We have invited Cong at Jantar Mantar: Anna

NEW DELHI: Anna Hazare has started his daylong token fast at Jantar Mantar here in protest against "watered-down" proposals of the parliamentary standing committee on Lokpal Bill. Hazare reached Jantar Mantar alongwith his team members where hundreds of his supporters were waiting for him with tricolours. Stating that he will not speak much at this moment, Hazare raised slogans like "Bharat mata ki jai", "Vande mataram" and "Inqilab zindabad" with his supporters. Addressing the gathering, Team Anna member Kiran Bedi said Anna's protest for a strong Lokpal bill will continue. Several members of Team Anna are fasting with him. On way to his fast venue, Anna visited Rajghat. He drove to Rajghat from Maharashtra Sadan at around 9am and spend around 20 minutes meditating at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial. Clad in his trademark white kurta and Gandhi cap, he was accompanied by his close aides Manish Sisodia, Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi. Anna has invited representatives of political parties for a debate at his fast venue. Several senior opposition leaders besides representatives of other civil society groups are expected to join the debtae which is likely to start at 1pm and continue for almost five hours. Team Anna expects to draw a good crowd for the test fast today that will indicate the public mood before his marathon fast at Ramlila Maidan begins from December 27. Team Anna had sent out more than a lakh SMSs regarding the two agitations in the city. Its Facebook page, too, has reportedly received a lot of hits. Unlike in August, when the protesters and the administration had faced off over the venue, this time both sides have engaged cordially. Team Anna has received permission to block a portion of Jantar Mantar and put up the dais in the middle of the road. The whole show is better managed, too. There is a special media enclosure and barriers have been set up to contain the enthusiastic crowd that might try to push its way towards Anna, causing a stampede. The public address system will use 128 loudspeakers in 16 columns of eight each. The police are also well prepared this time. "Our volunteers and our men will be at the Patel Chowk and Rajiv Chowk Metro stations to guide people. At least 1,000 cops from the New Delhi district, the CP reserve and the special branch will be on duty on Sunday," said a police officer to TOI. Meanwhile, Anna's supporters are sitting on fast in several other cities as well to express solidarity with the social activist.

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