By George Joseph, IANS,
New Delhi : Civil society leader Swami Agnivesh said Friday he was hopeful of an honourable agreement to break the four-day-old fast-unto-death by Gandhian leader Anna Hazare to press for a stringent anti-graft law.
” We are hopeful. We are told (by the government representatives) that an honourable agreement could be worked out by evening,” Agnivesh told IANS here.
Agnivesh and rights Arvind Kejriwal have been representing Anna Hazare in the talks with the government’s representative, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal, on the manner in which the anti-graft Lokpal Bill should be drafted.
On Friday morning, Sibal said the civil society leaders have been told that two of their demands – an official notification of a joint committee of ministers and civil society leaders to discuss the Lokpal Bill and the appointment of former chief justice of India J.S. Verma or former Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde as the committee’s head – were not accepatable to the government.
Agnivesh said the civil society leaders were not keen on continuing the talks after the rejection of their demands.
“But we were given to understand that an honourable agreement could be worked out. So, we are hopeful and attending the 9 p.m. meeting,” he said.
He said the consultations Friday morning at the highest level of the government, between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his senior ministers, might lead to a decisive turn at the Friday evening talks.
Agnviesh denied reports that there were differences among Hazare’s supporters.
“We all here, at the Janatar Mantar, are united. Because the cause, for transparent and clean governance and public life, is bigger than any of us,” he added.
“Anyone who says the movement is divided is welcome to Jantar Mantar and see for themselves the unity and enthusiasm of the people,” he said.
“It is not only in Delhi that the support for Annaji is evident. People are supporting the movement all over the country. Indians abroad have also extended support, not only by e-mails and messages, but also by taking out processions,” Agnivesh said.