Veteran social activist Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption, that has spread like wildfire across the country, has found extensive support in Assam. The 72-year-old Gandhian began his fast-unto-death at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Tuesday, demanding the enactment of Jan Lokpal Bill to tackle corruption. He wants 50 per cent representatives from civil society to be included in the joint committee that will draft the bill. In Guwahati, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti...

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...

Sometimes a sense of unbridled virtue can also subvert democracy. The agitation by civil society activists over the Jan Lokpal Bill is a reminder of this uncomfortable truth. There is a great deal of justified consternation over corruption. The obduracy of the political leadership is testing the patience of citizens. But the movement behind the Jan Lokpal Bill is crossing the lines of reasonableness. It is premised on an institutional...

Collaborative effort to ensure a corruption-free India ‘Lokpal will be an independent entity' ‘Appointment through a selection panel' With veteran campaigner against corruption Anna Hazare's fast unto death at Jantar Mantar here entering its second day on Wednesday , the focus has shifted to the Jan Lokpal Bill that was drafted last year as a collaborative effort by civic society to ensure a corruption-free India. The Bill was first drafted by retired Supreme Court...

The massive and spontaneous outpouring of support for social activist Anna Hazare's crusade against corruption has forced the government to sit up, take notice and say yes to a joint committee to draft the Lokpal Bill. But it is holding out on agreeing to Anna Hazare heading that panel. On the third day of Anna's fast, the government reached out first with an offer to set up an informal group, including...