The Opposition earlier slammed the Government for not taking it into confidence while agreeing to set up a joint panel to draft the Lokpal Bill with five Union ministers and an equal number of civil society representatives onboard, including Hazare. The Government had on April 9 last constituted the panel to end the veteran Gandhian’s first round of fasting for a strong billproviding for an institution of Lokpal to inquire into allegations of corruption by public functionaries.The Congress is likely to meet on Thursday to discuss theissue. “Tomorrow there is an all-party meeting. Day after, a meeting of Congress members of Parliament is perhaps being called,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday invited the leaders of opposition parties for a meet, which is expected to discuss how the Jan Lokpal Bill drafted by Team Anna could be referred to the parliamentary panel on personnel, public grievance, law and justice.On the eighth day of Hazare’s second fast in five months for a strong Lokpal Bill, the Prime Minister wrote to the 74-year-old Gandhian, promising him that the Government was ready to request Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar to formally refer Team Anna’s draft of the proposed legislation to the parliamentary standing committee.The government is likely to seek cooperation of the BJP, SP, BSP, Left parties and others to accommodate the demand of Team Anna without subverting established constitutional precept and practice.Protestors lathichargedAhmedabad, DHNS: A group of pro-Anna Hazare protestors were lathicharged by the Surat police when they were tried to take out a rallyhere late Tuesday evening.The incident happened when a group of protestors was trying to take out a pro Anna rally. The rallyists were stopped by the Umra police who alleged that permission was not sought for the same.An argument ensued between the two sides. But before they could put across their version, the cops attacked some of them. Agitated protestors later gheroed the Umra police station and resorted to peaceful protest. However, the police inspector ordered a lathicharge injuring some, including some senior citizens.According to sources, the government is now keen to make the Opposition equally responsible if the bill passed in Parliament falls short of Team Anna’s prescription. If Hazare does not call off his stir before the all-party meeting, the Prime Minister may also request the leaders to pass a resolution calling upon the veteran social activist to end his fast.In the proposed CPP meeting, Finance Minister and Leader of the House in Lok Sabha Pranab Mukherjee is expected to brief Congress MPs about the Hazare-led stir and the government response. The meet was apparently convened to allow MPs dissenting the government approach. [More]Tags:anna hazareiv dripintravenous dripfast