Hazare to offer rose to PM if Cabinet approves strong Lokpal

For a change, Anna Hazare, who has been dashing off letters to the Prime Minster insisting on a strong Lokpal bill, Monday spoke of offering a rose to Manmohan Singh if the Union Cabinet accepts his demand.

"If the Cabinet decides in favour of a strong Lokpal bill, as expected by crores of people of the country, I will offer the Prime Minister a rose at Ramlila Maidan instead of undertaking a fast (on December 27), and congratulate him on opting for a stringent (anti-corruption) legislation," he told reporters at Pune airport before leaving for Ralegan Siddhi, his native village.

Hazare, who arrived in Pune from Chennai, said he might not require to go back to Delhi after two days if the Cabinet decides on a strong Lokpal bill to be placed before Parliament.

The Gandhian has threatened to go on fast from December 27 and launch a fill-the-jail campaign from January 1 if the government fails to get an effective Lokpal bill passed in the ongoing session of Parliament.