Anna Hazare Agitation for passing proper and effective Lokpal bill

Burning Shame of Hindutva, Burning an european alive! - Part 1

The gruesome murder of an Australian missionary and his two sons in Orissa shocks the nation--and rattles the BJP-led government at the Centre.

By Ruben Banerjee, India Today

Even in death they were inseparable. Charred beyond recognition and reduced to fragile frames of ashes, the three bodies lay clinging to each other in what must have been a vain attempt to protect each other and escape the mob. But on the fateful night of January 22-23 in the wilderness of Manoharpur village in the sleepy rural outback of Orissa's Keonjhar district, nothing worked for the hapless father and his two sons. Having surrounded them from all sides, a murderous crowd set on fire the old four-wheel drive Willy's station wagon in which the three had retired for the night.

The beastly act done, Australian-born Christian missionary Graham Stewart Staines, 58, and his two sons, Phillip, 10, and Timothy, 7, were put to sleep forever. No sooner had its macabre mission been completed than the mob melted away in the darkness as the flames that had leapt skywards simmered. But the heat generated by the senseless killings and the outrage stoked are far from ebbing days after the incident.

With the campaign against Christians, so far confined to Gujarat, making its ugliest appearance in Orissa, the nation went numb with horror. Even as Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee hung his head in shame, his Government was rattled by the wave of condemnation. President K.R. Narayanan spoke for everyone when he described the murder as "a monumental aberration of time-tested tolerance and harmony. The killings belong to the world's inventory of black deeds". Confronted with the charge that the Bajrang Dal -- a militant Hindu outfit attached to the VHP and with links to the RSS -- was guilty of the horrific murder, the prime minister despatched a three-member cabinet team to Manoharpur and announced a judicial inquiry headed by a Supreme Court judge.

For the past 35 years, dressed in casuals, sporting his trademark hat and wheeling his rickety bicycle, Saibo -- as he was popularly called -- was a fixture in Baripada where he did "God's work", tending and nursing leprosy patients in a specially run home on the town's outskirts.

Born in Brisbane, as a young boy the Australian became a pen friend of one Santanu Satpathy of Baripada with whom he shared his birthday. The long-distance friendship bloomed and Staines visited Baripada to call on his friend. That was in 1965 and he never returned. Besides the idyllic landscape of the region, what touched him was the Leprosy Home run since the last century with help from the Leprosy Mission of Australia. Having barely finished school, Staines finally found his mission in life. He devoted himself to the Home -- eventually becoming its superintendent -- and also immersed himself in preaching the Bible by virtue of also being the convener and treasurer of the Evangelical Missionaries Society.

His dedicated service won him many hearts. Fluent in Oriya and the local Santhali dialect, Staines and his wife Glades, whom he married in the '80s, were pillars of the local society. Three years ago, a devastating fire in Baripada left at least a 100 dead and scores horribly burnt. The local hospital failed to cope and the Staines couple -- Glades is a trained nurse -- spent nights nursing the injured. Elected president-designate of the local Rotary chapter for 2001, Staines was a leading light in last month's Pulse Polio immunisation drive. He distributed leaflets enthusiastically while Glades drove the jeep that led the procession for creating awareness in Baripada.

U Turn and True Color..Shame

Source:Indian Express 2011

Gujarat Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dilip Sanghani, a close lieutenant of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday slammed the Anna Hazare movement, saying the job of making laws rests with Parliament and no one can use the “mob” to force it to pass a Bill.

“I don’t want to name anyone but nobody can force Parliament to pass a certain Bill or Act. Parliament is the supreme authority in this country for law making, no one can force it using the mob to pass any Bill. No individual or group can force it to act in a certain way,” the minister told reporters here.

“What we have is a democracy and no mobocracy can replace it. Today certain people are using the mob to pressure Parliament to accept and pass a certain Bill, and that is not fair. If this is allowed then tomorrow some group could even use armed mobs to force Parliament to pass certain other Bills,” said Sanghani. “Parliament passes the Bills under the constitution and no civilian group or committee can challenge it. No one in the country can be allowed use coercion and crisis to get an Act they want passed.”

When they spell corruption, all are talking about the bribes of officials

Yes, it is the bribes in govt offices that common man is worried about and NOT about corruption in PMO.

Punjab BJP Ministers in bribery case

While the Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday questioned two Bharatiya Janata Party Ministers of the Punjab Cabinet, Manoranjan Kalia and Swarna Ram, in the Rs.1.5-crore bribery case related to a controversial land deal, the arrested MLA, Raj Kumar Khurana, resigned as Chief Parliamentary Secretary, citing “moral grounds.”

Mr. Kalia, who holds the portfolios of Industries, Local Bodies and Urban Development, was accompanied by counsel when he reached the sector 30 office of the CBI, where a restive crowd of BJP workers raised slogans in his favour, against the CBI and the Congress high command. Senior officers of the agency questioned the Minister for nearly an hour.

Later, talking to journalists at the headquarters of the party’s State unit here, Mr. Kalia emphasised that he was neither avoiding the investigations nor was he named in the FIR registered in the case. He said he told the interrogating team that he had no knowledge about the case and had never dealt with the matter in any capacity.

Salil Desai: A few questions for Anna worshippers

At a time when disagreeing with Anna Hazare is tantamount to treason, punishable with instant lynching by belligerent netizens, I choose to stick my neck out in the hope that somewhere out there, some people still have enough balance left to listen to a contrary view.

While I am unequivocally in favour of a scrupulously apolitical movement against corruption, Anna’s latest fast is terribly disillusioning.

It takes no personal courage to join an anti-corruption rally, but how many of us are ready to stand up in our daily lives to resist everyday corruption that one comes up against? How many of us take the trouble to lend more than moral support to a friend, neighbour, acquaintance who seeks to remedy an injustice? How many of us aren’t corrupt ourselves either as ‘givers’ or ‘takers’ of bribe in some form or the other? How many of us are completely untouched by the culture of ‘doing and seeking favours’ for mutual benefit even in the private sector?

Make no mistake, the only way the culture of rampant corruption will ever be rooted out is by the refusal of every citizen to compromise and pay up, every single time. Not by lazy, big ticket, populist measures like fasts unto death and dharnas.

It’s no profound truth, just simple common sense. When you refuse to pay bribe, why is it that the person demanding it simply brushes you aside? Because he knows you are in a miniscule minority. Your fellow citizens are more than willing to oblige the bribe-taker, so he sees no need to humour you.

For, do you think that if a mammoth organisation like the Jan Lokpal Bill envisages is set up it is going to be staffed from top to bottom by angels? Pray where are we going to find these angels? Going by Indian society’s corruption quotient, we might end up with by far the most extortionist institution ever. For what better avenue of palm greasing and blackmail exists than dealing with complaints against anyone?

Thus Anna Hazare’s fast has the fatal potential of putting people’s faith in the wrong kind of impersonal solutions.

Moreover, can such so-called people’s movements be considered truly representative?

Figures floating around suggest that 4.4 million net users supported Anna, while the total number of netizens in India is nearly 40 million. What then about the ones who chose to be silent and outnumber the vocal ones several times over?

Apparently, a million people have protested in the metros in the last few days. Well, what about the 153,482,356 (153 million) Indians who voted for the current government? In any representative system, should 5.4 million people be allowed to dictate to a government elected by 153 million people?

Sorry, that’s simply not enough in a constitutional democracy. Not the least because the media has itself been guilty of over-hyped and rabidly one-sided coverage. If the fourth estate starts playing to the gallery and passes off propaganda as reportage, it loses its right to be considered a credible opinion-maker. For how do we know whether the credentials of Team Anna have not been ‘sexed up’?

Why does the media handle Team Anna with kid gloves? Why are no tough questions asked? Why is there no healthy skepticism about their credentials, their methods, their world view, their logic, their thoughts? Why this cloying worship of Anna Hazare? What if he turns out to be a flawed God?

A word about the images of huge crowds on TV. In the first two days after Anna was detained, there were hardly any protest in Pune. But channels kept flashing visuals of huge turnouts and protests, despite evidence to the contrary. Lo and behold, suddenly on Thursday (an industrial holiday in large parts of Pune), we had a rally of 30,000 people. If this is not copycat tokenism, what is?

In Gujarat you are killed if you fight for justice ...

Posted On Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 02:34:56 AM Ahmedabadmirror

Even as people back Anna Hazare demanding a corruption-free India, one man quietly but determinedly filed a public interest litigation seeking appointment of a lokayukta in Gujarat.  His anguish and agony is understandable. His young son was murdered sometime back opposite Gujarat High Court because he was using his right to seek information against the rich, powerful and politically connected mining mafia. Bhikhubhai Jethava, father of slain RTI activist Amit Jethava, says Gujarat is an unsafe place for all those who fight for their rights. “

Excerpts from an interview:

What made you file the PIL demanding a lokayukta?

 My son had filed a PIL in 2008. There already is a law in Gujarat but the state government is deliberately not appointing a lokayukta. When my son filed the PIL, the state government assured Gujarat High Court  of appointing lokayukta “immediately”.  It didn’t happen. Hence this PIL.

What would you achieve by filing this PIL?

I feel pained. Everybody is carried away by the hype that Gujarat is vibrant. My son was fighting for justice. He was fighting against corruption and politicians. There are two reasons for filing this PIL: to continue my son’s fight against corruption and politicians, and to support the movement started by Anna Hazare. I have spoken to Anna several times on the issue.

How will lokayukta benefit the state?

What is the other way left in Gujarat at the moment to seek justice? Those who raise their voice against falsehood, injustice or corruption are eliminated. From Haren Pandya to Amit Jethava. What is the action taken against corruption and injustice under the Narendra Modi government? The institution of lokayukta is the only recourse left for common people like us to get justice and to fight against powerful politicians and corruption. Once lokayukta is in place, believe me, several ministers will be behind bars. Today, corruption has crossed its limits in Gujarat.

People can know where their leaders stand once lokayukta is in place. Until now, all of us thought Karnataka government was good. So much development and international investment has come to Bangaluru. But look what (BS) Yeddyurappa had done there.  Worse things are happening in Gujarat but no action is being taken against those responsible. Lokayukta is Gujarat’s only hope to know the reality.


Have you received any threat?

I will be murdered. Isn’t that what happens in Gujarat when you fight for justice? What happened to Haren Pandya? It was a political murder. What happened to my son? Specially after this petition, my life is in danger.


How can you say there is corruption in Gujarat? The state is known for clean governance.

Corruption in Gujarat is different. Gujarat has traditionally been very progressive and rich. Right now corruption that exists in Gujarat is not only different from that in other states but dangerous. We are a border state. Still our government is sheltering and doling out land to industrialists who have been sent to jail for extortion or custom evasion.

My son was fighting to stop illegal limestone quarries. He had openly named BJP MP Dinu Bogha Solanki. He had proof. Still what happened? My son was murdered. Haren Pandya deposed before a people’s tribunal about Narendra Modi’s complicity in the genocide, that he was responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent people in 2002 riots. What happened? Modi became number one and Harenbhai was killed. This is Gujarat. It is sad that in Gandhi’s Gujarat we blindly support Anna but are ignoring corrupt and criminal politicians of Gujarat.

Very true and Practical answer Mr. Rao. I am also not against Anna ji, but my concern is his stubbornness!! he is not thinking practically....if we know our country and its system properly then he should not act like this....WE NEED SOLUTION AND THAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN HE WILL NOT ONLY READY TO TALK BUT TO LISTEN AS WELL!!

Any bill (Anna's or Govt's) Bill is OK. it is not possible to make a 100% perfect and acceptable bill at one stroke. What ever be the version there should be a provision to make amendments as required by the LOKPAL and with the consent of an assembly of people (2/3 voting for amendment) comprising of Parliament, All Judges of high courts and Supreme Courts, All Padma awardees and Bhrath Ratna's, All past Prime Ministers and Presidents, All past Speakers of Parliament, All Presidents and Vice presidents, All past Reserve bank governors, Election Commissioners, Past and Present Chiefs of Armed Forces, Top 20 Industrialist by market capitalization, Top 20 Income Tax Payers, and Approved by president of India.

If you see the supporters of Anna it looks like we have only honest and non corrupt people in India. How then all these people elected corrupt and dishonest people? Any movement started with good intentions or bad intentions will get support from masses once it appears that the movement appears to gain importance and might become a success.   All corrupt people and the Opposition pasties also will support the movement because only then dishonest and corrupt feel they can escape the punishment by being supporters of such movement. So it is not the question how much support Anna gets. We should get the bill passed in some form first then improve upon it. Simultaneously we should take other effective steps like simplifying our laws, electoral reforms with no campaigning by candidates or parties (only publishing manifesto and bio data of candidate to be allowed), age for voting to be reduced to 15 years, childless parent or PARENT WITH ONE CHILD to be given an extra vote and PEOPLE with more than two children should have only half vote each. Farmers who achieve a productivity of 25% more than national average productivity should have extra half vote. Parent with only one girl child should be given an extra half vote. Agriculture graduates who are involved in agriculture in own farm to be given extra half vote, and so on. Aadhar card  should incorporate these criteria and determine the voting eligibility and number of votes for a person. 

We are electing MPs for this job, we can only suggest without creating any disturbance.

Good observation Mr.Bhattacharyya. In fact, we are spending crores of rupees on this ritual called 'elections' and yet we need Anna for framing laws?

who is/are behind this movement!

It is the right wing.

"Yatha Raja Thata Praja" is not true in Modern India. There are many examples where people in spite of the fact that their Bosses are corrupt have remained honest. It is the other way here. The Praja sells his vote or he doesnot have the basic knowledge that why should he vote and whom he should vote? Most of our people knowingly or unknowingly are corrupt. Only I should live in this world is the attitude. Unless that is removed you cannot eradication corruption. LOKPAL institution itself can become a dictator. Ultimately it is the people if we cannot elect a person with integrity and honesty then how can we have good governance. If we elect dishonest and corrupt people how can LOKPAL cleanse the system? Who will appoint LOKPAL?or LOKPAL's elected dishonest people or Civil Society people? Are they clean? The way money is wasted on current agitation i feel even Civil society people are not honest.

Anna is Corrupt

Calling Anna corrupt  and non transparent ,Congress spokerperson Manish Tiwari   said Justice PB Sawant Committee had found Anna guilty of involvement in a graft case. The Commission submitted its report on February 22, 2005 in which it criticised Hind Swaraj Trust for spending Rs 2.20 lakhs of its funds on the birthday celebrations of Hazare

Maharashtra state government had appointed the Justice Sawant commission  in September 2003  under the Commissions of inquiry Act 1952  to inquire into the allegations of corrupt pratices  and maladministration against several people, including Anna Hazare.

According to Sawant report  "A portion of land  measuring 11 Acres  was admittedly alienated  by way of gift in favour  of the Zila Parishad  without the permission of the Charity commission , contrary to section 36 of the act "

The report cited that "  the trust had committed  an irregularity and also an illegality  when it did not  report both the acquisition of the land ,i.e. about 89 acres , and also the alienation of 11 acres out of it to the Zila Parishad , Ahmednagar."Also "the alienation was also  without the permission  of the charity commissioner ,which  was illegal."

The second allegation  against Anna Hazare  according to its report is  that " About 2.20 lacs  was spent in the year 1998-99 from the trust  for celebrating birthday of Anna Hazare ".

 Shri Abhay Firodia , a businessman , gifted  an equivalent amount to the trust subsequently .As per report "A defence  was sought to be raised  that since  the entire amount  spent for the celebrations  was received by the trust  subsequently, the trust is not entitled  to spent any of its funds  for the birthday celebrations ."

 Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari  said the trust failed to submit its audits for as many as 20 years.

If a peon takes bribe 1000,you can go to vigilance cell, they will arrest immediately.If  the Big officer has a house with 15000 sqft,for residing, a farm house with 5 acres at the outskirts of city,four flats in the city, seven houses in the towns etc; then we wont tell he bribed the money. He earned with his intelligence

Where is it written that when an officer takes bribe, the peon is automatically entitled to take a bribe? - Did you read this in ramayan? Gita?...Indian constitution?.....where?

Becuase according to  our admin a proposal goes from clerk to PM for sanction.

This is not happening today. These days not all proposals are cleared by the PM. A lot of decision making is done at the lower level.

I think we are happy with the trial of 2G scam. Raja told finance minister has to witness court and PM knows every thing

Why isn't Raja telling everything to the court. Just by making accusations is not enough, he has to bring evidence. But, he is not telling the entire truth, what and why is he hiding?

If you start at the low level, probably they will swindle the entire nation before it reaches the top.

I respectfully disagree with  your view.

a).If I am a IAS officer and if I take bribe, then that does not auto license my subordinates to take bribe.....where is the law?

b). Common man is not asked to pay bribe when he visits PM's office. He is asked to pay bribe when he visits his RTO or Panchayath or Municipality or whatever. So, corruption has to stop from there and NOT from PMO.

c). One of the least corrupt countries in the world is Denmark. There is absolutely no corruption in the lower level, not even at the level of IAS officers or his sub ordinates. Do you think there is no corruption at the PM's level in Denmark?

d).I am not saying Indian PM should never come under lokpal. He should be brought under lokpal but not the first one to be brought under lokpal but the last one.

There is no question of supporting Anna Hazare's Lokpal Bill. Anna Saab Hazare is not right in saying that PM and PMO should be included in the Lokpal. Instead the crusade against corruption should start at the bottom of the chain, from government offices. Once the bottom(all government offices) of this chain is free from corruption, then he should fight to include the judiciary, and after that he should fight to include the PM. He is trying to achieve too much in one-shot and that is destined to fail in a country like India.