Indian PM: Anti-graft protest 'misconceived'

The Indian PM has criticised the hunger strike campaign by popular anti-graft activist Anna Hazare as "misconceived".

Manmohan Singh's speech in parliament was drowned by cries of "shame" from the opposition MPs.
Mr Hazare has spent a night in Tihar jail in Delhi, despite the government decision to free him.
An aide said he was continuing his hunger strike in prison and would leave only after he was given permission to continue his fast at a city park.
Mr Hazare was arrested on Tuesday morning, hours before beginning his fast against a proposed new anti-corruption law.
Hundreds of supporters of the anti-corruption campaigner have kept an overnight vigil outside the jail.
On Wednesday morning, that protest grew, with many people carrying the Indian flag and shouting anti-corruption slogans.
Supreme Court lawyers announced they would march to show their support for Mr Hazare, while auto-rickshaw drivers went on strike to protest against corruption.

The government denied it was stifling democratic protest after police arrested 1,300 people to halt Mr Hazare's hunger strike on Tuesday.

Authorities said the detentions were because protesters had not obeyed police conditions for the demonstration.
Jeering MPs "I acknowledge that Anna Hazare may be inspired by high ideals," Mr Singh told parliament.
"However, the path that he has chosen to impose a draft of the bill on parliament is totally misconceived."
Mr Singh said everyone was agreed that the anti-corruption bill should be passed.
"The question is who drafts the law and who makes the law?
"Anna Hazare wants to impose his bill on parliament," he added.
Mr Singh's speech was constantly interrupted by jeering opposition MPs.
Correspondents say Mr Hazare's arrest and his refusal to leave the prison is being seen as a major setback for the government and a victory for the 74-year-old campaigner.
Mr Hazare is understood to have spent the night at one of the rooms in the administrative block of the jail along with his associate Arvind Kejriwal, news agency Press Trust of India reports.
On Tuesday, the authorities said Mr Hazare was being held for a week.
But after thousands of his supporters came out on the streets of Delhi and other cities, the government backtracked and announced that he would be freed.
One of the campaigner's aides who came out of the prison on Tuesday night said Mr Hazare had gone on hunger strike and was refusing to leave until the police could guarantee his original protest - which led to his arrest - would be allowed to go ahead.

Mr Hazare says the proposed anti-corruption ombudsman should be able to investigate any official

Government ministers had earlier ruled that out because of the police's concerns over law and order.
The police laid down six conditions for the fast to take place, which included an undertaking that the protest would be limited to three days and that no more than 4,000 to 5,000 people would be allowed to gather.
Plainclothes police officers picked up Mr Hazare from a house in Delhi. Police later said he had been held for breaching the peace.
Defending the government's decision, Home Minister P Chidambaram said nowhere in the world were protests allowed without conditions.
Mr Hazare has called the proposed anti-corruption legislation a "cruel joke" and has described the fight against corruption as the "second war of independence". He said the movement would not stop with his arrest.
High-profile scandals Mr Hazare says India's proposed anti-corruption ombudsman - Lokpal - should be able to investigate any official, including the prime minister and senior judges.
Correspondents say he has presented an increasing challenge for the Indian government in Asia's third largest economy.
India has recently been hit by a string of high-profile corruption scandals, including a multi-billion dollar alleged telecoms scam, alleged financial malpractices in connection with the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games and allegations that houses for war widows were diverted to civil servants.
Critics of the government say the scandals point to a pervasive culture of corruption in Mr Singh's administration.
A recent survey said corruption in India cost billions of dollars and threatened to derail growth.