The Anna Storm
As I mentioned in my earlier post, that Anna Hazare was planning to go on an indefinite fast from 16th of August and he was arrested. But bowing to public demand, he had to be released. Once anna hazare was released from Tihar jail, a huge procession followed him till he reached Ramlilla maidan in Delhi.
As his fast progressed, people from all across the country started to show support towards anna hazare. Recently there has been several cases of corruption involving big amounts of money. For example the CWG, 2G spectrum allocation. And mostly members/ ministers of ruling UPA were charged and arrested in those cases. Also from Karnataka, accusations of illegal land allotment arose against ruling BJP/the chief minster.
So quite naturally people were just looking for someone outside of political class to give a lead against corruption. By the 5th day, 21st of August, 2011 the agitation had reached from Kashmir to kanyakumari, from manipur to gujarat. People of every state and and from more than 400 towns and cities poured on the street with slogans 'Annaa tum age barho, hum tumhare saath hain','Ek do, teen, char, anna hazare super star'. And most notably it was people of towns and cities and mostly middle class pople were taking part in the movement.
Mainly Anna's demand were three fold. 1) inclusion of lower bureaucracy in lokpal, 2)To include state's lok-ayukta's employment in the same bill and 3)Bring CBI & CVC under Lokpal.
The ruling UPA was livid. They first alleged that Anna Hazare was completely corrupt from head to toe ( Manish Tiwary). Then they alleged that the movement was backed by RSS.
There were two responses being given by the political class: a) this present draft (called jan lok pal bill) would concentrate too much power under one body and b)Anna and his team were being dictatorial in forcing the parliament to pass the bill. Where as as per Indian constitution lays down that only parliament can enact a law, Anna and his team had no jurisdiction to ask parliament to pass a bill.
Some articles on Anna in news papers/news channels/internet based news bulletins:
Kolkata Telegraph dtd 21st Aug'2011
ibnlive.in.com
Globe and Mail
Anna Hazare getting support from US based Indians
BBC World
But by then the people of the entire country had made up their mind to support Anna Hazare. Even many people gheraoed their MP's and requested them to support in passing the Jan Lok Pal Bill in parliament. Students communities of many cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Guwahati gathered on daily basis to show support towards anna hazare. Many people also maintained fast until Anna broke his fast.
Kolkata Telegraph dtd 26th Aug'2011
In the middle, on each and every TV News channel, Anna was the only news. Everyone got to know that he was once a driver in the Indian army. That he fought in 1965 war against pakistan. That he has successfully eradicated alcoholism in his village Ralegaon Siddhi. That he never married. All those facts made him a even bigger hero.
So tantitavily, government started negotiations with his team. Admittedly, when he was arrested on the morning of 16th August, Governemnt's main troubleshooter Pranab Mukherjee was not there. As the goverment side put forward their arguments, more and more people joined in every city to support Anna Hazare.And the fire seemed to be spreading to more and more places, and Indian People living in UK, Germany, Australia & USA started showing open support towards Anna Hazare.
Gradually a few of Congress MPs started to sing favourable tunes in respect to Anna.
Then the Prime Minister made a statement in parliament praising Anna Hazare. But for full 11 days the govt did not raise the three points that Anna and his team had demanded, into parliament for debate.
Then again it was alleged that Prashant Bhusan and Arvind kejriwal were the hardliners who were forcing anna hazare to continue to go on fasting, even if the prime minister has promised to discuss the matter in the parliament.
In the middle of all these, a video of Swami Agnivesh talking to someone named 'Kapilji' appeared on youtube. And it was clear that Swami Agnivesh, who was apparently supporting Anna Hazare, was an agent of the govt.
So it was clear that some one or other in the govt was trying to break anna's team by infusing a mole and by systematic propaganda against some of members as being hard-liners.
Ultimately it was informed to the press that the matter will be discussed in the parliament on 27th of August under rule 193, but there will be no voting.
So ultimately on 27th August, 2011, Saturday at 11:05 am, the matter was brought before parliament for discussion. Pranab Mukherjee, who has rescued the govt on several occasions, again rescued the Govt from embarrassment, by mentioning that the sense of house will be conveyed to the standing committee by providing the committee with a video of the proceeding of the house on that day.
Anna drinks coconut water from the hands of two children
So, once the three points were introduced into the parliament for debate/discussion, Anna hazare broke his fast on 28th of August at 10:30 AM.
As his fast progressed, people from all across the country started to show support towards anna hazare. Recently there has been several cases of corruption involving big amounts of money. For example the CWG, 2G spectrum allocation. And mostly members/ ministers of ruling UPA were charged and arrested in those cases. Also from Karnataka, accusations of illegal land allotment arose against ruling BJP/the chief minster.
So quite naturally people were just looking for someone outside of political class to give a lead against corruption. By the 5th day, 21st of August, 2011 the agitation had reached from Kashmir to kanyakumari, from manipur to gujarat. People of every state and and from more than 400 towns and cities poured on the street with slogans 'Annaa tum age barho, hum tumhare saath hain','Ek do, teen, char, anna hazare super star'. And most notably it was people of towns and cities and mostly middle class pople were taking part in the movement.
Mainly Anna's demand were three fold. 1) inclusion of lower bureaucracy in lokpal, 2)To include state's lok-ayukta's employment in the same bill and 3)Bring CBI & CVC under Lokpal.
The ruling UPA was livid. They first alleged that Anna Hazare was completely corrupt from head to toe ( Manish Tiwary). Then they alleged that the movement was backed by RSS.
There were two responses being given by the political class: a) this present draft (called jan lok pal bill) would concentrate too much power under one body and b)Anna and his team were being dictatorial in forcing the parliament to pass the bill. Where as as per Indian constitution lays down that only parliament can enact a law, Anna and his team had no jurisdiction to ask parliament to pass a bill.
Some articles on Anna in news papers/news channels/internet based news bulletins:
Kolkata Telegraph dtd 21st Aug'2011
ibnlive.in.com
Globe and Mail
Anna Hazare getting support from US based Indians
BBC World
But by then the people of the entire country had made up their mind to support Anna Hazare. Even many people gheraoed their MP's and requested them to support in passing the Jan Lok Pal Bill in parliament. Students communities of many cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Guwahati gathered on daily basis to show support towards anna hazare. Many people also maintained fast until Anna broke his fast.
Kolkata Telegraph dtd 26th Aug'2011
In the middle, on each and every TV News channel, Anna was the only news. Everyone got to know that he was once a driver in the Indian army. That he fought in 1965 war against pakistan. That he has successfully eradicated alcoholism in his village Ralegaon Siddhi. That he never married. All those facts made him a even bigger hero.
So tantitavily, government started negotiations with his team. Admittedly, when he was arrested on the morning of 16th August, Governemnt's main troubleshooter Pranab Mukherjee was not there. As the goverment side put forward their arguments, more and more people joined in every city to support Anna Hazare.And the fire seemed to be spreading to more and more places, and Indian People living in UK, Germany, Australia & USA started showing open support towards Anna Hazare.
Gradually a few of Congress MPs started to sing favourable tunes in respect to Anna.
Then the Prime Minister made a statement in parliament praising Anna Hazare. But for full 11 days the govt did not raise the three points that Anna and his team had demanded, into parliament for debate.
Then again it was alleged that Prashant Bhusan and Arvind kejriwal were the hardliners who were forcing anna hazare to continue to go on fasting, even if the prime minister has promised to discuss the matter in the parliament.
In the middle of all these, a video of Swami Agnivesh talking to someone named 'Kapilji' appeared on youtube. And it was clear that Swami Agnivesh, who was apparently supporting Anna Hazare, was an agent of the govt.
So it was clear that some one or other in the govt was trying to break anna's team by infusing a mole and by systematic propaganda against some of members as being hard-liners.
Ultimately it was informed to the press that the matter will be discussed in the parliament on 27th of August under rule 193, but there will be no voting.
So ultimately on 27th August, 2011, Saturday at 11:05 am, the matter was brought before parliament for discussion. Pranab Mukherjee, who has rescued the govt on several occasions, again rescued the Govt from embarrassment, by mentioning that the sense of house will be conveyed to the standing committee by providing the committee with a video of the proceeding of the house on that day.
Anna drinks coconut water from the hands of two childrenSo, once the three points were introduced into the parliament for debate/discussion, Anna hazare broke his fast on 28th of August at 10:30 AM.
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