Team Hazare drafts lokayukta bill for Nitish Kumar

The bitter experience of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare and his team in having got involved in a joint drafting exercise with the Centre on the lokpal bill, has not deterred them from coming out with a lokayukta bill for the Bihar government

ANNA HAZARE AND GANDHI

To call Anna Hazare the 21st-century Gandhi, as some have started doing, is pure hyperbole, but many would see a similarity in their methods — in particular, in their resorting to fasts to achieve their objectives. This, however, is erroneous. Indeed, the fact that so many people consider Anna Hazare’s method to be similar to Gandhiji’s only indicates how little contemporary India remembers or understands Gandhiji.

Lokpal Bill: in final lap, rush to reconcile

After the heated exchanges of last week, Team Anna and government representatives got back together to cover substantial ground on the Lokpal Bill today. The two sides agreed on several issues, including a 10-year maximum sentence for corruption and a large corpus to fund the Lokpal.

But the larger issue of control over the bureaucracy and the extent of the Lokpal’s powers remained unresolved. Government representatives strongly resisted the bid by Team Anna to include clauses with a potential to weaken the political executive and create a possibly counterproductive superstructure.

Each side will now present its own draft of the Bill at the final meeting of the committee tomorrow evening, where an attempt will be made to merge them into a common draft for Cabinet and, subsequently, Parliament approval.

Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare put pressure on govt to fight corruption

Indian Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev may have ended his fast but says he will continue to fight against corruption.  Activist Anna Hazare also threatened to take up a new fast to put more pressure on the govt to fight corruption.

Baba Ramdev ended his 9-day fast against corruption just yesterday. The yoga guru asserted that he would resume his campaign against suspected bribe money stashed away overseas. He had continued his hunger strike in his home town Haridwar after the govt. cracked down on his fast in Delhi and sent him home.

The govt has been facing intense criticism for the crack down on the Baba.  Baba Ramdev had been hospitalised Saturday after his condition became critical after his 7 day fast. He ended his hunger strike on Sunday by drinking some juice.

‘Ramdev is dhongi, Anna Hazare panel corrupt’

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary BK Hariprasad on Sunday attacked yoga guru Ramdev by terming him as dhongi (fake) baba and most corrupt. The senior Congress leader from Karnataka also directed his fury at the civil society members in Lokpal Bill drafting committee.

Participating in a mass health check-up programme organised by Sarvajanika Jagruthi Vedike, he said Ramdev is corrupt. He has made big money by luring people through his yoga training. “He has RSS backing. A baba owning assets to the tune of thousands of crores naturally evokes serious suspicions. The Union government has taken several measures to bring back money stashed in foreign banks

Wish Anna Hazare, and pledge your support!

Anti-corruption crusader and Gandhian Anna Hazare, who turned 74 today, has been fighting tooth and nail for the immediate passing of the anti-graft Lokpal Bill in Parliament.

The bill when passed, will give comprehensive powers to the Ombudsman to check corruption.

Hazare, with his efforts, has given voice to the entire nation’s anger over corruption, which has been dogging India in all levels of public life.

He has sought an implementation of the Lokpal Bill by August 15, threatening to go on a fast-unto-death if his demands were not met with.

Threat to democracy is from unelected tyrants, says Congress

Coming out hard against Team Anna Hazare, the Congress on Monday accused it of being undemocratic in talks with the government on the Lokpal bill, and said "if democracy in the country has any threat, it is from the unelected tyrants."

Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said there was need to clear confusion about what constitutes civil society.

Referring to Hazare's statement that he would resume fast if the proposed bill was not passed by Aug 15, Tewari said the stance by non-government members of the joint drafting committee was undemocratic.

"Such disrespect to people is with those who don't respect democracy. They always keep threatening to go on fast even as the government is holding discussions with them,"