Hazare questions PM, Congress hits back, war escalates

A day after Baba Ramdev ended his nine-day fast against corruption, Team Hazare on Monday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh why he was "scared" of the proposed Lokpal bill, prompting the Congress to hit back at the civil rights activists.

Taking their war of words to a new level, Gandhian Anna Hazare and his associates sent an open letter to Manmohan Singh demanding to know why his government wanted to keep his office outside the Lokpal's ambit.

"You are the most honest prime minister the country has had. It is ironical your own government should seek (to keep) the prime minister out of the purview of Lokpal's investigation," they wrote in the letter.

Hazare confidant Arvind Kejriwal separately urged the government to hold a referendum to determine whether people preferred an official Lokpal bill or the more radical one suggested by civil rights activists.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari attacked the activists crusading against corruption, saying the country faced threats from the "tyranny of (the) unelected".

"They always keep threatening (to go) on fast even as the government is holding discussions with them. Is it democratic?" asked Tewari.

"If you have faith in your strength, through discussions, convince the government...

"If this country and democracy has any threat, it is from the unelected tyrants. If democracy faces its greatest peril, it is from the tyranny of the unelected.

"Such people need to understand one basic thing. In the democratic system, the veto is in the hands of people, not any person," Tewari added.

M. F. Husain supported Anna Hazare's fast against graft

Self-exiled artist M.F. Hussain, who died in London on Thursday, had drawn a cartoon extending support to Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campaign.

Husain said that 'Anna is spearheading another revolution'.

Supporting Hazare's massive anti-corruption drive, Husain said that rampant corruption is eating into our country and it is good that people like Hazare have taken on the leadership to finish it.

In the cartoon Husain had painted India crushing the demon of corruption.

This cartoon was published in a daily when the Hazare sat on a fast for Lokpal Bill at Jantar Matar in the capital.

Govt trying to discredit Lokpal panel: Hazare

Anna Hazare on Wednesday critisised the Government for trying to discredit the Lokpal Bill Drafting Committee and threatened to go on fast again from August 16 if the Government sabotages the Lokpal Bill.

"The Government is bringing many hurdles in Lokpal Bill. The Government is attempting to malign the people fighting against corruption. The Government should come and talk face to face," said Anna Hazare.

No backing Ramdev's call to arms, says Anna Hazare

Social crusader Anna Hazare on Thursday slammed fellow anti-graft campaigner Baba Ramdev's call to arms, saying he abhorred violence and would not associate himself with a man who planned to raise a militia of volunteers. Hazare said he would not meet the yoga guru for some time as it could be construed as support for the plan to train volunteers.

Hazare's statement came even as Ramdev declared his assets and also defended his controversial statement, saying, "I am not training Naxals or Maoists but people who will fight for this country" at a press conference in Haridwar.

However, Hazare pointedly told reporters at Ralegan Siddhi, "Baba Ramdev and I are fighting against corruption but I am for a non-violent 

Award for Hazare, MT

andhian and social activist Anna Hazare and writer M T Vasudevan Nair have been selected for the Amrita TV Award for their overall contribution to the society. The award being introduced by the channel from this year comprises a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh, a statuette and a citation. The awards will be presented at the AmritaFefka film awards nite to be held at Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kaloor, on June 4.

Anna Hazare And Medha Patkar: What Is The Difference?

 Hyperventilating newscasters repeatedly declared that the issue of corruption has “touched a cord” with the middle class. The circus at Jantar Mantar ended on a happy note with an amazing display of rhapsody for millions of urban, educated, elite Indians as they saw the government kneel to the demands of Anna in re-formulating the Lok Pal bill. But this was more than a month back. In Indian politics, one month is a long period. With a short public memory and an equally uncaring public attitude, it is easy to comprehend why another fast in another corner of the country has evoked minimal response. Social activist and Gandhian, Medha Patkar has been on an indefinite fast since last seven days at Mumbai in protest against the land grab at the Golibar slum, next to the Mumbai airport

Why not agitate on female infanticide?:Sharma to Hazare,Ramdev

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma today took a dig at Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev, wondering why the "self-appointed social activists" are not agitating against "larger concerns" such as poverty alleviation, malnutrition and employment creation. When asked at a news conference here as to why the Congress is "bending backwards" to appease Baba Ramdev, Sharma said the Government's decision to interact with the citizens of the country should not be mistaken as "bending forwards or backwards". "Moving away from this, if I may add that India has larger concerns. Those are the issues of poverty alleviation, malnutrition, female infanticide, education, employment creation.