Itself the outcome of a bottom-up movement, the Jan Lokpal bill ironically proposes a centralised framework against graft. Without checks and balances. There was never any doubt that India needs a strong Lokpal Act. The protest has paved the way for its enactment. With the exultation over the anti-corruption campaign’s ‘victory’ quieting down, it’s time to take stock. Nuanced arguments—and indeed substance—have to recover lost ground to take the discourse...
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Not a very civil coup by Mihir S Sharma
Bang on schedule, a few hours before the Chennai Super Kings took on the Kolkata Knight Riders, word leaked out that the UPA would give in to Anna Hazare. Hordes, by which I mean dozens, celebrated at India Gate, by which I mean that they held ice cream in one hand and candles in the other. The Leaders of the Revolution — Hazare, Baba Ramdev and Anupam Kher — could...
More »Lokpal Bill: Aruna Roy for “broad, public consultation” by Vidya Subrahmaniam
The Aruna Roy-led Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sanghtan (MKSS) has asked for “broad public consultation, across groups and regions” to precede the joint drafting of the Lokpal Bill by civil society and United Progressive Alliance Ministers. In a signed statement, Ms. Roy, Nikhil Dey and Shankar Singh of the MKSS congratulated Anna Hazare and his group on the “large scale mobilisation of people against corruption” and on the creation of “space for...
More »Give up fast, your views will get full attention: Sonia
Draft proposed by the Government of India is inadequate and will not serve the purpose, says CPI(M); BJP agrees and disagrees with HazareAs support to the agitation by veteran social activist Anna Hazare in favour of ‘Jan Lokpal Bill' gathered momentum, Congress president and the Chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC) Sonia Gandhi on Thursday said his views would receive the ‘full attention' of the government and appealed to...
More »Lokpal Bill: United in opposition, civil society a divided lot by Manoj Mitta
Though civil society has rejected the official Lokpal Bill with almost one voice, the confabulations in the run-up to Anna Hazare's hunger strike have brought out differences within activists on the alternative Jan Lokpal Bill. The differences had come to light at the two meetings held on April 3 and 4 to examine the provisions of the Jan Lokpal Bill espoused by Hazare, who began his fast unto death on April...
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