Anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare went on a token one-day fast on Sunday to double check the commitment of the non-United Progressive Alliance parties towards a strong Lokpal Bill. And clearly from the support he received at Jantar Mantar his mission was a success. Sheela Bhatt reports
Fresh signs of trouble emerged on the Lokpal issue on Saturday with activist Anna Hazare and his aides terming as a "betrayal" the government's refusal to pass a resolution over the issue, response that the Parliament after the debate will not pass the resolution, which is their prime demand.
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.
Condemning the recent assaults on civil society activists and stating that Anna Hazare's movement had served its purpose, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday assured that a bill for a strong Lokpal would soon be cleared.
Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday described activist Anna Hazare's decision to snap ties with the pro-politics group in the anti-corruption movement as "shocking and unbelievable" and said the veteran activist's principles will be the foundation of their party. "We respect Anna Hazare, he is our guru and father. Wednesday's developments came as a complete surprise. It was shocking, unbelievable, unfortunate and sad," Kejriwal told reporters.
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Uma Bharti on Monday expressed strong support for the movements of Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev and said that prime minister must be brought under the Lokpal Bill.
In a complete U-turn, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday expressed its support for Anna Hazare's fight against corruption. Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray addressed a press conference in Mumbai where he said that the party completely supported Hazare's campaign. The move comes only a day after Sanjay Raut, Sena leader and editor of Sena mouth piece Saamna, had slammed Anna Hazare. Raut had hinted that Anna himself was corrupt.
As Anna Hazare's fast entered the 11th day on Friday, the Gandhian lost seven kg of weight but doctors said he appeared to be healthy.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is all set to copy anti-corruption crusaders Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal's strategy to mobilise crowd to make his proposed fast for 'sadbhavna' a super success.
In Parliament on Tuesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party urged Speaker Meira Kumar to suspend Question Hour to discuss activist Anna Hazare's indefinite fast against corruption.
It has been nine years since India signed this important convention against corruption, but it is unfortunate that on ground the situation remains unchanged as no action has been taken.
Hundreds of Indian-Americans came out in support of social activist Anna Hazare's anti-corruption crusade in New York. Rediff.com's Aseem Chhabra reports.
Noting the country is passing through a transitional phase, Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju on Monday said social activist Anna Hazare and Yoga Guru Ramdev's crusade against corruption is nothing but an empty gas.
What Delhi does, Mumbai can do better, a mammoth gathering of activist Anna Hazare's supporters proved. Sanchari Bhattacharya reports.
What Delhi does, Mumbai can do better, a mammoth gathering of activist Anna Hazare's supporters proved recently
Following a meeting of Congress Parliamentary Party, where some members felt that leaders from Maharashtra should be roped in to talk to the 74-year-old Gandhian, Deshmukh drove to Ramlila Maidan to meet Hazare but maintained that it was "in his personal capacity."
Uma Bharti, who recently made a comeback to Bharatiya Janata Party, on Tuesday said the United Progressive Alliance government was deliberately 'discrediting' Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev for channelising growing discontent among common people against the UPA government.
Dinesh Trivedi, Union minister of state for health, had offered to resign in a letter written to Anna Hazare within first few hours of his fast at Jantar Mantar on April 5.
Suspecting a 'foreign' hand behind Anna Hazare's anti-graft movement, Congress on Wednesday raised questions on the US' statement that India would exercise 'appropriate democratic restraint' in dealing with peaceful protest and asked the government to inquire how a 'lone' civil rights activist is drawing support.
Veteran social activist Anna Hazare is all set to launch his second fast against corruption in New Delhi from August 16. He, and his followers, are peeved by the government's shrewd strategies to quell the civil society movement for a stronger Jan Lokpal Bill.
Anna Hazare's team would end the confrontation if the government agrees to 'modify substantially' its stance on several clauses of the Lokpal bill. Sheela Bhatt reports from New Delhi.
Team Anna yet to plan campaign against Congress in five poll-bound states. Toral Varia Deshpande reports.
A core member of Team Anna and expert of food security, Devinder Sharma, told rediff.com that there is a debate going on within Team Anna whether the Gandhian should hold his proposed fast to press for a stringent Lokpal Bill from December 27 in Mumbai.
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has driven Indian government into a political corner, the US media has said, but a leading paper feels that the methods being used by the social activist are a recipe for 'anarchy.'
With the political class ranged against them, the civic representatives of the panel drafting the Lokpal bill face an uphill battle. Sheela Bhatt reports from New Delhi.
Toral Varia and Rajesh Karkera visit Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi and find that Anna Hazare is the new brand being marketed by street vendors.
There was minor improvement in Anna Hazare's health on Wednesday as his fever subsided to 100 degrees from 102 degrees on Tuesday night even as his close associates continued to press him to end his fast.
Alleging that the Congress government at the Centre was cheating Anna Hazare on the Lokpal Bill issue, Baba Ramdev on Tuesday said that he would campaign against the parties opposing to bring back the black money stashed away in foreign banks.
Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal has said that Anna Hazare is above Parliament and he has the right to do so as a citizen.
Activist Anna Hazare has to give up his irrationally anti-political stance for the movement against corruption to succeed, K Govindacharya says
Chief Election Commissioner Dr S Y Quraishi is not embarrassed by activist Anna Hazare's candid confession that Indian elections are corrupt and if he ever contested in one, he would end up losing his security deposit.When asked about Hazare's statement that Indian voters are not educated enough -- "they take a bottle of alcohol or Rs 500 and cast their vote" -- CEC Quraishi stated that the statement was not at all telling on his job. He argued, "Not at all, not at all."
Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee appealed to Anna Hazare to end his hunger strike, which entered the fourth day, and join the informal committee to make an effective Lokpal Bill.
Noting that there was no difference between Anna Hazare and the government on the need to fight corruption, Congress today welcomed Team Anna's decision not to campaign against any political party but against the issue of graft in five poll-bound states.
Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj on Sunday favoured the Union government entering into a dialogue with foreign countries to get back the black money stashed abroad by Indians even as he lashed out at Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev for raising the issue.
Maharashtra Police have reviewed the security provided to Gandhian Anna Hazare in the backdrop of attacks on his two key aides, Director General of Police K Subramanyam said on Wednesday.
Sonia Gandhi is unlikely to meet Anna Hazare who wanted to discuss with the Congress chief the civil society's stand on the Lokpal Bill on Thursday.
Bharatiya Janta Party President Nitin Gadkari on Friday claimed that the Congress would have dealt with Anna Hazare's fast at Ramlila Maidan the same way it dealt with Baba Ramdev's fast, had the main opposition party not declared support to Hazare.
Social activist Anna Hazare's decision to write to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh proposing the right to call back members of Parliament and legislative assembly has drawn sharp reactions.
Taking exception to Anna Hazare's praise for Narendra Modi, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh on Wednesday said the Gujarat Chief Minister had not even appointed a Lokayukta despite being in power for seven years. "I respect Anna Hazare a lot for taking up the fight against corruption.
At a time when his close aides are going hammer and tongs against President Pranab Mukherjee, Anna Hazare on Thursday congratulated him on his election to the highest constitutional office.
