The burgeoning movement against corruption set off by social activist Anna Hazare appears to be turning into an undemocratic battle for power without votes or elections, sections of Indian economists and sociologists have said. Tens of thousands of Indians across the country have pledged their alliance with the movement led by Hazare —from schoolchildren yanked by teachers out of classes to slogan-shouting municipal workers, from preachers to actors to lawyers. But some...

Anna Hazare's anti-corruption agitation dangerously skidded off track on its fourth day when Swami Ramdev politicized the campaign in a speech he delivered at Jantar Mantar where the 72-year old Hazare has located his fast unto death. In an obvious allusion to Sonia Gandhi, Ramdev said those who are born in this land ( India) are rishis and that he doesn't want to talk about those born abroad. He added in...

Veteran social activist Anna Hazare on Saturday broke his fast after over 90 hours of spearheading the campaign against corruption After a last-minute twist almost derailed a peace deal between Anna Hazare and the government, the Gandhian on Friday announced that he would call off his fast on Saturday morning with official negotiators accepting all his conditions. Hasare first helped supporters break their fast before ending it himself. Thousands were waiting for...

While food commissioner to the Supreme Court Harsh Mander found no evidence of starvation deaths in the gutted Dantewada village he visited on Wednesday, he said the tribals there are living in conditions of great destitution, akin to starvation. ‘‘There is not even an elementary sign of state presence. No anganwadi, no pensions; the only thing people said they get are food rations once a month,’’ said Mander. The bureaucrat-turned-social activist was...

The right step would be for Manmohan Singh to visit Jantar Mantar without further loss of time to persuade the Gandhian to call off his fast, and also explore a compromise. Jantar Mantar in New Delhi is a hot favourite of the average tourist in the summer season. As the temperatures soar this year, the monument is drawing even greater crowds, mainly to savour the electric atmosphere generated by a 72-year-old...