'We are confused because the UPA government has cheated us. The question before us is, should we request the people to not vote for the UPA or should we not? Shall we not hit the streets again at all? There are many options before us. Each option has many implications for our movement,' Arvind Kejriwal confesses to Sheela Bhatt.
The turnout at Mumbai's MMRDA ground may have fallen short of Team Anna's expectations, but there was no dearth of enthusiasm or anti-establishment rhetoric at the venue, finds Sanchari Bhattcharya
Team Anna has firmly laid claim to the stage set inside the MMRDA grounds in Bandra-Kurla Complex. However, post noon barely 10-15 per cent of the ground had been occupied by the supporters. IAC volunteers are confident that the crowds will grow as the day and protest progresses, reports Toral Varia Deshpande.
Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid on Friday said all demands of Anna Hazare on Lokpal Bill "cannot be accepted" and the activist has to decide the "limits" of his exercise.
Interestingly, his sister Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra was present in the Speaker's gallery to watch her brother speak on the issue of corruption and Hazare's agitation. Priyanka has just returned from New York where their mother Sonia Gandhi is recuperating after surgery.
Rediff.com reporters spoke to employees of the lower bureaucracy to know what they think of all the commotion surrounding their inclusion in the Lokpal bill.
Four metro stations near the prime minister's official residence here were closed on Thursday as a precautionary measure following a call by Team Anna Hazare to people to hold a protest there.
We had asked our readers to suggest ways to resolve the stand-off between the United Progressive Alliance government and Team Anna Hazare on the proposed Lokpal Bill draft. The responses.
As droves of people flocked to Ramlila Maidan to voice their support for Anna Hazare, lack of water and sanitation facilities at the venue tested the resolve of quite a few supporters.
As Parliamentary Standing Committee went back on some of its recommendations on Lokpal Bill, Team Anna member Kiran Bedi on Thursday night slammed it as an effort to make the ombdusman an "enquiry-pal" and said it confirms her remarks that politicians wear several masks.
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.
Anna Hazare's team on Saturday rejected as 'unacceptable' and 'unconstitutional' Delhi Police's restrictions on the fast to be undertaken by the social activist.
Team Anna member Kiran Bedi on Wednesday asked as to what was stopping ruling Congress from declaring its resolve to create an effective Lokpal through a special session of Parliament or an ordinance in case Parliament by any chance is stalled.
The much-awaited and debated Lokpal Bill was finally introduced in the Parliament on Thursday. While Anna Hazare and team burnt copies of the bill calling it 'anti-poor', 'anti-Dalit', the Bharatiya Janata Party raised several objections to the proposed bill, mainly objecting to exclusion of prime minister from the purview of the proposed legislation.
Arvind Kejriwal, who has alleged that phones of Team Anna members are being tapped, on Sunday demanded that the government answer whether it considered them as a threat to national security.
India suffered a big setback ahead of the forthcoming One-Day International series against Australia as pacer Mohammed Shami was ruled out of the tour with an injury.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday questioned the Centre's decision of sending two drafts of Lokpal Bill for consideration and demanded that the government be clear before seeking states' views on the proposed legislation.
The keenly watched by-election in Hisar has turned into a war of words between Team Anna and the Congress. Though the anti-corruption crusader is not present in Hisar, his posters and 'Main-Anna-Hoon' caps are as visible as the campaign posters of the three main candidates in the election, reports Sahim Salim.
Contrary to Anna Hazare team's description of government's Lokpal Bill draft as a "very big hoax", Swami Agnivesh, an associate of the Gandhian's anti-graft campaign, on Friday termed the latest draft as an "improvement" of its 2010 draft.
Team Anna on Saturday launched a blistering attack on the Congress ahead of the October 13 Lok Sabha by-poll in Hisar, Haryana, asking voters to inflict a "historic" defeat on the party for not getting the Jan Lokpal Bill passed.
'I am sick of hearing the prime minister parrot the 'compulsions of coalition government' line, says Vipin Vijayan. 'I for once hope he says, "This is what I will do. You have a problem, go hang!"'
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is not a part of the three-match T20I series against West Indies and Australia presenting Rishabh Pant with a golden chance to consolidate his place in limited overs cricket.
Team Anna must show some humility instead of imposing its will on society. It doesn't hold a monopoly on understanding how to make governance more inclusive, clean and people-responsive. It must recognise that finally, it is Parliament that prevailed on the Lokpal legislative process, and that's how things should be, says Praful Bidwai.
Taking on a section of political class that questioned the need for civil society to contribute in law making, Team Anna member N Santosh Hegde on Friday sought annual auditing of Parliamentarians to assess their performance.
Accusing the government of cheating people on the Lokpal issue, Team Anna member Kiran Bedi on Sunday claimed that it was not willing to part with control over the Central Bureau of Investigation, as it did not want the "hidden files in the agency's almirahs" to become public.
In an interview with rediff.com's Sahim Salim social activist Medha Patkar said that Team Anna expected a deadlock between the Congress and BJP when the BJP took a stance on the matter.
Probably for the first time in the history of independent India, a struggle has been given respect due to a peaceful protest by the people, says Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey
Team Anna member and former Karnataka Lokayukta Justice (retd) N Santosh Hegde on Tuesday appealed to Anna Hazare to end his eight-day fast, saying everyone is "honestly" concerned about his health.
In an apparent answer to crusader Anna Hazare's team mobilising the masses suffering corruption of the lower level bureaucracy, the government has quietly kicked of drafting of a Bill for creating a mechanism for the public services grievance redressal.
Did Team Anna steal the limelight from 94-year-old Shambhu Dutt with their fight against corruption?
Justice Santosh Hegde has become a very popular face at the protests against corruption at Freedom Park in Bengaluru.
Justice Santosh Hegde has become a very popular face at the protests against corruption at Freedom Park in Bengaluru.
Kargil 1999. Mumbai terror attacks 2008. And now, social activist Anna Hazare's campaign against corruption and enactment of a strong Jan Lokpal law. Very few moments in recent Indian history have been as electric as these three in bringing Indians of all hues together. Prasanna D Zore reports from New Delhi.
Slamming the government for the police action against the Gandhian and his team, political parties accused the government of stifling the legitimate rights of the people and described it as a "sad day for Indian democracy".
'When you saw him, you immediately knew that he was something special.'
BCCI has decided that it will allow the former India captain to join his franchise Delhi Daredevils, who will start their preparatory camp for the forthcoming tenth edition of the Indian Premier League later this month.
Robin Uthappa, on Saturday, said he's relishing his new-found role at number three as he guided Kolkata Knight Riders to a 17-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in their Indian Premier League match in Kolkata.
Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh on Thursday said that anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare's decision to go on hunger strike from August 16 must be preceded by an "agitation".
Taking exception to the government's 'comparative' analysis of the two drafts of the Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare team on Monday asked Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to treat both its versions as the joint drafting committee's outcome enjoying 'equal weightage'.
After a not so pleasant experience of engaging with Anna Hazare's team in drafting of the Lokpal Bill, the government says that there will be no such experiment in the future.
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