As I have watched mass hysteria build up over Anna Hazare’s fast, there have been moments when I felt that his supporters had forgotten that India is a democratic country. I have long believed that the most apolitical Indians are those who belong to the English speaking, tweeting, texting middle classes but I had no idea just how apolitical they were till last week. Without reading the Jan Lokpal bill...

Anna Hazare, the 72-year-old social activist and Gandhian, on Monday slammed Union Telecommunications Minister Kapil Sibal for reportedly saying that the Lokpal Bill will not eradicate corruption from India. Hazare said that if Sibal has no faith in the proposed Lokpal then he should resign from the committee that has been formed to draft a stronger anti-corruption law. "If Kapil Sibal feels that nothing will happen from Lokpal Bill, he should...

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...

Anna Hazare told his supporters to prepare for a bigger battle against the government, if the Parliament fails to pass the Lokpal Bill, a law that the country has been waiting for more than 40 years. Setting August 15 as the deadline, Hazare said that certain corrupt politicians might not let the bill pass easily and if need be a stronger fight against corruption would be required. "This is the battle,...

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...