Anna Hazare calls for 'Jail Bharo'

Anna Hazare is all set for a full blown confrontation with the government on the Lok Pal Bill, giving a call to his supporters to fill up jails all over the country if he is arrested tomorrow after he was denied permission to hold indefinite fast here.

Addressing a press conference after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh slammed him for resorting to fast as a protest when Parliament was seized of the Lok Pal Bill, the Gandhian said he will go to JP park tomorrow, the venue of his fast even though Delhi police has imposed prohibitory orders.

"I come to understand that I will be refused permission. We will go there. If I am arrested, I will continue my hunger strike in the jail. If I am released, I will go back to the venue and this circle will continue," he said at a 30-minute press conference that came to an end to coincide with his "lights-off" call throughout the country from 8 pm.

He said once he is arrested, people should fill up the jails in every village across the country. "Going to jail for the country is no crime...It is a decoration," he said.

He accused the Prime Minister of "speaking" the language of his ministerial colleague Kapil Sibal saying that the Lok Pal Bill was before Parliament which will take the call.

Before his press conference, the 73-year-old activist made an unscheduled visit to Rajghat, where he sat in meditation. Soon after the news of his being at the Gandhi Samadhi, hundreds of supporters gathered around him.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Police refused permission to Gandhian and his supporters saying that Hazare team have refused to give an undertaking on restricting the number of days of protest and protesters besides four other conditions.