Political leaders trying to meet anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare at the fasting site here were on Wednesday prevented from speaking to him by his supporters, prompting a rebuke from the Gandhian who said they should listen to all shades of views.
RLD chief Ajit Singh, INLD president Om Prakash Chautala and Hindutva leader Uma Bharti along with their supporters reached Jantar Mantar where Hazare was sitting on a indefinite fast demanding 'Jan Lokpal Bill' since Tuesday.
As soon as the leaders arrived, Hazare's supporters shouted slogans and prevented them from going on the dais and discussing issues with the 72-year-old activist.
The leaders beat a hasty retreat without meeting Hazare.
However, Hazare did not agree with his supporters' actions and said he was protesting in a Gandhian way and their behaviour should be in line with those principles. "We have said that this is a Gandhian protest. We should listen to all views. If somebody comes and talks to us, let them. We should listen to them," Hazare said.
Meanwhile, the social activist's fast-unto-death for a more stringent anti-corruption law has snowballed into a major movement with thousands from across India and even abroad joining in as the government tried to cool the situation by saying it was not averse to civil society's suggestions.
On day two of Hazare's fast at Jantar Mantar, a short distance from Parliament House, thousands came forward in support of his crusade, making it one of the most supported mass movements in recent times.
According to India Against Corruption, the banner under which the protests are being held, people from 400 cities and towns are participating in the movement.
"This is democracy and we want people's participation in drafting the Lokpal Bill," Hazare told reporters.
"We want representation from civil society in drafting the Lokpal Bill, 50 percent from civil society and 50 percent from the government," he said. The bill aims to fight corruption in public life.
Hazare, 72, also said his health was fine.
"The doctor came, he said BP (blood pressure) is fine, I only have a little weakness," he said, adding in jest: "I will only lose some weight, can carry it forward for 10 or 12 more days."
Members from the Group of Ministers (GoM) formed for the Lokpal Bill tried to extend an olive branch, saying the government was not averse to the suggestions from civil society.
"Government is certainly not opposed to any of the suggestions that have been raised except that when the suggestions were being raised the sub-group was asked to commit that in principle we must agree to a joint committee and this must be done before the 5th of April," said Telecom and Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal, who is a member of the GoM's drafting sub-committee.
The sub-committee is headed by Defence Minister A.K. Antony. Besides Sibal, its members are Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily.
Moily said the government "did not say no" to the demand for a joint committee to draft the bill after the sub-committee of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on corruption held discussions with representatives of Hazare and other members of civil society.
"Even on the demand for joint committee, we said we were open. We never closed our mind even on the formation of joint committee...In principle we did not say no," Moily said.
The activists had questioned the credibility of the members, including Sibal, Pawar and Moily, for drafting the bill and blamed them for not being sincere.
"The government says its committee will draft the bill... who are there in the committee? Sharad Pawar who has been involved in land scams in Maharashtra, Moily who drafted this weak legislation, or Kapil Sibal who does not see any corruption in the 2G scam," activist Arvind Kejriwal said Tuesday.
The Jan Lokpal Bill calls for setting up of ombudsmen - the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (in states) - independent of government control. In the activists' version of the bill, investigation in any case will have to be completed in one year and punishment would be a jail term of minimum five years and maximum of life imprisonment.
The government's version recommends a prison term of minimum six months and maximum seven years as punishment for corruption.