Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare's three-day fast for a stronger Lokpal bill from December 27 may coincide with parliament discussing it on the same three days by extending the winter session up to December 29, with a four-day Christmas break from December 23 to 26.

The government on Tuesday found itself in knots on fixing of dates for the debate on the Lokpal bill as its plan to get it passed by extending the winter session by just one day on Friday was rejected in the Lok Sabha's business advisory committee (BAC) meeting in the morning but those forcing the three-day extension from December 27 for more time to study and debate turned around in the afternoon to oppose own proposal.

The confusion over dates intensified after senior Congress member PJ Kurien led the Christian members from Kerala and north east to speaker Meira Kumar to protest at any sittings between the Christmas and the New Year as they ought to be at home during this time for a score of festivities.

The parties that changed their mind after the PAC's unanimous decison to extend the sesson from December 27 to 29 included Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party. It was Dara Singh of BSP who protested at the government trying to "short-circuit" the debate and not allowing the members enough time to study the bill, and he was quickly backed by those from Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party and Biju Janata Dal.

Parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the government was keen to pass the Lokpal Bill this week itself as vowed by the prime minister, but other parties found the time allotted for discussion too little. However, since they have changed the stance, there will be another BAC meeting on Wednesday at 10.30 AM.

The Congress parliamentary party (CPP) is also meeting on Wednesday at 9.30 AM and Sonia Gandhi is expected to give her valedictory address for the session and wish the members a happy new year and time to work together for winning the upcoming assembly polls in five states.

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Hazare flays govt for bringing "weak" Lokpal Bill

Attacking the government for keeping CBI out of Lokpal, Anna Hazare today accused it of "cheating" the people by bringing a weak Bill to "save" corrupt politicians.

A day after the Union Cabinet approved the Lokpal Bill leaving CBI out of its purview, Hazare said the ombudsman would not be strong and effective if the premier investigation agency was not kept under it.

"If the CBI is outside then how will the Lokpal be strong. This system will save corrupt politicians. If CBI comes under Lokpal then P Chidambaram would be in jail. You are saving corrupt politicians and say it is a strong Lokpal," he said.

Rejecting the bill, Hazare also took strong exception to government bringing a separate Citizens' Charter Bill, saying a common man will have to run from pillar to post to get his grievances redressed under the proposed system.

"It is cheating people who will teach them a lesson," Hazare said.

"How can the Lokpal be effective when Citizens Charter is out of its purview. A person will have to go through various levels for redressal of his grievances..what to do? Its like fooling people," he said.

The activist said he will visit all five poll-bound states and let people know about the misdeeds of the government. "Ahead of general election, we will visit the whole country and tell people about the government," he said.

The 74-year-old activist has already announced that he will go ahead with his planned fast from December 27 for three days followed by a 'jail bharo' agitation.

Cong unfazed over Hazare's plans to go ahead with stir

Congress tonight appeared unfazed over Anna Hazare's plans to go ahead with his fast and 'jail bharo' agitation from December 27 on the issue of Lokpal bill saying the "dissenters" can do what they think is appropriate.

"It is not the Government's job to ensure passage of every bill according to demands of a group of persons who appear to threaten a fast every second."

"Government can do what it thinks appropriate. Dissenters can do what they think appropriate," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said.

Singhvi, who is also the Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee which went into the Lokpal issue, was reacting to Hazare's charge that a "weak" Citizens' Charter Bill showed that government's intentions were not honest on Lokpal Bill.

Rejecting the Citizens' Charter Bill, Hazare said the people of the country were cheated by the government and he would go ahead with plans to campaign against the government in the Assembly elections in five poll-bound states.

"Let the government go its way, we will go our way. I have decided that I will continue to fight till there is life in me," the 74-year-old activist told reporters at his native village Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra.

At the AICC briefing, party spokesman Rashid Alvi dismissed suggestions that the government has brought the Lokpal bill under pressure from Hazare. He said the Congress has striven hard to arrive at a consensus on the issue in the meeting of the UPA leaders as also at the all party meeting.

BJP to force amendments on Lokpal if suggestions not included

BJP today decided to seek amendments in the Lokpal Bill if its suggestions and concerns on the legislation are not incorporated.

This decision was taken at a meeting of BJP Parliamentary Party chaired by L K Advani and attended by other senior party leaders, where the Lokpal Bill was discussed.

"The Lokpal Bill was discussed at the meeting. We learnt that government is working on a new Bill on the basis of suggestions by different political parties. Hopefully, they are going to decide today," BJP leader S S Ahluwalia told reporters after the meeting.

"When the Bill is discussed by Cabinet and approved and the new bill comes up, we will see its fine print. We will see if our concerns expressed in the dissent note before Standing Committee and suggestions put forth in the all-party meeting are incorporated or not. Only then will we decide," he said.

"We will see if they have incorporated all our points or not. If we don't find our suggestions incorporated in the Bill, then we will be forced to move amendments in the Bill," Ahluwalia said.

The BJP leader said Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had yesterday called on party leaders L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and Yashwant Sinha on financial reform bills and sought the party's support.

"After discussion, they have agreed to accept the Standing Committee report, after cabinet earlier rejected it on the Pension Bill.

"On the Companies Bill introduced in 2009, the government has accepted a lot of recommendations of the corporate world and formed the new Companies Bill. We have sought that this Bill be sent to the Standing Committee, which gives its recommendations before the Budget Session," said the BJP leader.