Invest in your own citizenship

One thing is clear from Anna Hazare’s campaign against corruption — the people in this country are desperately seeking honest and upright leaders. The outpouring of support from all over the nation is a real demonstration of this need. And while it is the right thing to do — support a cause and follow the 
one who leads it — this entire episode has raised some very important questions on the quality of citizenship we hold. We appear to be very happy being led — sometimes by bad men and sometimes by good men. But always led. Not questioning, not investing time in understanding what exactly the leaders are asking us to do. A case in point is this campaign against corruption.

While everyone instinctively responded to the demand to weed out corruption, very few people who were out on the streets had read the Jan Lokpal Bill being proposed by the campaign leaders. Further, as time went on, very few people were ready to listen to any arguments against the proposed Bill. If you are against the bill, you are with corruption and therefore unpatriotic.

'Wrongly issued' notice to Hazare withdrawn

The office of Charity Commissioner, Pune, has tendered an apology to social activist Anna Hazare and withdrew a 'showcause' notice served on him for not submitting the audit report of 'Hind Swaraj Trust' headed by him for two years between 2005 and 2007.

In a letter addressed to Hazare, it said the notice was "wrongly issued" to him by the office as a result of a clerical error responsible for non-entry of the trust accounts submitted to the Charity Commissioner in respect of the period from April 1, 2005 to March 31, 2007.

Milind Pawar, lawyer for Hazare had earlier accused the Charity Commissioner's office of a "design to defame" the anti-corruption crusader by issuing a "false notice" to him despite proper submission of the trust accounts for the period under reference.

"A mere apology is not enough and we are contemplating a legal course of action against the Charity Commissioner's office," Pawar said today

Anna Hazare's movement figures in ADB meet

Anna Hazare's movement for a tough legislation to check corruption in India today figured at an the Asian Development Bank meeting where Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee admitted the government came under the pressure of the civil society. 

"(Our) Government took quick action as a result of pressure built by civil society as any government which is responsible and responsive cannot ignore this fact," Mukherjee said in response to a question at Governors' Seminar, part of the ADB's official agenda for its annual meeting here. 

The Finance Minister said efforts of Hazare and other members of the civil society has brought to focus the important issue. 

"One social activist Anna Hazare , along with the efforts of the others, have brought to focus one important aspect of legislation which has been pending for long. This will deal with corruption in high places," he said. 

Anna Hazare's Assam visit postponed

He will not be able to attend the public meeting in the city on May 3 due to physical ailments. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Saturday, peasant leader Akhil Gogoi said he was informed by Anna's close associates, Manish Sisodia and Arvind Kejriwal, that the veteran social activist could not visit Assam owing to poor health condition. The KMSS leader said Anna's meeting has been postponed to May 20

Delhi high court dismisses plea against Anna Hazare

The Delhi high court has dismissed a petition seeking removal of activist Anna Hazare from the Lokpal bill drafting committee and held that setting up of the panel is in the executive’s exclusive domain.

A bench of justices Deepak Misra and Sanjiv Khanna rejected plea made by by a civil society organisation Jan Shakti alleging corruption in the trust administered by Hazare.

Judges said the suitability of the persons who form a panel could not be a matter of judicial review, thus doesn’t call for judicial interference.

Pilots back Hazare call AI corrupt

Nearly 150 pilots gather at Gateway of India to support Kiran Bedi-led anti-graft rally, say they want to expose corruption within Air India ranks

People urged to switch off lights Hazare's support

In order to support Anna Hazare's campaign against corruption, an NGO has urged the residents to switch off lights for half-an-hour from 8 pm to 8.30 pm on Sunday.

The NGO wishes to show its support to Hazare who is fighting against corruption. With an aim to get the Janlok Pal Bill passed in Parliament under the banner of India Against Corruption, Sunday would be observed as a day of silent protest.

The residents have been asked to switch off lights and to light candles on Sunday evening. The NGO has also appealed the people to gather at Shivaji Park in Shivaji Nagar on Sunday evening to take out a candlelight march.