-Express News Service   Chief Minister Mayawati today put her weight behind fears that casteist and communal forces were trying to subvert the Constitution in the garb of the Jan Lokpal Bill, and asked the Centre to ensure that the legislation was created “within the framework of the Constitution”, and gave proper representation to SCs, STs, OBCs and religious minorities at all important levels. Addressing a press conference, the Chief Minister added: “The...

-The Hindustan Times   Parliamentarians on Thursday expressed discomfort over supporters of Anna Hazare holding demonstrations outside the houses of ministers and MPs. MPs cutting across party lines slammed the phenomenon, arguing that it impinged upon their freedom to carry out their duties. Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, Congress member MI Shanavas said Hazare's call to his supporters to conduct gheraos and protest outside the houses of ministers...

Social activist and National Advisory Council (NAC) member Aruna Roy has welcomed the government's move to build a “national consensus” through Parliament for a strong anti-corruption and grievance redress mechanism. But she blamed the government of mishandling Anna Hazare's campaign. “Setting up arbitrary conditions, such as limited number of days and protesters before letting Hazare to proceed, and subsequently arresting him when he refused to comply, were anti-democratic actions by the...

As per hallowed newsroom traditions, the bad news first. 1. We have a government and a ruling party that have displayed tactical, strategic, policy and moral incapacities. 2. We have a main Opposition party that, despite witnessing such government and ruling party incapacity, has displayed its own incapacity to do anything intelligent or meaningful. 3. We have a core group of agitationists led by Anna Hazare which has displayed, at best,...

-The Business Standard   There are victors and vanquished only in a war. In a genuinely political engagement everyone must emerge a winner. That is made possible only through compromise, through “give and take”. Through his reasonable statement in Parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has opened the door to an honourable compromise between the government and civil society on the issue of the Lok Pal Bill. Dr Singh only stated the obvious...