Fasting Anna resolute on Aug 30 deadline

It is Day 5 of social activist Anna Hazare's protest fast on Saturday and support is swelling for the 74-year-old Gandhian. Anna's supporters reiterated they will keep the momentum going.

Having set the Parliament an August 30 deadline for passage of the Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare on Saturday warned the government that he will nor relent till the Jan Lokpal Bill is cleared.

"Why should we fight? The funds in government treasuries are ours. The treasuries are not threatened by thieves but by those who guards it. The country is not betrayed by enemies but by these traitors," the Gandhian said.

He said he has lost three-and-half kg in the last four days. "I feel a little weak. But there is nothing to worry about it. The fight will go on till we get a strong Lokpal," Hazare said.

NEED A STRONG LOKPAL: PM

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said that the August 30 deadline was tough to follow as difficult legislative processes are involved. He however said that he was open to discussion and give-and-take.

"There is a dynamics in the legislative process and it takes time for a bill to be passed," said Manmohan Singh.

ANNA FOLLOWERS THRONG RAMLILA

Meanwhile, fans braved the rains through the night and more joined Anna on Saturday afternoon cutting across class, age and gender barriers. People were seen singing qawallis and also patriotic songs, keeping spirits high while at Anna's village Ralegan Siddhi, villagers formed a human chain in support of his campaign.

Meanwhile, widely criticised over its handling of the Anna Hazare issue, the pressure mounts on the UPA government to find a way out. The Centre is considering a debate on the private member's Jan Lokpal Bill in Parliament.

The Congress, now calling Anna a hero, has admitted that arresting him was a mistake. They want talks to resume. That's even as nine Opposition parties plan to protest on August 23, demanding a stronger lokpal bill.

After the initial ferocious attack on team Anna, Congress seems to be doing a u-turn now. Its gone soft on Anna, admitting that arresting him was a mistake and that talks should resume.

"It was a mistake to arrest Anna," said Sandeep Dikshit.

A first confession coming in from Congress that it messed up its Anna strategy and in a clear indication that the Congress thinks that if you cannot beat them, you might as well join them, so the warming up to Anna has begun.

This even as sources say backroom negotiations are being planned and some Maharashtra NGOs are to be used as channels.

But the pressure is not just from Anna. Opposition parties like Left, AIADMK are to protest on August 23 demanding a stronger Bill.

Rajeev Chadrashekhar and Varun Gandhi have already listed the Jan Lokpal Bill as a Private Members' Bill.

For now of course the government is waiting and watching hoping that Anna's strength will give way, the crowds will thin and the wave will end.