Jan Lokpal: Hazare rejects government's informal offer

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare today rejected the government's offer to form an informal panel to discuss issues connected with the drafting of the Jan Lokpal Bill, saying he will not go by mere assurances and would rather continue with the fast until the civil society's just demands are met.

Addressing a rally in Delhi's Jantar Mantar today, Hazare said it's now a do-or-die movement.

The government's informal offer came after minister for human resources development Kapil Sibal met Swami Agnivesh and Arvind Kejriwal today. Sibal in turn is reported to have discussed the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh earlier.

"Sibal says he will announce the formation of the committee but his announcement cannot and is not the law of the land. It has to come officially from the government," Hazare said.

The government is reported to have offered, although informally, to set up a joint committee consisting five members each from the government and the public and to complete the drafting within a set time frame, so that the bill reaches Parliament during the monsoon session.

Hazare wants a formal notification be issued on the formation of the joint committee, which the government is unwilling to do.