Satwik Sharma

After single-handedly provoking a people’s revolution , the 72-year-old activist who launched what he calls “India’s second freedom struggle” will end his four-day hunger strike on Saturday at 10 am.

It took Anna Hazare  almost 5 days of fasting to accomplish every point of an agenda that seemed preposterously ambitious when the week began. Till India pitched in, expressing its solidarity with rallies around Mr Hazare’s cause -to  force the government to introduce a new tough law to combat corruption, and to ensure that politicians alone are not entrusted with its conception.

So the government has agreed that a committee will be set up with five representatives of civil society, including Mr Hazare, and five ministers. At the head will be two chairmen – a minister and an unelected representative. Mr Hazare is not entirely happy with the the wording ‘Chairman’ and ‘co-Chairman’.

The government’s unprecedented concessions were thrust upon it partly by Sonia Gandhi, who in a statement last night spelled out her support for his stand and urged him to end his fast. An equal amount of pressure was applied  by lakhs of Indians online and offline, who  dared the government to ignore the power of a people who swapped cynicism for a determination to be the change.

The turning point came this evening at 6 pm, when Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal met this evening with social activists Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and Swami Agnivesh. At Jantar Manatar in Delhi, a short drive away, 6000 men, women and children sang “We shall overcome”. A few minutes later, Mr Hazare addressed them, reassuring them that he was in good health. “You are my strength,” he said.

For the last few days, Mr Hazare has with these speeches drawn middle class India Pied-Piper style from cities and small towns into taking on the system. For every demand that Mr Hazare presented, the government had an equal and opposite reaction. And slowly, it began conceding one point after another, till it was game, set and match for Mr Hazare.

So the government will agree to formally notify a committee to draft the Lokpal Bill. This will confer legal authority on the committee, which will be headed by two chairmen – one from civil society, the other a government representative. The committee will have five member who are non-elected representatives, including Mr Hazare.

And the government and activists have swapped their drafts of the bill – wide differences have existed between the two versions so far.

Till this morning, the sticking points were who would chair the committee, and what its legal status would be.

After Mr Hazare said he did not want to be Chairman, activists suggested that former Chief Justice of India JS Verma or retired Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde head the committee. Mr Sibal said this morning that ministers would not be a part of a committee chaired by a non-elected representative. The government also said that it  could not sanction Mr Hazare’s request for  government order on the formation of the committee- an informal announcement would  have to suffice. At 5 this evening, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, “No government can abdicate its Constitutional responsibility by accepting the impossible condition.”

But at two meetings – in the morning and evening – Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister urged senior ministers to end the impasse.

At the same time, in separate letters to Mrs Gandhi and the Prime Minister, Mr Hazare urged them to be more proactive and supportive of the Lokpal Bill.

He urged Sonia Gandhi and her National Advisory Council – set up to interface with civil society and provide legislative and policy inputs – to discuss the “broad content of the Lokpal Bill… and recommend the outcome to the government.” Mr Hazare has urged the Prime Minister to reconsider appointing Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as the head of the committee to draft the Lokpal Bill. “People are demanding non-political person as chair. I am not interested in this role. I propose Justice Verma or Justice Hedge as chair,” he wrote.

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Picture – Fast against corruption from Aurangabad, Maharashtra

The 72-year-old activist began his hunger strike on Tuesday demanding the government to draft a new Lokpal Bill, which will give more powers to Ombudsman to check corruption….

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Aamir has reportedly written a letter to voice his support for Hazare’s movement while other celebrities took to twitter to back the campaign.

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Filmmaker Shekhar Kapur said, “I support Anna Hazare’s fast for national debate on Lokpal Bill. Atleast need Parliament to come out and respond to issue. People like Anna Hazare will force a people’s movement against the system. Like Gandhi did against the British.”

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Anupam Kher asked fans to join the campaign. “When somebody is fighting corruption, I don’t judge his ways. I applaud his intentions and actions. I am with ANNA HAZARE. Are you? (sic),” he said.

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Actress Diya Mirza tweeted her support. “Finally, people are voicing strong support for a man that has, should and will be a great example to our generation. I support Anna Hazare.”

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Actor and social activist Rahul Bose said: “That it takes an Anna Hazare fasting unto death to effect systemic change is comment enough. corruption part of our DNA.”

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Juhi Chawla said, “I am complete and absolute supporter of Shri Anna Hazare! All those with a conscience and a clean heart speak up.

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Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar: “Overwhelming momentum generates in for Anna Hazare’s fight against corruption. Is India gonna be the next Egypt??”

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Pritish Nandy: “Proud to see common man come out in support of Anna Hazare. It took a 72-year-old man to fast unto death to wake us up.”

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Ranvir Shorey: “Anna Hazare’s crusade is a great litmus test to see if India has any grit left at all. Or have we become a country of corrupt schmoozers.”

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Source – Indian Express, IAC Aurangabad.

I wanted to start my blog for quite some time now, but what a better way to start it with a fight against corruption.

It is this corruption which is pushing India again back to the Dark Ages. The politicians these days are nothing less than tyrants misusing their power to amass great wealth, OUR wealth, and using to oppress we people only.

The RTI Act had given us people some transparency, but it is this Lokpal Bill which will bring accountability. And Mind You guys, the corrupt are already ahead of us to undermine this bill.

The Lokpal Bill being introduced in the Parliament is nothing but a sham. Here is what is proposed :

1. Lokpal can receive complaints only from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. (Will the corrupt come and complain against themselves!!!!)
2. Lokpal will send report to competent authority which might not take action. (Now if by some remotest chance someone does complain, the decision to take action again lies with corrupt. What a shame!!! )
3. Lokpal doesnt have powers of police like registering FIRs ( He is there to just rant about that corruption is going on. Everyone will pass by him, like a radio is going on!!!)
4. Lokpal will have jurisdiction only over MPs, Ministers and PM, not officials. ( Looks like in the eyes of the Govt. only the ministers are corrupt. Rest are pious souls. )
5. 6 months to a year to inquire, but no limit on completion of trial. ( The way corrupt ministers throw their weight around, even the completion of trial looks like a distant dream, leave alone any prosecution )
6. No provision to seize illegal wealth. ( Yeah, i have looted my motherland. Everyone knows it. Now shut the fuck up!!!!)

See this is the state of affairs in our country.

There are people working day and night to make both ends meet, and there are people finding ways to bypass the system and amass huge fortunes.

I truly support ANNA HAZARE in his fight against corruption. Atleast he has the guts to stand up against the huge serpent of corruption.

I also request you all to join him in his crusade against corruption and try to bring the corrupt to justice.