Anna Hazare's sitting on indefinite fast in Delhi has galvanised the middle-class of this country, which is most vocal against corruption but also the one responsible for most corruption in this country. Corruption is a very contentious issue. Our morals tell us to oppose it but for convenience we often make a compromise, always giving ourselves the benefit of doubt. Former prime minister Chandrashekhar used to say that corruption can never...

To say that no one has elected Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal and the rest to speak for ordinary citizens is to say the obvious. The mostly middle-class people and the chatteratti (film stars, celebrity cops and so on) who have rallied to Mr Hazare’s cause remind one of the people who held hands and lit candles after the November 2008 terrorist attack on Mumbai, saying, “Enough is enough”. TV stations...

It can seek the resignation of Constitutional authorities Areas of disagreement surface The Congress sees as a “super” government the institution of the Lokpal as proposed in the draft Jan Lokpal Bill — it would virtually run a parallel government. It will be a “demi-God” with supreme powers to run the government, sources within the Congress party feel. It can seek the resignation of the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and...

Even as Indians across the nation and the world are drumming up support for Anna Hazare's hunger strike against corruption, a small farmer of Pahanga gram panchayat under Niali block has resorted to the same path to get justice. The 56-year-old farmer, Bhramara Ojha, sat on hunger strike outside the collector's office on Friday demanding payment of his due wages for work he did under the NREGA scheme. The farmer alleged...

The Jan Lokpal bill calls for no participation of government in the selection committees of Lokayuktas. Does this undermine the very essence of democracy and the role of our public representatives?While civil society and ordinary citizens are rallying behind Satyagrahi Anna Hazare by batting for the Jan Lok Pal bill, the protest at Jantar Mantar is raising a few worrying questionsDoes the Jan Lokpal bill as proposed by Anna Hazare bypass...