

"After being asked not once but several times they (government) have still not created an anti-corruption law.

Out of compulsion this movement has been launched," he added.

Hitting at the political class, Hazare said that they were busy in a cycle of money through power and then power through money.

Team Anna member Kiran Bedi said the movement was not aligned with anyone in particular and that it was only fighting to achieve an "independent" and "non-partisan" CBI.

"We are aligned with no one in particular but support anyone or any force that wants a corruption-free country. And to achieve that we need an independent, non-partisan CBI," she said.

Tight security arrangements have been made at Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) grounds where Hazare will be sitting on protest.

The security ring will comprise 2,000 constables, 200 sub-inspectors of police, six platoons of state reserve police force, three teams of Quick Response Team and two Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads.

Repeated volte-face by govt forced him to fast again: Anna

Set to begin his fast for a strong Lokpal in Mumbai tomorrow, Anna Hazare today said repeated volte-face by the government over the issue had forced him to fast again.

"They formed a joint committee and then in the joint committee they did a U-turn. They formed a standing committee but the result was again a U-turn," Hazare told reporters before he left for Mumbai to begin his three-day fast tomorrow.

"A written assurance was sent by the Prime Minister that the Bill would be passed in Parliament but even there the government did a U-turn," he said.

The social activist said he was forced to fast again as despite being asked several times to bring an effective anti-graft law the government was not doing it.

"In spite of being asked not once but several times they (government) are still not creating an anti-corruption law.

Out of compulsion this movement had to be launched," he said.

However, Hazare claimed his movement was not against any political party.

"My agitation is not against any political party...it is against corruption," he said.

"For 25 years we have been fighting corruption. Congress people feel this movement is against them. Tell us how many times in 25 years have we led movements against you," he said.

Hazare said the government had brought only one law against corruption post Independence and that was the Right to Information Act. However, the social activist said for that too people had to fight for ten years.

Hazare said his movement was against the tendency towards corruption.

Hitting out at the political class, Hazare said they were caught in an unending cycle of spinning money through power and attaining power through money.

Hazare said on Tuesday after garlanding Mahatama Gandhi's statue in Juhu, a rally would move towards the MMRDA ground where he would sit on his protest fast.

He said people from various parts of Maharashtra will come to Mumbai while people from many states of the country would reach Delhi's Ram Lila Maidan despite the cold there to join the protest.