India: Respect verdict of Parliament, PM tells Team Anna Hazare

New Delhi, Dec 29 (PTI) In a clear message to Team Anna spearheading the cause of an 'empowered' ombudsman in India, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked the activists to respect the verdict of the Parliament on the Lokpal Bill. "Legislation is the privilege of the Indian Parliament. That is what the Constitution says.... When Parliament has spoken it is time for other persons to take note," he told reporters Wednesday when asked about Team Anna's criticism of the Lokpal Bill that was passed on Tuesday night by the Lok Sabha, lower house of Parliament. "We hope that those with divergent views will respect the verdict of the Parliament," he said at a joint press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda. Singh said that the Lok Sabha had passed the Lokpal bill with a substantial majority. "The bill will be presented to the Rajya Sabha (upper house) tomorrow (i.e. Thursday) and I hope it will be passed," he said. Even as Anna Hazare abruptly called off his three-day fast for a strong Lokpal mid-way yesterday due to bad health and low turnout, his supporters attacked the government for a "weak" Lokpal Bill that was passed by the Lok Sabha. PTI