Hope debate on Lokpal will prod Anna to call off fast: Salman Khurshid

Government today hoped the debate on the Lokpal bill tomorrow and the emergence of any form of consensus will "persuade" Anna Hazare about its seriousness and willingness to have a strong Lokpal.

"What they (Team Anna)have indicated is they want a discussion and a process of developing a broad consensus. Now what the nature of broad consensus will satisfy them, they will have to make up their mind.

"We just hope that the emergence of any form of consensus or convergence during the day will persuade him both of our seriousness and our willingness and our sincerity to ensure that there is a good strong lokpal bill," Law Minister Salman Khurshid said.

He said this when asked whether there has been any commitment from Team Anna that the Gandhian would call off the fast after the discussion on the bill starts.

He said government was "concerned" about Hazare's health and he should give up his fast before everything else.

He said the Jan Lokpal bill is the "most important document" around which the debate will take place and all the events that have happened in the last few weeks have all led towards a major focus on the Jan Lokpal Bill.

Stating that the other Lokpal bill would also be discussed, he said "we are not voting on any provisions of the bill."

"We are actually looking at broad gamut of ideas and the emergence of the priority of the gamut of ideas will come depending on each speaker," he said, adding this is a "collective exercise".