Team Anna's core committee meet begins

Aiming at devising a strategy for passage of the Jan Lok Pal Bill in Parliament, the two-day meeting of the core committee of Team Anna began here today.

Key members of Team Anna - including Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Santosh Hegde, Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan and Manish Sisodia - are present in the meeting, which is being described as the first formal engagement after Hazare's fast in New Delhi last month. The meeting commenced at 11:30 AM.

Before commencement of the meeting, Hazare told PTI that the core committee will discuss the outcome of the agitation and also decide on the future course of action.

"People must ask the parliamentarians about their role in the Jan Lok Pal Bill movement. People must be careful while electing the MPs in future. Those MPs who are either against the Jan Lok Pal Bill or passive about it must not be given a second chance. The fight against corruption would continue till India is freed from corruption," he said.

According to insiders, the meeting will also discuss ways to further mobilise public opinion in favour of the Jan Lok Pal Bill to make it an instrument for achieving the goal of a corruption-free India.