The Jan Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare, and Baba Ramdev

[vera_k]

I don't think this is OK, US should not be given opportunity to give pravachan on governance issues , I hope Anna doesn't use this to score brawny points over government (which he seems to be doing).

It is good, because many people in the UPA government value US opinion deeply. If it helps save a life or two, nothing wrong in it.

[chiragAS]

When US had lectured on Kashmir ... BR folks wasn't happy..
when US lectured on human rights issue BR folks wasn't happy...
When US lectured in support of Anna Hazare BR folks happy...

When Human rights folks shouted slogans in international events against India BR folks wasn't happy..
and now US consul called tamilians dirty and dark.. don't know if its posted in BR...i suppose and hope BR folks will not be happy for this too..
when bunch of indians part of IAC is shouting slogans outside UN in support of Anna Hazare BR folks happy..

moral of the story.. When it suits me its fine... else please don't lecture....

Anna Hazare's Lokpal bill heavily based on Congress Lokayukt model in Karnataka (which seems good)...then Why congress has problem with Annaji's Lokpal bill nobody knows.... hypocrisy

on the other hand
Newbie question? Please forgive me for my ignorance was wondering
PM under Lokpal ???.. a public elected PM has to answer lokpal?? whats the point of Voting then..
Can we vote for Lokpal too??? if yes.. why 2 parallel voting. Whats the gaurantee Lokpal will not be corrupt..After anna Hazare; any
wannabe Lokpal can also be corrupt who will ensure that he is not? or is it assumed by default civil society is 400% pure
Can Lokapl question PM in the name of corruption on security matters like money used for strategic weapons nukes arihant or money/weapon channelled to countries to stop chicom influence (remember ak47 incident during vajpayee times don't know how true it is) etc??? if Yes then Can such info like Nukes, arihant agnis can be divulged to Lokpal in the name of we against corruption..?? i mean every defence related matter involves money. and money means corruption.. so lokpal and his team will have to go through it ... if anyones alleges corruption.

[VinayB]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 592045.cms

Your misgovernance led US interference-Anna to PM

I don't think this is OK, US should not be given opportunity to give pravachan on governance issues , I hope Anna doesn't use this to score brawny points over government (which he seems to be doing).

Does this apply to US pravachan on religious freedom issues? Those are highly valued in some circles that have presence in present Government.

What goes around, will come around.

[geeth]

PM under Lokpal ???.. a public elected PM has to answer lokpal?? whats the point of Voting then..

Lokpal's job is to check whether there are/were any corrupt practices. If the PM indulges in corruption, then the Lokpal will find out and he will be questioned by the court, and not Lokpal. He doesn't have to answer the Lokpal - except their queries on suspected corrupt practices. And he can defend himself in the court.

Getting elected doesn't mean it is the license to cheat the public, though most of the elected people think and does so as if it is their birthright.

[Hiten]

Why Anna Hazare is wrong and Lok Pal a bad idea

http://acorn.nationalinterest.in/2011/0 ... -bad-idea/

a central authority over-riding all others, including state authorities - sounds lot like the a politburo operating in Communist China. Lot of good it does them.

Hypothetically speaking LocMart, through an Indian complains to the Lokpal Comittte with concocted evidence of influential Indian have taken bribes from Dassault & Eurofighter to shortlist them. While the people accused may eventually get absolved, the process get irreparably delayed & any future decision-makers sufficiently deterred from putting pen to paper authorizing decision. Susceptible to becoming yet another tool at hands of vested interests to scuttle developments in India

The Lokpal proposal because of moribund judicial & law-enforcement in the country is akin to a child not doing well academically. So, the parents, instead of taking more interest in child's affairs decide to procreate and bring out another kid in the hope the latest creation fares better, while the earlier languishes as he had been. What logic.

Misguided efforts fueled by noble intentions on the part of Team Anna Hazare.

[chiragAS]

Getting elected doesn't mean it is the license to cheat the public, though most of the elected people think and does so as if it is their birthright.

Thanks geeth for clearing the doubt.
But who is going to see that in future after Annaji, Lokpal himself is not corrupt. You may say there is court.
We have the CAG and other auditing parliamentary commitees and even the current system allows you to take PM to court. why need another person for pointing out. i mean there is no end to this.

IMO
Politicians are reflection of people. if i pay bribe to get out of traffic violation or pay donation to get my kid into a good school even if he or she has less marks..then what i can expect from the politicians. same thing corruption. it has to change from each and every individual level. naturally then people going up to the runnning the country will also be good.
Extra Laws are of no use. we have lot of Laws but how many of them are actually implemented down to individual level?
we have 10 crore cases pending in court (all types of crime) in totality across India. we need to clear old backlogs. we need to to have more courts. we need more foresensic labs, we need more auditors and more bigger jails. first we should do this and then later on we can implement more laws.
/IMO

Just my random thoughts

[sum]

^^ My only fear is if shady characters like current crop of NAC ( like ISI funded Harsh Mander etc) become the super-authority lokpals!!!

[IndraD]

Congress hits out at Anna Hazare, says he is involved in corruption

He alleged that while Hazare talks about fighting against corruption, he has been involved in corruption.

"He himself is involved in several cases of corruption. This has been proved by the apex court appointed Justice Sawant Commission. The commission found that Anna runs several NGOs and money was spent illegally for his birthday celebration," alleged Tewari.

[vijayk]

http://www.iretireearly.com/sonia-gandh ... posed.html

Following Rajiv and forgetting Indira, Sonia Gandhi proclaimed ‘zero tolerance’ to corruption at a party rally in Allahabad in November 2010. She repeated it at the Congress plenary in Delhi weeks later. Asking the cadre to take the corrupt head on, she said that her party was ‘prompt’ in acting against the corrupt; ‘never spared the corrupt’ because corruption impedes development’. This was almost how Rajiv Gandhi spoke in the Congress centenary in Mumbai 25 years ago. Two crucial differences marked Rajiv away from Sonia. First, when Rajiv claimed to be ‘Mr Clean’, he had no scams to defend against. But, Sonia claims to be honest amidst huge and continuing scams — CWG, Adarsh, 2G Spectrum allocation scam…. Next, Rajiv had a clean slate to begin with, with no known skeletons in his cupboard till the Bofors scam smashed his ‘Mr Clean’ image. In contrast, Sonia’s slate is full of credible exposures of bribes and pay-offs in billions of dollars secreted in Swiss bank accounts, not counting Quattrocchi’s millions from Bofors. To make it worse, for almost two decades now, she has not dared to deny the exposures or sue the famous Swiss magazine or the Russian investigative journalist who had put out evidence of bribe against the Sonia family. Seen against this background, Sonia’s vow to act against the corrupt seems like a suspect hooting ‘catch the thief’ and scooting away. This is the main story that unfolds here.

$2.2 billions to 11 billions!

A stunning exposure on Sonia Gandhi’s secret billions in Swiss banks came, surprisingly, from Switzerland itself, where the world’s corrupt stash away their booty. In its issue of November 19, 1991, Schweizer Illustrierte, the most popular magazine of Switzerland, did an exposé of over a dozen politicians of the third world, including Rajiv Gandhi, who had stashed away their bribe monies in Swiss banks. Schweizer Illustrierte, not a rag, sells some 2,15,000 copies and has a readership of 9,17,000 — almost a sixth of Swiss adult population. Citing the newly opened KGB records, the magazine reported ‘that Sonia Gandhi the widow of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was controlling secret account with 2.5 billion Swiss Francs (equal to $2.2 billion) in her minor son’s name’. The $2.2 billion account must have existed from before June 1988 when Rahul Gandhi attained majority. The loot in today’s rupee value equals almost Rs 10,000 crore. Swiss banks invest and multiply the clients’ monies, not keep them buried. Had it been invested in safe long-term securities, the $.2.2 billion bribe would have multiplied to $9.41 billion (Rs 42,345 crore) by 2009. If it had been put in US stocks, it would have swelled to $12.97 billion (Rs 58,365 crore). If, as most likely, it were invested in long-term bonds and stocks as 50:50, it would have grown to $11.19 billion (Rs 50,355 crore). Before the global financial meltdown in 2008, the $2.2 billion bribes in stocks would have peaked at $18.66 billion (Rs 83,900 crore). By any calculation the present size of the $2.2 billion secret funds of the family in Swiss banks seems huge — anywhere between Rs 43,000 plus to some Rs 84,000 crore!

[Pranay]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 601000.cms

This just goes to show the hollow & juvenile arguments of the government ministers...

The Union government on Sunday launched a broadside against Anna Hazare who has vowed to go on a fast from Tuesday over the Lokpal issue.

A Group of Ministers on Sunday addressed the media over the proposed fast of Anna Hazare from August 16.

Information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni on Sunday said that the proposed Lokpal Bill would not end all corruption in India.

Taking a dig at Anna Hazare, Soni asked whether Anna Hazare would provide a guarantee that all corruption would end in India once the Lokpal Bill is passed. "Anna and his team are misleading the nation."

"The right to protest does not mean a right to protest at the place of your choice", Union HRD minister Kapil Sibal said. "Rights come with corresponding responsibility," Sibal said.

Kapil Sibal said that Anna is a publicity seeker and wants to be covered by TV and news media. He also said that the Team Anna's outrage against the Prime Minister is completely unjustified.

Replying to the charges of the govt being undemocratic, Sibal said that no one is more undemocratic than Team Anna.

"Who is financing Anna Hazare's campaign?" Kabil Sibal asked.

"So far as the Constitution is concerned, it is the state authority to make laws and not a third authority. Nobody can be compelled that a law has to be drafted as per his or her desire. It is for Parliament to decide," finance minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters in Kolkata.

"And what Anna Hazare is doing is akin to challenging the constitutional authority of Parliament which is not acceptable," the finance minister said a day after Hazare, who had sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention over the conditions imposed for his indefinite fast from August 16, was snubbed by the PM and told to approach the Delhi Police.

[Pranay]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 600320.cms

The Congress party on Sunday hit back at social activist Anna Hazare saying the Gandhian is "himself involved in corruption" and this has been proved by the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Sawant Commission.

"Anna Hazare has not only insulted the Indian Prime Minister by saying with what face he will hoist the flag at Red Fort but has insulted the Indian flag and people who gave life for the country's freedom," said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari.

Manish Tewari was addressing a press conference after the 74-year-old Hazare on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention over Delhi Police restrictions on his fast against the government's Lokpal Bill from Aug 16 at JP Park in the capital.

He alleged that while Hazare talks about fighting against corruption, he has been involved in corruption.

"He himself is involved in several cases of corruption. This has been proved by the apex court appointed Justice Sawant Commission. The commission found that Anna runs several NGOs and money was spent illegally for his birthday celebration," alleged Tewari.

and to put matters in perspective, here are Justice Sawant's Remarks on Anna Hazare...(am not posting in full)

http://acorn.nationalinterest.in/2011/0 ... na-hazare/

The Maharashtra state government instituted a Commission of Inquiry under Justice P B Sawant, in September 2003 to inquire into allegations of corruption and maladministration against several people, among them Anna Hazare. The Commission submitted its report on February 22, 2005 and has been placed online (by Sampath Bulusu on June 8, 2010).

It goes into the minutae of the allegations and a cursory reading suggests how the enormity of red tape might cause people—like Anna Hazare—acting in good faith to commit technical violations of the law. Justice Sawant dismisses most of the allegations against Mr Hazare, but finds his trust acting illegally in at least one matter (see pages 269-271). The message is clear and ironic in the light of Mr Hazare’s demand for more bureaucracy and more laws: government encroachment on the citizen’s economic freedom creates a cesspool that criminalises ordinary citizens, that in turn breeds official corruption.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/32699610/Repo ... OF-INQUIRY

{Justice Sawant Commission of Inquiry}

[Pranay]

http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?731274

Such is the level of national discourse, unfortunately...

Ahead of Anna Hazare's proposed fast on Lokpal, Congress today launched a no-holds-barred attack, saying he should first clarify the "serious" findings against him of a commission that probed graft charges and accused him of attempting to bring instability in the country.

"The fast from August 16 has nothing to do with either the issue of corruption or the Lokpal bill," party spokesman Manish Tewari said, claiming that the "moral core" of Hazare has been "ripped apart" by the Justice P B Sawant Commission which had "found him steeped in corruption from head to toe".

The Commission had probed corruption charges levelled by Hazare in 2003 against four ministers in the then Maharashtra government.

"The fast from August 16 has nothing to do with either the issue of corruption or the Lokpal bill. If that was the case Hazare would have first clarified the grave charges. What is his clarification about the serious findings...The nation wants to know," Tewari said, adding, "I think Hazare and his associates will need to answer conclusions of Sawant Commission."

The party also charged Hazare with systematically attempting to bring instability in the country and insulting Parliament before which the Lokpal bill has been brought.

"When someone tries to bring destabilisation, it becomes the duty of any political party to (fight back)", he said in a stern signal to Hazare that "too much tolerance has been shown to him so far".

Tewari alleged that the ideological disposition of the Team Anna consists of "armchair fascists, overground Maoists, closet anarchists...Lurking behind forces of right reaction and funded by invisible donors whose links may go back a long way abroad".

Tewari, however, steered clear of questions as to why the then Maharashtra government headed by the party which had constituted the Sawant Commission had not acted against Hazare in spite of the findings.

"The issue is one of morality and not why the Maharashtra Government has been lenient or soft towards Hazare", Tewari remarked.

[RamaY]

By attacking AH from the position of governance INC is leading the corrupt alliance of politicians and babus. If BJP joins AH, the whole movement will be politicized and polarized by 2G group (INC, media, babudom, and corporations = 1st and 2nd indias). If BJP stays out, it will not be able to gain any political mileage.

AH movement itself has elements susceptible to external influence. The only front that can support AH agitation and get some mileage politically from it is left group, because it has support from media propaganda.

My gut feeling is that yuvraj will sit next to AH on 8/16 and criticize UPA2. And will get PM into LP.

Since he will not become PM and will not take any govt job, he will always be outside LP purview. That is why every INC politician with an ambition to become PM one day is opposing to PM in LP purview.

Need of the hour is another Hindu political front that can appear progressive while being Hindu.

[Pranay]

http://live.indiatimes.com/default.cms?timesnow=1

Team Anna dares Congress... Live! (Anna Hazare, Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal, etc...)

Anna Hazare elaborates and clarifies on Manish Tiwari's baseless charges, etc...

[vijayk]

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/story ... 47920.html
congress stinkflation

Is this possible?

Survey finds that BJP would beat CON party in northern states and Karnataka...

[vijayk]

http://m.indiatoday.in/itwapsite/story? ... &secid=114

As the BJP rides high on nationwide anger against the Congress in India Today's latest Mood of the Nation poll, experts believe corruption to be single biggest reason for the erosion in support of the UPA government.

"The results are startling. The pace at which the establishment's reputation has crumbled is quite surprising," India Today Editorial Director M.J. Akbar told Headlines Today on Friday.

The poll gives 29% votes to the UPA, 27% votes to the NDA and 44% votes to the others if elections take place today. This means, the UPA loses 6.7% votes and the NDA gains 1.3% votes, while others gain 5.4% votes.

Explaining "stinkflation" - a combination of stinking corruption and inflation which have been cited as the reason for the UPA's loss of face -, Akbar said "corruption is really steaming up", with a "visceral anger" among the populace against it, coupled with the rise in food prices, which is "gut-wrenching".

"It requires the Supreme Court to interfere, because the government doesn't act," Akbar said, adding, the government always seems to look for "scapegoats" as one scam after another takes place.

Akbar also said the Ramdev fiasco and Anna Hazare factors may have also led to the diminishing popularity of the government. "Had it co-operated with and accommodated them, that would have helped the government," he said.

Both Akbar and Desai felt Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has lost much of his sheen, as the poll indicates, because of corruption taking place around him, even while his own credibility couldn't be questioned, even as he remained a mute spectator.

An astounding 70% respondents say Singh's image has been tarnished by the involvement of senior Congress leaders in recent scams.

"The fact is, there was no accountability (from the prime minister's side). The key to the treasury lies with you and you don't know anything. Then who is responsible?" Akbar asked. Desai added, "Manmohan never believed he was going to be accountable."

"The prime minister chose to look the other way amid corruption. No incumbent prime minister has got such a low rating," senior journalist Swapan Dasgupta said. 

With Uttar Pradesh going the BJP way in the next assembly elections as per the poll, experts believed corruption and price rise could affect Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's stock as well, despite him being the top choice for the prime minister's post in the survey. The BJP gets 34% votes, the BSP 26% and the Congress 20% in the state as per the survey.

"Rahul cannot be insulated from Congress's fortune," Lord Desai said.

However, editor of The Hindu Siddhartha Vardharajan felt the Gandhi scion had a national appeal, which is missing from the BJP ranks.

"Rahul's magic is self-generated by the Congress," said Dasgupta.

"It will be a big setback for the Congress in UP, where Rahul has invested so heavily," Akbar said.

[Pranay]

http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/we-the ... tre/207944

Includes a lively debate on the Lokpal Bill, etc.

[Pranay]

http://news.outlookindia.com/item.aspx?731302

Congress today upped the ante against Anna Hazare ahead of his planned fast on the Lokpal issue from Tuesday asking him to come clean on allegations of corruption, citing the Sawant Commission probe report.

"I want the government to lodge an FIR against me and conduct an inquiry," Anna Hazare responded.

Addressing a press conference here, Hazare said he will not call of his proposed fast from August 16 on Lokpal issue till his name is cleared or the charges are proved.

"Even if Jan Lokpal Bill (the version of civil society) is cleared in Parliament, I will not call off my indefinite fast, till the charges levelled against are proved or my name is cleared. Is this how people are maligned?" Hazare asked.

"They indulge in corruption and ask us the source of money. People of Maharashtra know how I get the money. For the past 20 years, I have been in social service. I keep a bag and people donate from Rs five to Rs 10 and this is how I collect money. Every thing is accounted and is on internet," he said.

"Congress receives crores of rupees as donation from people. Where are the details? Who knows about it?" Hazare asked, as activist Arvind Kejriwal demanded that Congress make public its source of funding within 24 hours.

When allegations of misappropriation of trust money for his birthday celebrations were raised, Hazare said he had asked for a probe but the Maharashtra government did not do so as "it would lead them to their corrupt ministers".

"I had written several letters -- to Chief Minister, Home Minister and police chief. To save ministers, they did not conduct a probe," he said, adding that Justice Sawant Commission has not named him for corruption while it had indicted three ministers.

Hazare dared the government to prove corruption of even Rs 100 by him. "This government is indulging in defamation deliberately," he alleged.

"Those who are neck-deep in corruption are levelling allegations against me."

He claimed that there was "no stigma" of corruption on him during his 20 years of social service and that he had fought against powerful people.

On demands that he explain his source of funding, he said details of every donation he or his team received were on Internet.

Hazare in turn asked people to carry on with the protest for a strong Lokpal even if he is jailed. "If this protest is weakened, then it will be difficult to build another one. You may not get another chance for such a fight. You don't know when you will get such a chance."

Kejriwal said, "Those who are willing to court arrest, or face lathi charge, you are welcome. But our protest will be non-violent."

On the issue of giving undertaking to Delhi Police, Kejirwal said they will give the affidavit tomorrow but will not commit on two counts, that is, limiting the days of protest to three and protesters to 5,000.

"This clauses are unconstitutional. These we will not sign. Others which are constitutional, we will give an undertaking," he said.

When asked whether they feared that the government will take action against Hazare for undertaking fast, Kejriwal countered, "Fasting is not a crime. Does the government take action against those who fast on Navratras? Does it arrest people who undertake fast during Ramzan?"

Bedi said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari appeared to be "under stress" to defend his party when he levelled allegations against Hazare. "Such an allegation speaks of visible nervousness because of Anna's call, for it has reached out to all victims of corruption," Bedi told PTI.

Responding to HRD Minister Kapil Sibal's assertion that Hazare team could not impose its decision on protest venue, Kejriwal alleged the Minister was "misleading" the people.

"We are not insisting on one particular place. When they denied Jantar Mantar, we suggested four places. They did not heed to that and offered another place. That also we accepted. Then where is the question of being adamant," he quipped.

Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi expressed apprehensions that "mischief makers" may try to indulge in violence but the Hazare team will not have any responsibility for that. "There may be intruders who want to create mischief. Our protest is non-violent, Gandhian one," she said.

On Sibal's claim that he does not know the Constitution, Hazare said in a lighter vein, "Now I will have to go to him to learn this."

Replying to queries on allegation that the language of his letter to the Prime Minister was not courteous, he said he had not used any abusive language while Kejriwal noted that the letter was an "emotional outburst".

"If somebody does not understand the language of Mahatma Gandhi, then I will have to use the language of Chhatrapati Shivaji," he said.

[Pranay]

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/why-i ... jp/831827/

The BJP steps in...

Terming the conditions imposed on Anna Hazare's proposed indefinite fast as "violation of fundamental rights", BJP today asked why Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was not intervening in the matter.

"There may be differences in opinions, but every one has a right to protest. The conditions on Anna Hazare's fast are violation of our fundamental rights... This is an abuse of freedom of speech. Why the Prime Minister cannot intervene in this, when the fundamental rights are being violated?," BJP president Nitin Gadkari told reporters here.

Hazare had sought Manmohan Singh's intervention over the strict conditions imposed by Delhi Police for his indefinite fast from August 16, but the Prime Minister responded that his grievances needed to be "addressed by the statutory authorities who have taken the decision... My office does not in any way get involved in the decision-making process."

[IndraD]

On star news Kejriwal and others responding to charges made by Manish Tewary said that they would be sitting on dharna with muslims who would be fasting due to ramadan , will congress's police arrest fasting muslims as well?

jittery congress draws out claws

[ramana]

Anna Hazare and Arun Kejriwal were on ZeeTV Saregama Little Champs on Friday. Very impressive. They had simple message about need to reclaim Independence and that the first one was not a blank cehck to loot.

Kind of aligns with views that INC is EIC in dhotis. Just like EIC they loot India and store it abroad.

[suryag]

I frankly have no idea how this Tewari fellow got elected, I mean i have seen him speak and he does that totally devoid of any conscience.
Makes me wonder if the first characteristic to be a Con spokesman is being devoid of conscience

[IndraD]

Anna Hazare and Arun Kejriwal were on ZeeTV Saregama Little Champs on Friday. Very impressive. They had simple message about need to reclaim Independence and that the first one was not a blank cehck to loot.

Kind of aligns with views that INC is EIC in dhotis. Just like EIC they loot India and store it abroad.

Oh sir I wish I knew it before, but was it political correct for zee tv ltd to call them, to my understanding till recently Zee news was pro congress.

On the other note-Baba Ramdev is mysteriously silent these days (is it because of his chela from Nepal?)

[rajithn]

I frankly have no idea how this Tewari fellow got elected, I mean i have seen him speak and he does that totally devoid of any conscience.
Makes me wonder if the first characteristic to be a Con spokesman is being devoid of conscience

The first qualification to be a politician is to be devoid of conscience. Period.

[Prem]

Anna had tears in his eyes listening to patriotic songs. Have any one seen a Congressi getting emotional listening to the songs of Indian glory? One striking thing he said was that he want to tell people that India have not acheived True independence yet . This must have cause shiver in Congressi Dhoti of Brown Sahibs. Who so ever brought him to the TV show have done great service to the country.

[vijayk]

Known for his controversial statements, the CPI leader K Narayana has made a sensational claim that the Congress President Sonia Gandhi has been maintaining secret accounts in Swiss banks.

Nobody knows about the source of Narayana’s information but he asserted that former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi had accounts in Swiss banks. “Sonia Gandhi is operating these accounts now,” the state CPI Secretary said.

http://greatandhra.com/viewnews.php?id= ... 15&scat=16

[Virupaksha]

I am expecting that all this will turn out to be a big KLPD for any folks expecting any change. Anna's fight is between one elite against another elite. His actions seem to be almost copying KCR's actions for T. The one big difference is Anna is not a direct politician, He is actually following JP's loksatta movement in terms of organisation. I am expecting that within the next few days he will try to turn this movement into a party, copying JayaPrakash Narayan of LokSatta, thus attempting to damage the urban votebank of BJP. It is simply an MNS repeat attack from the other side.

When viewed with this angle, BJP's action start to make sense. It is trying to tap into that anger in semi-urban where Anna will not have affect. In the cities and actual dharna's all it has to do create a "fence" around it so that Anna will not damage their vote bank. BJP are essentially to try to make sure Anna if he enters politics will be Congress-B party, thus actually damaging the Congress' vote share.

IMO, this anna charade is a masterstroke from congress, but BJP can still deflect it with some deft footwork.

popcorn time for me.

KCR- TRS chief for telangana

[Pranay]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 603911.cms

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev Sunday came out in support of Anna Hazare, terming the Congress's allegations of corruption against the social activist as an attempt to crush anyone taking on the government.

In a statement here, Ramdev said the government conspires and tries to crush whoever attempts to stand against them.

"Along with Anna Hazare, whoever stands against black money and corruption, the government puts allegations against the person and tries to crush them," Ramdev said.

"Mass movement in nation's favour is being crushed tyrannically and government is conspiring undemocratically, unconstitutionally, and irresponsibly," he said.

[ramana]

Its slowly morphing into Jayaprakash Narayan movement just before and after Emergency.

One thought from that time was Mrs G had to go no matter what.

[suryag]

I dont think Anna will venture into politics. LSP JP's case was quite different. Anna will at the max commit support to someone thats all

[vera_k]

I wonder if the stimulus for all this is caused by people thinking that the present government won elections by fraud. The Emergency was preceded by allegations that Indira won the 1971 elections via fraud.

[Philip]

I agree with Ramanna.The comparison with the JP movement is growing.As further scams emerge,almost by the day,and a pro-active media like foxhounds digging out info galore,the patience and irritation of the nation is slowly turning into outrage and anger.At any watering hole these days,the main topic of conversation is corruption,past and present.How in olden times,the figures were much smaller,the corrupt too fewer,and the still on-going demands from the politicos and their babus for kickbacks DESPITE all the current scams being revealed! One new govt. in a particular state has allegedly actually doubled the amount for a certain kind of favour and from stats,will mop up a min. of 500 crores for the same!

The INC/UPA is showing signs of desperation just as it did when the govt. of RG was accused in the Bofors scandal,getting more hot udner the collar as the heat increased and its guilt became more evident.I had occassion recently to speak with a renowned leader of the media about the same and he concurred with the mood of the nation-a volcanic build-up.The fact is now obvious to the entire nation that "Uncle Scam",Dr.MMS,is an emperor without any clothes.He is the most guilty of the entire lot as this former IMF babu,former FM of the country,cannot pretend to anyone that he does not understand numbers or the sheer scale of corruption that bears the "seal" of his govt.The buck stops with him.He cannot evade the issue and his resignation must be demanded apart from all those against whom serious charges have been laid and are under CBI investigations like Shelia Bullsh*t. The longer they try to cling to office the worse their fate will be.One day the mob will become uncontrollable and no one will be able to help them.The Naxals/Maoists are already in full flow in their own warped version of a second freedom struggle.

[sum]

I frankly have no idea how this Tewari fellow got elected, I mean i have seen him speak and he does that totally devoid of any conscience.

And this is the guy who has now brought the bill to bring all intel agencies under MPs like him.... With overseers like these, wonder where our country and its agencies are headed!!

[IndraD]

@ Philip-Some how all such movements in past like one when congress was ousted out of power and V P Singh (who broke the society with Mandal syndrome) came into power or even late 70s was followed by period of instability with mili juli sarkar , labile and malleable, what is the alternative once congress is defeated?

[Aditya_V]

Either people have to defeat them or the fate will be one of ever increasing corruption. Because having drawn blood, it is very difficult that this genie will be put back in the bottle unless Congress, Inc. is wound down and liquidated.

Yes, there is corruption thorughout society, but unless the drubbing is so bad, the media nexus and crimes exposed. Nothing will change.

[sum]

Earth shattering news ( reported by INC mole in DDM, Shiela Bhatt):
Motilal Vora hoists tricolour at Congress headquarters

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [ Images ], All India [ Images ] Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi [ Images ], many senior Congress leaders and ministers were present on the occasion.

Rahul Gandhi, who had accompanied his mother to the US, arrived in New Delhi on Sunday. There was much speculation that the young leader, who is part of the four-member committee formed by Sonia Gandhi to look after the party in her absence, will hoist the tri-colour at the party headquarters this time.

Senior party leaders had earlier said that they would request Gandhi to do the honours but in case he declines, the senior-most AICC leader available will unfurl the flag.

[RamaY]

AH denied permission to do his meeting and fast-unto-death as he did not agree to all the conditions demanded by delhi police. AH agreed to 16 of the 22 conditions.

[Pranay]

http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.co ... government

A well thought out and well written article - posting in full.

Anna Hazare, the Constitution and the Government
V Raghunathan
15 August 2011, 10:01 AM IST

I wrote in this blog on April 7, 2011 about Anna Hazare, saying, "Perhaps after Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan's call for sampoorna kranti, … Anna's fast may be the next most significant mass movement in modern India yet." Soon thereafter, when the ruling Government seemed to respond to Anna sensibly and sensitively offering a joint dialogue with and say to the civil society for drafting a suitable Lokpal Bill, one thought it a sagacious gesture on the part of the UPA government and a victory for the maturity of our democracy.

Alas, that hasn't been the case. Of late, with every single passing day, the ruling polity has come out looking increasingly petty, cussed and vindictive, targeting Anna with every gun that it has at its disposal. It has accused Anna Hazare and his Trust as being "seeped in corruption". It is questioning the funding of Anna's website. It is digging up his ancient army records in the hope of finding something – anything – to chuck at him, hoping something may stick. It is leaning on the weak spine of the Delhi Police to deny him a place to fast, placing uncalled for and unconstitutional limits of time and the size of crowd . It is not that our politicians have usually stood so tall that we are surprised at how low they can stoop; but to accuse a simple and straight forward soul like Ana Hazare, who is the first major voice against corruption in independent India to stir the conscience of the nation, dwarfs even their pigmy standards.

In a democracy of a billion people, it is understandable to have a billion different views on the issue of the Lokpal Bill versus Jan-Lokpal Bill. It is understandable if some think PM should be kept out of the ambit of Lokpal. It is understandable if some think civil society (read Anna Hazare) should be more practical and more patient or yielding in their demand or protest. It may also be understandable if some think that Anna Hazare's Satyagraha is not to be compared to Bapu's Satyagraha, or even that inarticulate Anna himself is in no way comparable with the suave Mahatma. It is understandable too if some question the somewhat intemperate language deployed by Anna Hazare in his communication to our straight as sphinx-like Prime Minister. It may be understandable too if a section of the society is apprehensive about the liberties Civil Society seems to be taking with our constitutional mechanism. For that matter, it may also be understandable if some seem to think Anna Hazare to be a greater danger to our Constitution for seeking "extra-constitutional" remedies to cure our sick society of utter, run-away and rampant corruption, than the malaise of corruption itself. I even came across a very intelligent, articulate and genuinely sensitive young professional who was "entirely against corruption, but who disagreed with Anna Hazare's methods", even if he did not have an alternative to suggest. In his view, one couldn't be led into a Bush-like stance – "You are either with us (or Anna Hazare) or against us (or Anna Hazare)". Well, in short, we can understand all these various views in a democracy, and then some.

While we understand all of the above, we must also understand the low-stoop of the senior Congress functionaries in the personal mud-slinging against Anna for what it is -- the last-ditch defense of a political class running scared. And let us not get it wrong. Let us not believe for a moment as if it is only the Congress politicians who are running scared. The reality is that the major opposition, the UPA politicos, have not comported themselves much better on the ground and in the parliament, beyond opportunistic lip service to Anna. Thus, it may be equally naïve to believe that even a Jana-Lokpal Bill blessed by Anna, shall sail smoothly through the Parliament, as a simple Anna seems to do. But then, Anna does seem to believe that at least in that case the country would know which parties support or do not support the people's bill, the knowledge of which could decide the fate of the parties at the next hustings. I, for one, can understand that.

True, participation of "Civil Society" in a parliamentary process is hardly the standard constitutional process in our democracy. The constitutional process provides only for the Legislature, the Executive, and the Judiciary; it provides for no un-elected Civil Society to play a role. But this is because the constitutional processes are ordinarily supposed to work. When constitutional processes work reasonably, for example, all citizens are genuinely equal before law, ministers and government servants are accountable to people, parliament functions and passes laws to govern the country rather than being in a perennial state of adjournment for one reason or the other, nor does it take over four decades to pass a law against corruption, justice is available to all and speedily, and 60% of the population does not remain bereft of food, education, health and justice due to large-scale corruption six decades after independence. None of these conditions has been made available under our constitutional processes. The so-called 9% growth is despite these.

These are the reasons why the call of Anna Hazare has stirred the nation's conscience. Never mind whether public support for Anna is 50%, 85%, 95% or 100%. Even if Anna were in a minority of one, it stands to reason that given that our constitutional processes worked by the legislature, executive, and the judiciary have failed us in all these decades, the constitutional mechanism is perhaps already in a damaged condition in any case. Bringing in the "Civil Society" is unlikely to do any more damage to it.

Anna Hazare has offered the nation an opportunity which all the constitutional mechanism and its political 'leadership' did not give it since independence. If we are smart as a people, we shall seize the opportunity and lend our shoulders in whatever little way we can to him – not for his sake, but for our own. But if we are not smart, we can continue to debate the issue to shreds while Anna Hazare acts tomorrow.

About V Raghunathan - the Author of the above article...

V Raghunathan is a former academic (professor of finance, IIM, Ahmedabad), a former banker (president, ING Vysya Bank) and currently a corporate CEO. He has also been a visiting professor at the University of Bocconi, Milan, Italy, since 1990. Some of his books include "Games Indians play" (Penguin), "Don’t Sprint the Marathon" (Harper Collins) and "The Corruption Conundrum and Other Paradoxes and Dilemmas" (Penguin). He is also a columnist of long standing, with over 450 papers and articles to his credit. He sits on numerous boards and lectures extensively in India and abroad. Collecting old and ancient padlocks is his hobby.

[Pranay]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 612444.cms

Surrounded by hundreds of supporters and media personnel, civil society activist Anna Hazare on Monday prayed at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat after being denied permission by the Delhi Police to hold a hunger strike.

Hazare, who was scheduled to begin a hunger strike to press for a stronger Lokpal Bill from Tuesday, meditated in one of the lawns near the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi. Delhi Police were caught unaware by Hazare's unscheduled stop at Rajghat.

Joint Commissioner of Police Sudhir Yadav had earlier said that if Team Anna went ahead with its protest at the JP Park in the heart of the city, it would be deemed an unlawful gathering as they not agreed to certain conditions.

[Pranay]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 608084.cms

The PM - Dr. Manmohan Singh's musings on the subject...

With government facing attack over multiple scams, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday promised a strong Lokpal to end corruption in high places and asserted that hunger strikes will not help address the problem, in an apparent reference to Anna Hazare's agitation.

Addressing the nation for the eighth consecutive year on the occasion of Independence Day, Singh said no government has a "magic wand" to deal with the problem of corruption which needs to be tackled on many fronts and asked all political parties to "stand shoulder to shoulder" in this fight.

A day before Hazare was to embark on an indefinite fast demanding a strong Lokpal, he made it clear that only Parliament can decide what type of Lokpal legislation can be enacted.

"I am aware of the differences of opinion on some aspects of the bill. Those who don't agree with this bill can put forward their views to Parliament, political parties and even the press. However, I also believe they should not resort to hunger strikes and fasts-unto-death," Singh said.

Acknowledging that corruption is a big obstacle in national transformation, he said the menace should be discussed in a manner that should not create an atmosphere in which country's progress comes into question.

He also admitted that funds meant for welfare of common man end up in the pockets of government officials.

It is not right to bring the judiciary under the ambit of Lokpal as this would go against the independence of the judiciary, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said.

PM admitted that we do need a framework in which the judiciary becomes more accountable.

"It is not appropriate to bring the judiciary under the ambit of Lokpal. We believe that any such provision would go against the independence of the judiciary.

"It is with this aim that we have introduced the Judicial Accountability Bill in Parliament. I am confident this bill will be passed soon," he said.