PM:'There can be no let up on vigilance

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on today described terrorism and Naxalism as two big challenges facing the nation, while underlining no loss of innocent lives in pursuit of any ideology can be justified.

Addressing the meeting of the National Integration Council (NIC) here, the PM said terrorists’ misplaced sense of ideology cannot justify violence.

The pursuit of ideologies that cause violence cannot be justified in any form, he told the gathering.

Speaking just days after a blast rocked the Delhi High Court killing 13 people, the PM said there can be no let up on vigilance.

While stating that probe agencies have been bolstered in the last two years, the PM said “we must continue to strengthen investigative agencies and intelligence gathering operations.

He added that there was a need to ensure that probe agencies are free from any bias while investigating cases.

Singh informed the gathering that state and central security agencies are being connected on a computer network for better coordination.

Stressing on cooperation, PM Singh said Central and state governments have to work together to counter threat to internal peace.

Speaking about Naxalism, the PM said the problem has a development angle.

The PM added that his government has taken up security issues with neighbours, adding the response of some of them has been positive.

He however maintained that the “concerns remain”.

PM : Anna's attempts to impose Jan Lokpal Bill misconceived

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made a strong statement in Lok Sabha on the Anna Hazare standoff on today morning, defending the Delhi Police's decision to arrest the Gandhian and calling the social activist's attempts to impose his Jan Lokpal Bill on Parliament as "totally misconceived".

Meanwhile, Anna Hazare, his team and their ever-swelling supporters dug their heels in and outside the Tihar Jail, demanding the government give in to all conditions for their fast at Jai Prakash Narain Park in central Delhi.

“All of us agree that the Lokpal Bill should be passed by Parliament. The question is who drafts the law and who passes the law,” Singh said.

“It is the sole prerogative of Parliament to make laws and government has gone by well-settled principles,” the Prime Minister said.

He said Team Anna must allow elected representatives of the people to do their job.

The Prime Minister detailed before members the sequence of events that led to Anna Hazare's arrest, saying his detention and that of his colleagues' was a “preventive measure” as they had rejected several key security suggestions by the Delhi Police.

Singh said the government “acknowledges” the right of citizens to hold peaceful protests, but reiterated Hazare refuses to come out “unless the government gives him an undertaking that he would be allowed to fast at Jai Prakash Narain park”.

Ignoring loud grumbles from the Opposition, Singh appealed to all political parties to ensure that Parliament functioned smoothly.

Indian Activist Refuses to Leave Jail

In the continuing standoff between the government and anticorruption activist Anna Hazare, he remained in jail late Tuesday night after his arrest earlier in the day as he prepared to go on a public hunger strike to push for stronger anti-corruption legislation, Delhi police said.

Rajan Bhagat, spokesman for the Delhi police, said the police issued an "unconditional release warrant" for Mr. Hazare and his aides late Tuesday night. An aide to Mr. Hazare who was released told that Mr. Hazare has said he won't leave until he receives "written assurance" from the government that he will be allowed to go ahead with his plan for the hunger strike.

Anna Hazare was arrested early Tuesday morning under a temporary legal provision that bans public gatherings and protests at a New Delhi park where he was planning to hold his hunger strike, Mr. Bhagat said. He added the prohibition was issued after Mr. Hazare refused to agree to the police's conditions for allowing the protest, including restricting the fast to three days and limiting the number of protesters at the site to 5,000.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said the government was committed to acting against corruption and that it wanted a "strong Lokpal to prevent corruption in high places."

Addressing the nation on India's Independence Day, Mr. Singh said those who disagree with the version of the bill in Parliament had the right to do so, but "they should not resort to hunger strikes and fasts unto death."

Hazare effect: Non-UPA parties join ranks

Slamming the government over the arrest of Anna Hazare and his team, BJP-led NDA, Left and several other Opposition parties on Tuesday joined ranks and demanded a statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on "violation of democratic rights". As Hazare was arrested and sent to Tihar Jail,
leaders of BJP, JD, Shiv Sena, CPI, CPI, Samajwadi Party, RJD and some other non-UPA parties held a meeting to discuss common strategy over the issue and came up with a vow to continue their agitation in Parliament against corruption.

"It has been decided that the Prime Minister should make a statement in both Houses of Parliament on whatever is happening in the country. Nobody else," Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said.

She said the demand for the Prime Minister's statement will be made tomorrow and it will determine Parliament's functioning.

Contending that action against Hazare reflected the government's "nervousness", she said the Opposition unity was not on jan lokpal bill but "violation of democratic rights".

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley alleged the government was "trying to snatch people's right to protest" and said "the political leadership is trying to hide behind uniform".

Amid indications that Parliament would not be allowed to function, Jaitley said the impeachment proceedings against Calcutta high court judge Soumitra Sen on Wednesday will take place as per schedule at 3pm.

Slamming the government, CPI said it has "attacked the democratic right to conduct peaceful protest" and asked its party units to conduct peaceful agitation against it

After Hazare's detention, Manmohan Singh calls cabinet meet

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has scheduled an emergency meeting of the cabinet Committee on Political Affairs in Parliament House at 10.15 a.m. Today following the detention of Gandhian activist Anna Hazare in the morning.

The meeting will take stock of the situation arising out of Hazare's detention by the Delhi Police early morning, hours before he was set to proceed on an indefinite fast demanding a stronger Lokpal Bill to deal with the corrupt.

Others scheduled to attend the meeting include Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, officials in Prime Minister's Office said.

External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal and Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi are also scheduled to attend the meeting, they added.

Hazare, 74, had announced Sunday he would proceed with his indefinite fast at the Jai Prakash Narain Park near Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium close to the old quarters of the city. The Delhi Police had imposed prohibitory orders there.

He was detained along with some 250 of his supporters including activist Arvind Kejriwal and former top cop Kiran Bedi. Some of them were taken into custody from other places in the city.

'Don't let my arrest stop this movement. This is the nation's second struggle for freedom. The entire world has come to know how deep rooted corruption is,' Hazare had said in a statement, minutes before his detention.

'I appeal to you that let there be no violence in this movement. I also appeal to you, young and old alike, to give eight days of your life to the nation - if necessary for a jail bharo andolan .'

His supporters, who were detailed from various places, described the police action as unconstitutional.