Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
Main article: 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement In 2011, Hazare initiated a Satyagraha movement for passing a stronger anticorruption Lokpal (ombudsman) bill in the Indian Parliament as conceived in the Jan Lokpal Bill (People's Ombudsman Bill). The Jan Lokpal Bill was drafted earlier by N. Santosh Hegde, former justice of the Supreme Court of India and Lokayukta of Karnataka, Prashant Bhushan, a senior lawyer in the Supreme Court and Arvind Kejriwal, a social activist along with members of the India Against Corruption movement. This draft bill incorporated more stringent provisions and wider power to the Lokpal (Ombudsman) than the draft Lokpal bill prepared by the government in 2010.[66]
Bharti and Om Prakash Chautala were shooed away by the protesters when they came to visit the site where the protest was taking place. [72] On 6 April 2011 Sharad Pawar resigned from the group of ministers formed for reviewing the draft Lokpal bill 2010.[73]
Wikinews has related news:Indian activist begins "fast-unto-death" hunger strike to end corruption
The movement gathered significant support from India's youth, visible through the local support and on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.[74] Protests spread to Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Shillong, Aizawl and a number of other cities in India.[75]
Indefinite fast
We are ready to get arrested and be beaten up but we have had enough of corruption. We are ready to sacrifice our lives
[89]
Anna Hazare
On July 28, 2011 the union cabinet on approved a draft of the Lokpal Bill, which keeps the Prime Minister, judiciary and lower bureaucracy out of the ambit of the proposed corruption ombudsman Lokpal.Hazare rejected the government version by describing it as cruel joke and wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and told him his decision to go on an indefinite fast from August 16, 2011 at Jantar Mantar if the government introduced its own version of the bill in Parliament without taking suggestions from civil society members.[90][91] Why are you (government) sending the wrong draft? We have faith in Parliament. But first send the right draft, our agitation is against government, not Parliament. The government has overlooked many points. How will it fight corruption by excluding government employees, CBI and prime minister from the Lokpal's purview? We were told that both the drafts would be sent to the Cabinet. But only the government's draft was sent. This is a deceitful government. They are lying. How will they run the country? Now I have no trust in this government. If it is really serious about fighting corruption, why is it not bringing government employees and CBI under Lokpal?- Anna Hazare Within twenty four hours of cabinet's endorsement of a weak Lokpal Bill, over ten thousand peoples from across the country sent faxes directly to the government demanding a bill with stronger provisions.[92] The Mumbai Taxi Mens Union, comprises over 30,000 taxi drivers have extended their full support to Hazares fast by keeping all taxis off the roads on August 16, 2011.[93] Lawyers of Allahabad High Court described Lokpal Bill proposed by the government as against the interest of the country and pledged their support to Hazare by hunger strike at Allahabad on August 16, 2011.[94] On July 30, 2011 Vishwa Hindu Parishad supported Hazare's indefinite fast by saying movement for an effective anticorruption ombudsman needs the backing of people. [95] On August 1, Public interest litigation was filled in the Supreme Court of India by Hemant Patil, a Maharashtra-based social worker and businessman, to restrain Hazare from going on his proposed indefinite fast. The petitioner demanded to prohibit the fast alleging that Hazare's demands are unconstitutional and amount to interference in legislative process.[96] Arrest and aftermath On August 16 2011, Hazare was arrested four hours before the planned indefinite hunger strike.[97] Rajan Bhagat, spokesman for Delhi Police, said police arrested Hazare under a legal provision that bans public gatherings and protests at the park in Delhi where he was planning to begin his hunger strike. Police took that action after Hazare refused to meet the conditions put forward by police for allowing the protest.[98] The conditions included restricting the length of the fast to three days and the number of protesters at the site to 5,000. Later Anna was sent to Tihar jail under judicial custody for 7 days.[99] Along with Hazare, other key members of the India Against Corruption movement including Arvind Kejriwal, Shanti Bhushan, Kiran Bedi and Manish Sisodia were also detained from different locations. It
was reported that about 1,300 supporters were detained in Delhi. [100] Media also reported that the arrest sparked off protests with people courting arrests in different parts of the country. The opposition parties in the country came out against the arrest, likening the government action to the emergency imposed in the country in 1975. Both the houses of Parliament were adjourned over the issue. [101]
How can the government stop anyone from protesting? The land is not their 'father's property'. The citizens are the masters of this country and the ministers are their servants".
[85]
Anna Hazare
On 8 June 2011, Anna Hazare and thousands of his supporters observed fast from 10 am to 6 pm at Rajghat to protest against the midnight crackdown of 5 June 2011 by the Delhi Police on Swami Ramdevs fast at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi. The fast was initially planned to be held at Jantar Mantar, but the venue was shifted after the denial of permission by the Delhi police. [105][86] Anna Hazare held the Prime Minister of India responsible for the atrocities[106] and termed the police action as a blot on humanity and an attempt to stifle democracy.[86] According to one of the Anna's young supporters, the large presence of youths in the protest was due to their support to his use of nonviolence means of protest similar to Gandhi.[107]
Controversies
Views on Narendra Modi
In a press conference in April 2011, Anna Hazare praised Narendra Modi, the chief minister of Gujarat for his efforts on rural development along with Nitish Kumar, chief minister of Bihar, saying that the same should be emulated by the chief ministers of all states.[108] Subsequently, Modi wrote an open letter to him, hailing him as a Gandhian and anti-corruption activist[109] while Digvijay Singh, the General Secretary of the Congress party, criticised him for his comment. [110] In May 2011, Hazare, during his visit to Gujarat, changed his view and criticised Modi for rampant corruption. He urged Modi to appoint a Lokayukta in Gujarat. He also commented that the media had projected an incorrect image of Vibrant Gujarat, very different from the prevalent situation.[111]