Facing Anna Hazare's threat to go on an indefinite fast from August 16, the government and the Congress on Thursday hardened its stand, making it clear to activists involved in the drafting the Lokpal Bill that Parliament is the final authority in making laws.
Followers of activist Anna Hazare on Tuesday declared that they didn't want a confrontation with the Delhi police, in an apparent reaction to Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal's strong statement against the "abusive language" allegedly used by the activists.No defiance of prohibitory orders, no courting arrest by insisting on a fast at Jantar Mantar and no boycott of the joint committee the government formed at the insistence of Hazare to draft the Lokpal Bill, the group decided.
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.
Till corruption is removed from the country, people would not get their true freedom, anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare said in Guwahati on Friday.
Social activist Anna Hazare, whose fast for a stronger anti-corruption Lokpal Bill last month made global headlines, has spurned the Rs 1 crore 2011 Rabindranath Tagore Peace Prize announced by the Indian Institute of Planning and Management. "I cannot tell why I decided to reject the award. But my mind said 'no' to accepting the award," Hazare said
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.
"If Sonia Gandhi admits in public that she does not like a vilification campaign then I would like to ask her why she hesitates to pull up her own colleagues who engage in such campaigns," said Justice Santosh Hegde, a member of the drafting committee of the Lokpal bill. Hedge threatened to quit on Thursday following statements from Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh, who had said that he (Hegde) had failed to control corruption in Karnataka.
While Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh demanded resignation of father-son duo Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan from the Lokpal Bill drafting committee, the civil society members raised doubts over the forensic test report.
In this interview with rediff.com's Sahim Salim, Advocate M L Sharma says that he is not against an effective Lokpal bill, but that he is against the inclusion of five members, who by "no stretch of imagination represent the public."
Social activist Anna Hazare on Sunday virtually dismissed allegations against Shanti Bhushan, the co-chair of the Lokpal Bill joint drafting committee, in a CD controversy and backed his presence on the panel.
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Prasanna D Zore and photographer Sanjay Sawant travel to Ralegan Siddhi, the Maharashtra village where Gandhian Anna Hazare started his long journey in the path of social activism
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.
Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday shot off a letter to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, slamming the reaction of his government and the Congress to his indefinite fast on Lokpal Bill issue, and urged him to show courage to take unprecedented steps to fight the menace.
Anna Hazare, who called off his two-day fast in Mumbai for a strong Lokpal Bill due to failing health and poor public response, on Thursday left for his native Ralegan Siddhi village
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Hazare's convoy, on way to Mahatma Gandhi's statue on Juhu beach, was briefly stopped by around 20 men carrying black flags and national tricolour and shouting "Anna Hazare murdabad", close to the guest house where the activist stayed overnight.
In a veiled attack on Arvind Kejriwal, activist Kiran Bedi said erstwhile Team Anna has become "suspect" in its programme after a few chose the political route and suggested that Anna Hazare step in to provide direction.
The MMRDA ground in suburban Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai awaits the arrival of Anna Hazare, who is expected to reach here on December 26 for his three-day protest fast against government's "weak" Lokpal Bill.
Expressing disappointment with the new draft Lokpal Bill to be tabled in Parliament, Anna Hazare on Tuesday said he would fast for three days from December 27, followed by a three-day 'jail bharo' agitation.
As Anna Hazare stepped up his campaign for the Jan Lokpal Bill, Congress on Sunday accused the activist of insulting Parliament and indulging in politics by attacking Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi.
Jantar Mantar, in New Dellhi, is busy readying itself for Sunday, when activist Anna Hazare will go on a token one-day fast to protest against the government's version of the Lokpal Bill.
Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal alleged on Monday that the Union government's decision to allow foreign direct investment in the retail sector is linked to corruption.
Team Anna on Thursday blinked in the battle of attrition with the government by announcing plans to end the indefinite fast on Friday evening as it pitched for an alternative to the current political system.
Alleging that crores of rupees are being spent to jeopardise the Jan Lokpal bill, Anna Hazare on Thursday said the activists will not lose sight of their goal and will not reply to continuous innuendos made by those seeking "cheap publicity".
Warning that a "wave of protest" is building up, Anna Hazare on Monday asked the government to bring a strong Lokpal Bill or quit while his team softened its stand on yoga guru Ramdev whom they attacked on Sunday for sharing dais with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
Anna Hazare on Sunday joined his three close aides in their indefinite fast while his team attacked yoga guru Ramdev for sharing dais with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, describing the Bharatiya Janata Party leader as a "murderer of humanity".
Ignoring an appeal from his close aides, Anna Hazare on Sunday joined three of his team members in their indefinite fast in New Delhi after his four-day ultimatum to the government to concede to his demands on Lokpal Bill found no response.
The Communist Party of India on Friday said the Left will move an adjournment motion in the Winter Session of Parliament on the price rise issue as it accused the United Progressive Alliance government of not being able to control double-digit inflation and demanded deregulation of fuel prices.
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has admitted that the public's enthusiasm for fasts has waned, as his team continues its indefinite strike for Day 3 at Jantar Mantar demanding a strong Lokpal Bill.
The wife and daughters of Sarabjit Singh, who has been languishing in the jail in Lahore for over 20 years, have brought their struggle to secure his release to New Delhi. Rediff.com's Priyanka catches up with them at Jantar Mantar
Days before the July 25 indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, Team Anna is in full swing, 'preparing' the local populace. The team members have clearly stated that they have no choice but to go ahead with a 'do or die' campaign, to press for a strong Jan Lokpal Bill. Priyanka reports from New Delhi.
Seeking to mount pressure on government, Anna Hazare on Tuesday threatened to launch another hunger strike from the last day of Parliament's Winter Session if a strong Jan Lokpal Bill is not passed by then.
Amid clamour for its revamp over allegations of financial conduct by some key members, the core committee of Team Anna met in Ghaziabad on Saturday with Kiran Bedi asserting that there were no differences within the movement.
Reflecting a rift within Team Anna Hazare, Justice Santosh Hegde has disapproved of the anti-Congress campaign by activist Arvind Kejriwal during the Hisar bypolls, saying it was not the right thing to do and "we jumped the gun".
Abhishek Manu Singvi, chairman of 30-member Standing Committee of Parliament, on Wednesday adopted the Lokpal draft for consideration and approval by the union cabinet before it is tabled in both houses in the form of an anti-corruption bill.
Asking the government to give up its "vindictive" attitude, the Gandhian said it "must try to create trust and bridge the gap in the hearts after the nation-wide agitation for Jan Lokpal Bill instead of sending out a wrong messege."
Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh on Monday visited Anna Hazare, who ended his 13-day fast for an effective Lokpal Bill, at a private hospital in neighbouring Gurgaon.
Anna Hazare, who was admitted in a hospital in Gurgaon after he ended his 12-day fast for a strong Lokpal Bill, is stable and moving towards normalcy, doctors said on Monday.
The prime minister has to blame himself because he refused to make up with Anna Hazare when the social activist from Maharashtra was willing to meet him more than half way, says Kuldip Nayar.
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