Vilasrao Deshmukh meets Hazare
Union Minister and former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Thursday met anti-graft campaigner Anna Hazare at the Ramlila Grounds here with a message from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in an attempt to break the impasse.
“A lot of people from Maharashtra have met me and asked me to request Annaji to end his fast. I went to meet Anna to enquire his health and requested him to end fast following the appeal by Parliament and the prime minister,” said Deshmukh after his meeting with the Gandhian.
Deshmukh’s meeting with Hazare came a few hours after sources revealed that the social activist wanted to negotiate directly with the government and talk to a leader from Maharashtra. Manish Sisodia, close aide of Hazare informed that the veteran social activist has sent his reply to the prime minister's message.
“Vilasrao Deshmukh met Anna Hazare with a message from the prime minister. Annaji has replied and it has been sent to the prime minister. When the reply from the prime minister comes Anna will address you,” Sisodia said.
Hazare, in his reply to the prime minister, has stuck to his demands. He has demanded immediate discussion in Parliament on three contentious issues raised by his team, including appointment of state Lokayuktas through the same law, inclusion of lower bureaucracy under the ambit of Lokpal bill and immediate discussion of Jan Lokpal bill in Parliament.
