Swami Agnivesh, one of the 22 members of the core committee set up by activist Anna Hazare, claimed on Monday that there has been no response from the Centre so far to end the activist's indefinite fast against corruption. "In the last seven days, we have never had anyone mediating between us and the government about the Jan Lokpal Bill," he said. He rejected media reports about the government roping in any mediators.
Noted social activist Swami Agnivesh on Saturday appealed to the Chhattisgarh government to initiate talks to solve the problem of Naxalism. The tribal-dominated state is home to a large number of Naxals and is considered their bastion. The chief minister should come forward to solve this decades-old problem through dialogue, he said at a press conference in Raipur in the presence of Chief Minister Raman Singh.
As Anna Hazare's fast entered Day 11 on Friday, the split in his team widened. It's now Swami Agnivesh and Justice Hegde versus the rest! The duo feel that Hazare should have called off the fast on Thursday and that protesting out the prime minister's residence was uncalled for.
Maintaining that they were "transparent" in their functioning, Team Anna on Sunday dismissed Swami Agnivesh's allegations that donations for Anna Hazare's agitation was siphoned off by Arvind Kejriwal, saying he might be levelling such accusations out of anger.
Swami Agnivesh, the latest entrant in controversial television reality show Bigg Boss, says he would use this opportunity to promote and create awareness on social issues including corruption.
"We cannot stop a crime like rape by policing only. I think rapes will come down significantly if people stop eating non-vegetarian. There has been lot of research on this. Rapes will come down significantly if alcohol consumption is not there," he told media persons in New Delhi.
Noted social activist Swami Agnivesh has said that there is no need to show any leniency to Team Anna members Prashant Bhushan, Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi if they are found guilty of violating the law of the land.
The RSS leader says that killing a cow was not approved by any religion.
Reacting to Mayawati's objection over the absence of any Dalit on the Jan Lokpal Bill draft committee, Agnivesh said, "I do welcome her objection and thank her for raising the issue. But I would also like to ask the UP chief minister to declare whether she had taken any effective steps to curb the rampant corruption in her government.
'He said there was no question of ordering a probe at the Centre's level. This comes within the jurisdiction of the Andhra Pradesh government,' Swami Agnivesh tells Rediff.com
'Children should be told that if they receive porn on their phones they should inform their parents or teachers who should in turn contact cyber crime.'
Noted social worker Swami Agnivesh differed with Prashant Bhushan and Arvind Kejiriwal -- members of the civil society on the Lokpal Bill drafting panel -- that the talks with the government failed to yield substantial results.
At the Trinamool Congress rally in Lalgarh on Monday Union Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned Maoist leader Azad's death in a police encounter, embarrassing her government which has resisted calls for an investigation into the incident. Some questions
Arvind Kejriwal, a close aide of Anna Hazare, said on Thursday morning that it may not be possible for thr activist to launch his protest from the Ramlila Ground as the venue was full of mud and needed to be cleaned up.
"The Maoists have communicated to me through a channel that they are ready to consider the government's offer of talks provided the Centre or the Andhra Pradesh government orders a judicial enquiry into the encounter," Agnivesh told PTI over phone.
Mediators said the purpose of the move was to avoid any more confrontation between the communities.
The award, which carries a citation and cash amount of Rs 10 lakh, is given for promoting communal harmony and peace.
For a start this award has a history of having less to do with actual contributions and more to do with some part of a larger agenda. Some pretty dubious people have received this. Many more were patently undeserving, says Mohan Guruswamy.
A group of noted social activists, writers, filmmakers, journalists, advocates and retired army officials have come up with an online petition seeking support to endorse the name of retired Justice Rajinder Sachar for the post of President of India.
The controversial Swami has reportedly been approached to be on the show.
Maoists on Sunday demanded release of eight of their jailed leaders in Chattisgarh and a halt to "Operation Green Hunt" in exchange for freedom of Sukma collector Alex Paul Menon, who was safe, a day afer he was abducted. The Maoists also set an April 25 deadline.
Strongly condemning the police action against yoga guru Baba Ramdev, civil rights activist Anna Hazare termed it as "strangulation of democracy" and said civil society will launch protests throughout the country to "teach the government a lesson"
Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Friday told media persons that only govt officials will be members of the joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill.
Social Activist Anna Hazare and his team have signed an agreement with the government to abide by certain conditions on the basis of which they will go ahead with the fast at Ramlila Grounds starting from Friday. Renu Mittal reports.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday met eminent social activist Anna Hazare and other activists who are spearheading the initiative 'India Against Corruption'.The activists told the PM that the country expected meaningful reforms to tackle corruption in public life. "I appreciate and share your concerns on corruption," the PM assured the group, which also comprised Kiran Bedi and Swami Agnivesh.Dr Singh requested Hazare not to carry out his threat of going on a fast.
A Delhi court has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Delhi police to file a detailed report on the action taken by them so far on the complaints about alleged corruption in the Commonmwealth Games-related cases.
Sangh Parivar leader Sadhvi Ritambhara on Friday said controversies and talk about individuals should be brushed aside, instead the focus should be on the issue of tackling corruption and black money.
Social activist Anna Hazare will kick off his nation-wide campaign against corruption from Uttar Pradesh next week. The renowned Gandhian, whose satyagrah compelled the Union government to concede his demand for a Jan Lokpal bill, will renew his movement in a big way from Varanasi, where he is scheduled to arrive along with his comrade-in-arms former top cop Kiran Bedi, right to information activist Arvind Kejriwal, and activist Swami Agnivesh on April 29.
Rediff.com's Toral Varia, who has been covering Anna Hazare's fast at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, spoke to prominent civil society member Swami Agnivesh on the way ahead for the team Anna.
Activist Swami Agnivesh on Friday launched an attack on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing them of being silent about crucial issues and not listening to the voices of the people. Addressing protestors as Anna Hazare launched his fast at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, he said, "Mr Manmohan Singh, the country wants you to end your silence and open your mouth. You have been silent for the past three years".
The central government on Thursday opened a channel of communication with anti-corruption protestors led by Anna Hazare with Union Minister Kapil Sibal meeting activists Swami Agnivesh and Arvind Kejriwal to find a way out the demand for a joint committee on drafting Lokpal Bill.
Ninety-four-year-old Gandhian Shambhu Dutt, who ended his fast-unto-death demanding Lokpal bill after Team Anna's promise to shoulder the campaign, says he now regrets his decision to hand over his fight to Anna Hazare and his core committee of "yes men".
The police do not have it in them to confront the Hindutva groups in a country ruled by a Hindutva party. No wonder Munawar Faruqui feels this is the end for him, asserts Jyoti Punwani.
Despite being offered release, Anna Hazare spent the night in Tihar Jail refusing to come out insisting on an unconditional release and permission to launch his fast at Jai Prakash Narain Park.
An FAQ on the controversial anti-corruption bill
The West Bengal government's move to provide a fax and a phone number to get information on the whereabouts of a kidnapped intelligence officer and his friend by Maoists will not help bring the ultras to the negotiating table, say social and human rights activists.
Observing that law and order was a state subject, the home minister said the Centre cannot remain silent on the issue.
"We are trying to simplify the draft statement which we will telephonically discuss with the Sikh leaders", he said.
Swami Agnivesh speaks about the Dera-Sikh standoff, which he is attempting to resolve.
The Sikh high priests have also demanded that Ram Rahim tender an unqualified apology for wearing clothes similar to that of the tenth Guru Gobind Singh.
