Indian social activist Anna Hazare has begun what he has called a "fast unto death" to pressure the government to act on corruption. The 72-year-old campaigner says he will refuse all food and drink until the government enacts a comprehensive anti-corruption law. The government has set up a committee to consider a bill, but Mr Hazare wants civil society included in the process. India has recently been hit by a series of high-profile...
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Former soldier Anna Hazare now fights for Lokpal Bill by Makarand Gadgil
Hazare is now fighting possibly the biggest battle of his life, by launching an indefinite hunger strike in New Delhi to press for an early enactment of a Lokpal Bill, legislation that would create public ombudsmen to investigate corruption charges against public servants Anna Hazare is a veteran of many battles—as a former soldier and then as a social activist who has forced at least half a dozen Maharashtra ministers to...
More »The fatal flaws in the government's Lokpal Bill by Iftikhar Gilani
Anna Hazare’s fast puts into focus the government’s attempts to protect politicians India Against corruption, a group formed by Anna Hazare and other social activists and former judges, has given 17 reasons why the Jan Lokpal Bill drafted by former Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde, now the Karnataka Lokayukta, is far better than the Bill prepared by the union government. The Jan Lokpal Bill, hailed as a civil society initiative, provides for...
More »Lokpal Bill: Anna Hazare continues fast, slams Congress for misleading people
Social activist Anna Hazare, who entered the second day of his indefinite fast, on Wednesday slammed the Congress for "misleading" the people by dubbing his agitation as unnecessary and premature. 72-year-old Hazare, who is demanding enactment of an anti-corruption bill to give wider powers to the Ombudsman, said, "The party's (Congress) statement is misleading people. Why is this agitation unnecessary and how is it premature? 42 years the nation has been...
More »Sharad Pawar quits GoM on Lokpal bill
Under attack from social activist Anna Hazare, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday quit the Group of Ministers (GoM) on Lokpal bill. "Sharad Pawar has given resignation from the committee. He should give his resignation from the Ministry also. It does not affect us," said Hazare. Pawar had earlier in the day said he would be happy to be relieved from all ministerial panels, including that on corruption. "I will be happy if...
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