Marriage in heaven, anniversary in Ralegan Siddhi

For Puneites Priyanka and Amitabh Singh, the village of veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare, Ralegan Siddhi, was the perfect venue to celebrate their marriage anniversary on Sunday.

"We have been closely following Anna's agitation for the last 12 days and have also participated in some rallies in Pune," the couple recalled.

In fact, they were so happy after parliament accepted Hazare's three demands on the Jan Lokpal Bill on Saturday that the young couple had planned to go to New Delhi to celebrate. "Since the air fare was exorbitant, we decided to drive down to Ralegan Siddhi," recalled Priyanka.

Jan Lokpal Bill is very regressive

Jan Lokpal Bill is very regressive: Arundhati Roy

In an exclusive interview, writer Arundhati Roy said there are serious concerns about the Jan Lokpal Bill, corporate funding, NGOs and even the role of the media.

Sagarika Ghose: Hello and welcome to the CNN-IBN special. The Anna Hazare anti-corruption movement has thrown up multiple voices. Many have been supportive of the movement, but there have been some who have been sceptical and raised doubts about the movement as well. One of these sceptical voices is writer Arundhati Roy who now joins us. Thanks very much indeed for joining us. In your article in 'The Hindu' published on August 21, entitled 'I'd rather not be Anna', you've raised many doubts about the Anna Hazare campaign. Now that the movement is over and the crowds have come and we've seen the massive size of those crowds, do you continue to be sceptical? And if so, why?

anna in hospital: who will pay anna's hospital bills

Who will foot Anna Hazare's hospital bill?

It was not clear on Tuesday as to who would pay the medical bill of Anna Hazare, recuperating at Gurgaon's Medanta Medicity after his 12-day fast, even as hospital chairman Naresh Trehan hinted that a decision on the charges would be taken later.

"He is a decent man. I have immense respect for what he is doing. Let us first see the bills, only then something can be said," Trehan said.

Hazare has been under the medical supervision of Trehan and has not been charged till now.

India Against corruption (IAC) member Aswathi Muralidharan told IANS: "Till now, he has not been charged. We can only say who will pay the bill if we get the bill."

"Even when Trehan had seen him earlier, he was not charged,” she added.

After breaking his 288-hour fast Sunday, Hazare was admitted to the Gurgaon-based hospital where he was given coconut water and honey at regular intervals.

ramlila maidan after anna

Anna Hazare, India’s first anti-corruption crusader who pressurized the government to enact the Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizen Ombudsman Bill) in a ‘peaceful and non-violent’ manner, did an impressive job of transforming his native village as well, but surprisingly, he did so in an entirely ‘autocratic, violent way,’ reveals the Sydney Morning Herald's international editor Peter Hartcher.

Hartcher explained how Hazare, who vows to follow the ‘Gandhi-style non-violent’ way of bringing a change, apparently built his first success on violence in his native village.

Anna Hazare rules Indian cyberspace

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare ruled Indian cyberspace during his fast demanding introduction of Jan Lokpal Bill in Parliament.

Search engine Google produces 29 million results when a query is made by entering Anna Hazare’s name, while Sonia Gandhi’s name yields a little below 9 million results.

A page created in the Facebook on Anna Hazare has been liked by 3.64 lakh users against UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s page which has 57, 291 likes.

5 Reasons why Anna Resonates with the Masses

by- sumit gupta

In my  previous article, I had a doubt about how the public will react to Anna’s second fast unto death. I was more skeptical about the response to his Jail Bharo call. But I am glad all my skepticism has been proved wrong. The public has responded, and how. Tens of thousands of people have come out on the streets in support of Anna Hazare. People have courted arrests in hundreds and in Delhi, police has to convert a stadium into a jail to keep those arrested. There were around 100,000 people marching to India Gate in Delhi and around Azad Maidan in Mumbai. Now can the government arrest them all?

Anna Hazare in Ralegan Siddhi

The Making of an Authority: Anna Hazare in Ralegan Siddhi

April 14, 2011

by mukulsharma

(I am posting a much longer version of my previous article that will also respond to some of the queries and comments. This article is based on my research, field work and interviews in Ralegan Sidhi since 1991.)

This article is focussed mainly on understanding how exactly the rural environmental works in the journey of Anna Hazare and Ralegan Sidhi are articulated within a coherent ideological framework, to acquire their legitimacy and authority, which are fed by, and fed into, some dominant political cultures of the state. Any political theory and practice, built on this framework, can open the possibilities of a strengthening of the conservative and nationalist forces. Certainly, the ideology of a rural organisation or a movement and its appeal is not based on a single plank. In the case of Anna Hazare and his programme, though the developmental and the environmental works form the core of its ideological structures, it includes other issues as well. At times it provides a different scale of activities to its audience, but eventually reinforces its principal ideological framework. Some understanding of the ideological DNA of the green villagers and the fellow environmental travellers also gives us an idea as to what elements of this endeavour and ideology motivate villagers and environmentalists.

five point for anna

Five Points to Understand Battle of Anna Hazare

1. He is a Simple Man

Anna Hazare is a famous social activist of Maharashtra. Till recently his activities were limited to his own state. In April 2011 he decided to fight with the mighty central government. This very successful social fighter has no house or bank account on his name. 72-year man lives the life of a fakir. He has sacrificed his entire life for the welfare of the people. Due to hectic welfare schedules he has not been able to visit his own village for the last 40 years.
2. What changed his life
Anna lost his parents at an early age. He had to leave school after VII class. He joined Indian national army as a driver. Even in army he spoke against corruption. He took interest in reading about Vivekanand, Gandhi and other social personalities. He also fought in the 1965 Indo-Pak war. Once in a combat he lucklily survived and thought God gave him a new life. He decided to dedicate his new life to the welfare of the society. Then he took voluntary retirement from the army and came back to his Ralegaon Siddhi village (distt. Ahmednagar, Maharashtra) to help people to live a better life..
3. His first big achievement
In 1975 his village was inflicted with poverty, crime and under-development. It was also a den of illicit liquor. Most of its land was barren. He decided to change the picture of his village completely by tranforming it to a model village. He contributed his savings in the development of the village. He persuaded the people to join hands with him. With his boldness he even succeeded in removing liquor mafia from the village, never bowing to their threats.
He aked his fellow villagers to take an oath to stick to five commandments: 1. prohibition to liquor, 2. family planning, 3. voluntary labour, 4. a ban on open grazing and 5. a ban on felling trees. After a few years this village became a self-reliant and the richest village of the state.
4. How he suddenly rose to an international fame
For years he faught in Maharashtra against corruption and mafia. Year 2010 had shaken Indians with large scale political corruption. Misdeeds of politicians like Suresh Kalmadi and A. Raja involving rupees thousands of crores had shaken the nation. People were unable to do anything. Anna Hazare decided to start a battle with the mighty central government to stop political corruption.
On April 5 2011, he decided to go on a fast unto death. It was his non-violent Gandhian weapon to put pressure on the Government. He wanted the government to be serious on enacting anti-corruption act (Lokpal Bill) which could stop political and beaurocratic corruption in the country. Hidden anger of Indians suddenly exploded. People from all sections of the society came to his support. He got support even from the Indians living abroad.
Overwheming response to his movement surprised media as well political parties. It shook the central government. Feeling pressure the government bowed down to the demand of frail old man, and agreed on forming a joint committee to draft a bill that could nail the corrupt people in government (without seeking the permission of the government). People were overjoyed with this success.
5. Will his struggle bring real results?
Anna has been known for his stubbornness and tough battle. Once he decides to do a thing nothing can make him fear or backtrack. Now due to the immense sport he got, political parties are under pressure to help pass the new Lokpal Bill in parliament.
His earlier successes when he was not even having such an overnwheming support:
a. 6 corrupt ministers in Maharashtra government had to resign
b. 400 corrupt officers were dismissed from their jobs
c. Maharashtra RTI Act was passed in 2002
d. Central Government withdrew its proposal to amend Central RTI Act in 2006

ANNA BHAI BECOME MUNNABHAI

Anna: Nation's New Munna Bhai?

With the ongoing revolution and uprising against corruption for the Lokpal Bill, led by ANNA Hazare against the UPA Government, covered extensively by the media that gave him the epithet The New Gandhi, there is no question that the retired army soldier with a frail physique is doing a commendable job in the awakening the nation since Independence. Every media is vying for headlines on ANNA Hazare who is digging up the issue of a corrupt nation, looking forward for a bright future from a hazy past. He has suddenly become a beacon of light for the unguided, a ray of hope for the disillusioned, a flicker of a lamp at the end of the tunnel for the misled, a leader for a better future for the young, an icon to follow and an idol to be revered for the whole of India which has been drowned to its nadir by the corrupt rulers. The main support today flocking behind ANNA has been the youth from urban and rural India alike. They are the future of India, the generation which is going to lead the nation forward after cleansing its gut from the decay culminated from greed and selfishness of political parties. The same youth which was without an ideology and ambition to raise or rise for their rights.

Indian activist Hazare rests after anti-corruption fast

Indian anti-corruption campaigner Anna Hazare has spent a night in hospital after ending a 12-day hunger strike in the capital, Delhi

Doctors say Mr Hazare's condition is stable and he is on a liquid diet.

Mr Hazare, 74, broke his fast after MPs expressed support for proposed changes to anti-corruption legislation.

Indians have been angered by a string of corruption scandals and Mr Hazare's campaign received widespread support and a great deal of media coverage.

What will Anna Hazare do till Parliament decides!

What will Anna Hazare do till Parliaent decides!

Anna Hazare is recovering and in couple of days he would be discharged. What next? The man had been in centre of nation's attention and his each activity hereafter would not be the same. The man has lost the life of ordinariness, so dearly guarded by him so far.

celebrities have cost to pay as even their small acts get magnified many times over before an intrusive media which is ever hungry to make mountain out of mole. Hazare is, of course no celebrity in typical sense of the word, yet he values his privacy as every other individual.

Mission accomplished, Kamla Market police station holds hawan

Mission accomplished, Kamla Market police station holds hawan
The scene at Kamla Market police station in central Delhi was quite different from daily routine on Sunday. Sacred chants echoed inside the compound and all police officers were sitting with their guns downs as a hawan was held to thank the divine powers that helped the police in peacefully concluding the 
11-day mammoth protest led by Anna Hazare at the Ramila Maidan.

Notably, officers of the same police station were under fire because of the barbaric crackdown they launched on Baba Ramdev and his supporters in June this year.

anna hazare's health

Doctor puts to rest fears about Hazare's health

Anna Hazare supporters need not worry about his health. Dr Parag Sancheti, chairman of city-based Sancheti Institute of Orthopedics, said he had seen Hazre in much worse circumstances earlier. He was rushed to Gurgaon's Medanta Medicity Hospital soon after Hazare broke his fast. Reiterating Team Anna's stand that his health was stable, Dr Sancheti said that Anna, who has been his patient for the last few years, is physically fit except for a few blood pressure problems.

In fine fettle: Anna Hazare breaks his fast with coconut water
and honey offered by little girls Simran

Dr Sancheti said he had been called in by Team Anna to persuade Hazare to break his fast, given his long-term association with the activist, but before things could reach a saturation point, Congress leader Vilasrao Deshmukh reached the Ramlila Maidan with news of people's victory.

सड़क से संसद तक बीजेपी अन्ना के साथ आई

नई दिल्ली।। बीजेपी ने अपने अंतर्विरोधों को दरकिनार करते हुए अन्ना हजारे के जन लोकपाल विधेयक को संसद के बाहर और भीतर समर्थन का ऐलान किया है। पार्टी अध्यक्ष नितिन गडकरी ने अन्ना को पत्र लिखकर संसद से सड़क तक उनके आंदोलन का समर्थन किया है। उन्होंने जनलोकपाल बिल को आधार बनाकर संसद में चर्चा कराने की भी मांग की।

उधर, देर रात बीजेपी के लालकृष्ण आडवाणी समेत दूसरे सीनियर नेताओं और टीम अन्ना के मेंबर्स की मीटिंग के बाद दोनों पक्षों ने इसे पॉजिटिव बताया। प्रेस कॉन्फ्रेंस में अन्ना के सहयोगी केजरीवाल ने कहा, 'बीजेपी हमारे बिल के ज्यादातर मुद्दों पर सहमत है। अब हम सरकार की प्रतिक्रिया का इंतजार कर रहे हैं।'

Lokpal Bill row: Is the PM's proposal too little, too late?

Is the Prime Minister’s proposal of a debate on the floor of house on all the different versions of the Lokpal Bill sufficient to break the deadlock or is it too little too late. Secondly, what are the full implications of the all party resolution commitment to a final draft of the Lokpal Bill and have they been fully understood?

Historian and commentator Ramachandra Guha; co-convener of the national campaign for people’s right to information Nikhil Dey and the Editor-In-Chief of Outlook, Vinod Mehta argue out the issue of the Lokpal Bill with CNBC-TV18's Karan Thappar.

Has Rahul Gandhi changed the Lokpal game?

Minutes after he made a sudden appearance in the Lok Sabha on Friday to profound his idea of Lokpal as a constitutional body, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament House that, “it’s a game changing idea.”

Certainly, it was more than just proposing a new concept of Lokpal. He has, in fact, infused a new aggression in the Congress, which appeared to be floundering in the last few days  because of differences within its core group.

effect of anna wave in kasmir

Srinagar, : Even as the Anna wave is sweeping entire India, including the Jammu city of the state, the valley of Kashmir seems to be unfazed. While the winter capital has witnessed some noisy demonstrations in support of the anti-graft crusader, the valley, by and large, has remained aloof, although a section of its society has, just out of curiosity, been watching the emerging scenario with a degree of vicarious interest.

India 2011: that 1980s feeling again(british media)

The current turmoil has taken much of the shine off the so-called ‘New India.'

Casting a glance back at how India appeared to the outside world just a few months ago is rather like looking at grainy footage of yesteryear: a booming economy, IT whiz-kids making waves all over the globe, top ranking in international Test cricket, the ICC Cricket World Cup in the bag, Bollywood on the roll. It seemed India couldn't get anything wrong. All the good news fit to print was coming out of India. And set against the crisis in Pakistan, lurching from one embarrassment to another, the Indian “miracle” looked even more stark.

India democracy 'at crossroads' as MPs debate graft

NEW DELHI — India's government said Saturday the nation's democracy is at a "crossroads" as lawmakers debate ways to end a high-stakes standoff with a hugely popular anti-graft hunger striker.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, a top trouble-shooter for the ruling Congress party, renewed an appeal to 74-year-old Anna Hazare to call off his fast as doctors said the activist was weakening after 12 days without food.

"I would like to request Anna Hazare to end his fast," Mukherjee said.

Crisis: Team Anna accuses Govt of betrayal

Crisis: Team Anna accuses Govt of betrayal

New Delhi: Team Anna is not happy with the Government's resolution on Anna Hazare's three demands. Hazare's close associate Prashant Bhushan, who met Government representatives on the resolution to be adopted by Parliament on Saturday, said that it is unfortunate to see the response to what Anna has written to the Government. His father and senior lawyer Shanti Bhushan, who is also a close associate of Hazare, accused the Government of backtracking on the resolution.

Prashant Bhushan said that if the Government is serious about enacting a strong Lokpal then it should move a motion and Parliament should vote on it. He insisted that there should be a formal vote with division in Parliament and not a mere statement of intent.