Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar has offered to quit the group of ministers (GoM) on the Lokpal Bill after social activist Anna Hazare question the appropriateness of the minister's partcipation in the GoM in the light of various corruption allegations surrounding him. Hazare, who started his fast unto death on Tuesday, protesting afainst graft and calling for the immediate clearing of the Lokpal Bill, had said that the prime minister's assurances to him on the issue rang hollow as Pawar, law minister Veerappa Moily and others who had been accused of corruption were the ones who had been entrusted with giving a final shape to the key anti-graft legislation.

RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal who has been alongside Hazare through the fast has called Pawar’s offer a farce. He questioned if this was any solution and demanded that apart from Pawar and Moily, HRD minister Kapil Sibal should also sit out as he had defended now-jailed former telecom minister A Raja in the aftermath of the 2G exposé. He lamented the government for leaving out people of the country from the draft.

Law minister M Verappa Moily reacts

Law minister Moily has said the government is anxious to bring the bill in the next session of the parliament and that it is open to suggestions on the anti-corruption draft. He also said that prime minister is doing his best to fight corruption.

HRD minister Kapil Sibal also said that government is open to suggestions from all groups. He added being a part of the sub group, the minsiters don't have all the powers to pass the bill.

Information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni echoed similar views as her two cabinet colleagues and said the fact that the government ahs formed GOM on Lokpal proves it;s credence on the issue. "We are ready for talks if people are getting impatient", she said.