Corruption protest: Hazare, supporters gather at Ramlila fairground

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New Delhi's Ramlila maidan was filled with songs and debates on a wet afternoon as thousands arrived to show solidarity with Anna Hazare who launched his protest fast today after he came out of Tihar jail.

A team of 36 doctors, assisted by ace heart specialist Dr Naresh Trehan, would be monitoring the health of Anna Hazare round the clock during his hunger strike, which Team Anna Hazare say, may go beyond the 15-day period depending upon government's response to the agitation.

Hazare's associate and RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal said 73-year-old Hazare was actually planning a longer programme for the protest fast but there was a legal problem. Delhi Police offered 21 days and later the two sides agreed on 15 days but that can be reviewed depending on the government's response, he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Trehan said Hazare was doing fine so far. "I will check on him in the evening. Right now, as per the information available to me, he is okay."

A short sprint

Caught unawares by a sudden shower, Hazare even broke into a run for a short distance with Delhi Police personnel keeping pace. The activist could have tripped when a policeman came in his way but he managed to get past the official. Later in his speech at the maidan, Hazare said he has lost three kgs since Tuesday when he began his fast but 'was getting tremendous energy from the people who were backing him'.

Appeal for calm

Team Anna member and former top cop Kiran Bedi has been constantly asking supporters to maintain calm and remain peaceful.

The Delhi Police have made elaborate security arrangements inside and outside the venue with about 400 personnel being deployed to ensure security of people.

The Police set up several gates and frisked people before letting them in. Volunteers of 'India against corruption', the primary NGO supporting the movement, were providing water and light refreshments to the protesters who have come here from across the country to support the movement.

Varun Gandhi's Bill

As Anna Hazare holds his Ramlila Maidan agitation, uncertainty surrounds BJP MP Varun Gandhi's plans to introduce the Jan Lokpal Bill of Team Anna as a private member's bill in the current session of Parliament which concludes on September 8.

Parliament sources said a private member's bill requires at least one month's prior notice before its introduction in the House.

They said while a notice has been given to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, it could have come up in this session only if it had been handed over before August 8.

If such a bill is not taken up in the session for which the notice has been given, it does not lapse but requires a ballot process for being taken up in the next session. There is a long queue of private members' bills, they said.

The sources said a number of private member's bills were not taken up in the past during an entire Lok Sabha and those bills had lapsed and a repeat of the process was required in the new Lok Sabha.

The only time a private member's bill could be passed was in 1956. After Feroze Gandhi had made a powerful case, his bill enacting Parliamentary Proceedings (Protection of Publication) Act was adopted.