Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari on Monday took a swipe at Team Anna for its plans to take a plunge in electoral politics, saying it was not easy to set up a political party and run it.
Team Anna on Tuesday appeared set to oppose the United Progressive Alliance in the next Lok Sabha elections saying its mission is to ensure that "new and apt people" come to power in the 2014 polls. It also attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party alleging that it supported the team earlier with a political motive.
A legal tussle between Team Anna and the government of India now seems certain after the social activist's proposed indefinite fast against corruption was forcibly curbed by the might of the government. Vicky Nanjappa explains the nitty-gritty of such a case before the apex court.
Team Anna member Kiran Bedi on Friday appeared to raise questions over Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari's conduct during the debate on Lokpal Bill in the Upper House. "In everyone's life there come moments where one can rise above. This was one such moment last night for the chairman of Rajya Sabha to create history. Alas!" Bedi tweeted.
The government on Tuesday wondered why Team Anna keeps on issuing warnings when the Centre has repeatedly announced its commitment to bring a strong Lokpal Bill at the earliest.
Hitting back at Digvijay Singh, Team Anna on Monday asserted that their movement had nothing to do with any political party even as the Congress leader fired another salvo, saying Anna Hazare was being "led up the garden path" by people opposed to weaker sections.
Team Anna proved to be a big hit in Lucknow where thousands converged on the banks of the Gomati river to cheer social activist Arvind Kejriwal and others who swore to not just unseat corrupt politicians but to bring grassroots changes in the system of governance.
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.
A Congress member of Parliament on Wednesday withdrew his privilege notice against associates of Anna Hazare alleging hey were using it to gain "cheap publicity" and justify their statements against parliamentarians.
The Hazare movement and media have focussed on corruption of the 'spectacular' variety. But what has escaped the discussion is the institutionalised corruption in-built in the conduct and practice of professions ike the medical profession in India, says Dr Sanjay Nagral.
Activist Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said that most of the current political parties have lost credibility and hence people are yearning for a new alternative, which he and his team are seeking to provide.
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After claiming that Anna Hazare's key aides were 'fascists and undemocratic,' his former blogger Raju Parulekar on Wednesday alleged that Arvind Kejriwal and others were using the activist to further their political ambitions.
It seems as if the movement against corruption is in disarray. The volleys fired against some of its key members by the Congress and its supporters appear to be taking its toll, says Seema Mustafa.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh interacted with media persons on a wide range of topics on board his special aircraft while returning to New Delhi from South Africa after the IBSA summit. Excerpts from the interaction
Activist Swami Agnivesh, who fell out with Anna Hazare's team during the agitation over Lokpal Bill, on Tuesday sought forgiveness from the Gandhian and the others "who felt hurt" through his "unintentional acts".
Swami Agnivesh, a close associate of Anna Hazare, was the target of the core Anna team which attacked him over a controversial video posted on Youtube where he is purportedly telling a person alleged to be a Union minister that government act tough with the fasting Gandhian.
In the first major breakthrough in the week-long standoff, the government on Tuesday appointed Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as its negotiator for talks with Anna Hazare and his aides over their demand for a strong Lokpal. Announcing the government's initiative, Hazare's close aide Arvind Kejriwal said the activist will decide as to who will represent his team in the talks with Mukherjee.
Mobs are being unleashed on politicians. The element of spontaneity is being used by organised groups as an excuse to defend and rationalise these acts. It would really be sad day for Indian democracy if the parliamentarians fail to resist this onslaught, says Apoorvanand.
Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday said that the leaders of the civil society movement for a Lokpal Bill have given an impression as if they have become legislators.
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.
Civil society members of the joint committee on Lokpal will seek a referendum on the points of difference with government representatives including the issue of bringing the prime minister and the higher judiciary under the ambit of the anti-graft ombudsman.
The official twitter handle of India Against Corruption as well as its official website on Thursday put a poser to the public asking whether Team Anna should form a political party to ensure that "new and apt people" come to power in the 2014 polls. What's your opinion?
Right To Information activist and Team Anna member Akhil Gogoi was attacked and critically injured by suspected youth Congress activists in Assam's Nalbari district on Friday.
After the so called flop show in Mumbai, if one thought that the Anna movement was on the wane, one needs to be careful. In fact Anna Hazare remains top recall in people's mind and irrespective of what happened in Mumbai, they still believe the Gandhian is right and his Lokpal will successfully combat corruption.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday announced a slew of stricter laws to fight corruption and amendments in the existing Lokayukta Act. Gogoi said, "The new anti-corruption legislations and the amendments to State Lokayukta Act will be tabled in the state assembly in the next budget session." "We were committed to tackling corruption even before Anna Hazare started his campaign. With that in mind, we will make amendments in the present Lokayukta Act," he said.
With members of his team facing several controversies, Anna Hazare on Monday said he plans to restructure his core committee to also give representation to religious minorities, tribals, Dalits and youths to strengthen the campaign against corruption. Hazare also hit out at the United Progressive Alliance government for targeting key members of his team, alleging that those who are threatened by the Lokpal movement are attacking his supporters.
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.
Anna Hazare and his supporters have given a two-page undertaking to the police on the activist's protest fast in Ramlila Maidan, saying they would abide by existing rules and regulations and the crowd will not exceed the capacity of the ground. In the undertaking signed by Anna Hazare himself and his associates -- Arvind Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan, Kiran Bedi and Shanti Bhushan -- they also said that if any clause of it was violated, they would be liable to be prosecuted.
The Anna Hazare Team on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the venue offered to them by police for holding the indefinite fast against Lokpal Bill even as they denied any going back on their stand on the legislation.
Seeking to galvanise public opinion in favour of its version of Lokpal Bill, the Anna Hazare team on Thursday initiated a "referendum" on the law in Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency represented by Human Resources and Development Minister Kapil Sibal.
There was veiled criticism of the Manmohan Singh government by members of the Congress Working Committee for allowing Anna Hazare and his team to hijack a democratically elected government, and for the use of pressure and the threat of fasts to ensure that the government acted as per their diktat.
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.
Law Minister Salman Khurshid, who has so far maintained silence on his meeting with Anna Hazare over a month ago, on Friday lamented that nothing could come out of the talks.
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".
Anna Hazare and his team on Tuesday spoke in different voices on the indefinite fast from Wednesday with the activist asserting that it is for Lokpal Bill while his aides said it is limited to their three demands, including a special probe into allegations against Union ministers.
Attacking the United Progressive Alliance government and threatening a fight to the finish by August on the black money issue, Anna Hazare and yoga guru Ramdev on Sunday sat on a day-long fast to protest against corruption.
"The government has failed to provide a strong Lokpal Bill. Hence Shri Anna Hazare and IAC have decided to go on Andolan from the 27th across India. AnnaJi will fast for 3 days in Mumbai, 27th, 28th and 29th December. On 30th He has announced a Jail Bharo for 3 days," says the press release sent out by India Against Corruption.
It all started right across the main gates of the police station on Parliament Street. A group of not more than 30 people had gathered wearing 'I am Anna' caps, their hands held the Indian national flag tightly. The mission was to get the police officers at the police station sign an undertaking that read 'I will not accept bribe from any citizen of India nor will I allow anyone of my colleagues to accept bribes from anyone.'