In a response to Police crackdown at [[Ramlila ground protests]], activist [[Anna Hazare]] have said that he will be sitting on a one day hunger strike at [[Jantar Mantar]] on June 8, 2011.But he changed this venue to Rajghat as police didn't permit him to fast at Jantar Mantar.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Anna-Hazare-and-team-shift-fast-venue-to-Rajghat/articleshow/8758809.cms|accessdate=7 June 2011|newspaper=Times Of India|date=7 June 2011}}</ref>
In a response to Police crackdown at [[Ramlila ground protests]], activist [[Anna Hazare]] have said that he will be sitting on a one day hunger strike at [[Jantar Mantar]] on June 8, 2011.But he changed this venue to Rajghat as police didn't permit him to fast at Jantar Mantar.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Anna-Hazare-and-team-shift-fast-venue-to-Rajghat/articleshow/8758809.cms|accessdate=7 June 2011|newspaper=Times Of India|date=7 June 2011}}</ref>
===Anonymous starts Operation India===
==Anonymous starts Operation India==
Hacker group [[Anonymous]] has come out in support of a civil movement against corruption in India by hacking one of the websites of a government the [[National Informatics Centre website]]. It has been named as Operation India.<ref>http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/anonymous_announces_operation_india.php</rev>
Hacker group [[Anonymous]] has come out in support of a civil movement against corruption in India by hacking one of the websites of a government the [[National Informatics Centre website]]. It has been named as Operation India.<ref>http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/anonymous_announces_operation_india.php</ref>
Government agrees to create a drafting committee constituting of civil society activists to work on the Jan Lokpal bill and table it in the Monsoon session of the Parliament of India
Casualties
Death(s)
none
Injuries
at least 15 hospitalised due to dehydration during fasting
The 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement consists of a series of protests for the Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizen Ombudsman Bill) that sprang up across India especially after April 5, 2011. The protesters want the Government of India to draft a strong anti-graft Lokpal bill which follows the originally drafted bill and not the changes the government plans to bring in, which will make the Lokayukta just another advisory body with no actual power in the vast Indian bureaucracy. Following continuous calls in vain to the government to work effectively towards passing the bill, a civil society activist and Gandhian, Anna Hazare, went on an indefinite hunger strike until death until his demands in support of the bill were met. Anna demanded for a joint committee of civil society members and government representatives to draft a strong anti-graft bill.[1]
The protests led to the creation of an unprecedented movement that saw protests being organised in various cities and towns of India. Protests included fasts, candlelight vigils and rallies. The protests are especially one of their kind in India as they have no political affiliation and the protesters have been very hostile to any political party trying to grab the initiative to meet its own political goals from the activists. The protests to some extent have similarities in methodologies to Jayaprakash Narayan's Bihar Movement (commonly called the JP Movement) of 1974.[2] There were also similarities to the methods and philosophies used in the 2011 Egyptian revolution and the Tunisian revolution, that have rocked the very foundations of governments in the Arab world.
India has seen a lot of corruption in the last 64 years since independence but did not notice it until 48 years. The economy of India was under socialist-inspired policies for an entire generation from the 1950s until the late 1980s. The economy was subject to extensive regulation, protectionism, and public ownership, leading to slow growth.[3][4] There was also pervasive corruption in a system of bureaucratic controls (License Raj), which was often at the core of corruption.
The Vohra Report of 1993, submitted by the former Indian Union Home SecretaryN. N. Vohra, studied the problem of the criminalisation of politics and of the nexus among criminals, politicians and bureaucrats in India. The report contained several observations made by official agencies on the criminal network which was virtually running a parallel government. It also discussed criminal gangs who enjoyed the patronage of politicians – of all political parties – and the protection of government functionaries. It revealed that political leaders had become the leaders of gangs. They were also connected to the military. Over the years criminals had been elected to local bodies, State Assemblies, and even the Parliament.
According to Jitendra Singh, "in the bad old days, particularly pre-1991, when the License Raj held sway, and by design, all kinds of free market mechanisms were hobbled or stymied, and corruption emerged almost as an illegitimate price mechanism, a shadowy quasi-market, such that scarce resources could still be allocated within the economy, and decisions could get made. [...] These were largely distortions created by the politico-economic regime. While a sea change has occurred in the years following 1991, some of the distorted cultural norms that took hold during the earlier period are slowly being repaired by the sheer forces of competition. The process will be long and slow, however. It will not change overnight."[5] One of the major problems and obstacles to development that many developing countries face is corruption by greedy, power-hungry politicians, which is endemic in certain parts of the world.
The Right to Information Act (RTI Act) that came into force in 2005 has helped civilians work effectivley towards tackling corruption. The RTI Act allows all Indian citizens (except those living in Jammu and Kashmir) to request information from a "public authority" (a body of Government or "instrumentality of State") which is required to reply expeditiously or within thirty days, all for a meagre sum of ₹ 10 (US$ 0.22). It has also helped activists uncover graft cases against various politicians and bureaucrats. To quell the findings made by RTI activists, there have been instances where RTI activists have been attacked and even killed in some cases.[6]
In the period 2010-2011, India witnessed various scandals being blown apart by the media, whistle-blowers, civil society activists and government investigation agencies alike. Scams like 2G spectrum scam, Adarsh Housing Society Scam, Commonwealth Games scam and many more brought about name of various Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers and even members of the Armed Forces. This showed how deeply entrenched corruption has become in India. It has led to a more expansive civil society movement that wishes to fight graft with the strictest of laws and penalties. India Against Corruption is a body created by various prominent activists and the citizens of India. It has no political affiliations and only wishes to bring about drastic changes in the governance system of India so as to tackle corruption effectively.
The original idea behind the Jan Lokpal Bill is to have the independent body which would investigate cases of corruption within a year and ensure speedy trial within the next year.[7] India Against Corruption has made it its prime objective to bring about the passing in parliament and subsequent effective enforcement of the Jan Lokpal Bill. It has also become a force organizing protests in support of the bill.
Protest Timeline
13 March 2011 (2011-03-13)
A group of Delhi residents dressed in white shirts and t-shirts took a four-hour drive around the city to drum up campaign against corruption and rally support for the Jan Lokpal Bill.[8]
28 March 2011 (2011-03-28)
According to the organisers of the protests held globally on that day - "As many as 45 cities in USA, 40 cities in India and 8 other countries globally joined in an anti-corruption movement. Indians across the globe, as far as from Nagpur to New Jersey and Sydney to Seattle shouted in one voice to enact 'Jan Lokpal Bill' and ratify the UN Convention against Corruption." Many of the marchers were planning to continue the movement by joining Anna Hazare's fast in Delhi on 5 April for the same cause.[9]
4 April 2011 (2011-04-04)
Anna Hazare, the anti corruption activist leader announced his fast unto death till Jan Lokpal Bill is enacted[10]
Around 6,000 Mumbai residents joined Anna Hazare for a one-day fast to support the demand for implementation of the Jan Lokpal Bill.[11]
In Pune over 6,000 residents joined the campaign.[12]
The Freedom Park in Banglore was the cynosure of all eyes on Thursday as Bangaloreans from all walks of life thronged the place to support Anna Hazare.[13]
7 April 2011 (2011-04-07)
File:Jan lokpal 3.jpgProtests have continued as the Government fails to offer better terms to the activists
The government continued to squabble with the activists stating that the bill drafting committee will be headed by a government appointed minister and not a civil society member as the protesters demanded to avoid allowing the government to make the bill less powerful.[19]
The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh met with the President of India to outline to her how the government was going ahead with the demands of the population.[19]
After accepting all the demands of Anna Hazare, the Government of India issued a Official Gazette saying that the draft of lokpal would be made and presented in the coming monsoon session of Lok Sabha.
Victory celebrations were held all over India from Jantar Mantar - the center of the protests to Hyderabad, Jammu, Mumbai, Nagpur, Chennai, Kolkatta, Allahabad[28] and even Anna Hazare's village.[29][30][31]
Bollywood lauded the victory of Anna Hazare, once again echoing their support for the movement and the support of the Indian citizenry.[32]
Anti-Corruption protestors at India Gate booed and drove away controversial journalist Barkha Dutt.[33]
Protesters and leaders of the movement alike stated that the path to attaining complete passing of the bill is still a difficult one, and the movement has to see more harsher days ahead.[34]
The movement has become a symbol of civil society's power in India. After being widely televised by the Indian media, and widely supported by almost every Indian citizen (as the issue of corruption has been an issue every Indian holds very negative views about), the movement has attained a certain level of credibility in the eyes of the Indian masses. Its uniqueness in the fact that it was completely apolitical; was a movement solely of the people; did not wish to put in disarray the country as in the case of total shutdowns organised by politcal parties (Commonly called a Bandh) ; and was able to bend the government - is something new for India.[35] Many commentators have called the movement the 'wake-up' call for India.[36][37] Meanwhile social networking chatter has been filled with fears that Indians will once again go back to 'sleep' with time.[38]
June 2011 (2011-06)
Baba Ramdev decided to sit on fast-unto-death on 4th June 2011 protesting against black money.When he came at Delhi at June 1st four senior Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee, Kapil Sibal, P K Bansal and Subodh Kant Sahay met Baba Ramdev and discussed issues at Delhi Airport on June 1st.[39]Back-channel talk between two sides were held in a hotel on June 2nd.[40].Next day talks were held between government ministers and Ramdev and both sides claimed consensus. Government gave item wise response to the demands while Ramdev planned to go ahead with hunger strike.
On saturday June 4th, 2011, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev began his indefinite fast-unto-death at Ram Lila Grounds of Delhi to bring back the black money stashed in tax havens abroad.[41]65,000 followers of the yoga teacher had gathered at Ramlila maidan[42]At the midnight,Police raided the ground when most Satyagrahis were sleeping and Ramdev was busy at a meeting with his core group.
[43] .A large police force lobbed tear gas shells and lathicharged to evict the crowd at 1am to 4 am.Delhi Police kept Ramdev in a government guesthouse for a few hours and then sent him to Dehradun using a BSF aircraft and then to his ashram in Haridwar in police custody. [44].Police firing tear gas and angry people attacking security forces with stones and released subsequently and issued an externment.Reportedly 53 persons were injured and were treated at the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) hospital, AIIMS trauma center and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.[45][46][47]
Protests were held in many different parts of country.[48] Protest were held in Bangalore, Mumbai,Hyderabad, Jammu, Lucknow among other several cities of India.[49]Activist Anna Hazare comdemned the police section and decided to boycott lokpal panel meeting scheduled on 6th June and to organize one day fast at Jantar Mantar in New delhi, on 8th June.Protest location was changed to Rajghat later.[50] Protests against the action also spread to Nepal.[51][52]
Drafting Committee of the Bill
The 10 member Drafting Committee of the Jan Lokpal Bill will have an equal representation of both politicians and civil society members.[53] On 8 April 2011, the Ministry of Law and Justice issued an official notification, The Gazette of India, regarding the Joint Drafting Committee of the bill. A copy of the notification can be found here[53]
Chairmen
The Government of India accepted that there be a politician Chairman and an activist, non-politician Co-Chairman. It is reported that Pranab Mukherjee, from the political arena, and Shanti Bhushan, from the civil society, will be the Chairmen of the Drafting Committee.
Government representation
Five Cabinet ministers will be a part of the Drafting Committee. They are:
Adding a new chapter in Lokpal Bill issue, the candidature of Shanti Bhushan, veteran lawyer, former union law minister and co-chairman of the new committee formed as a result of Anna Hazare's recent hunger strike to draft a law on corruption, has come under scanner after a new CD controversy.[54] Shanti Bhushan said that "it certainly appears to be a motivated, mallicious campaign to derail the draft of the Lokpal bill"
First Lokpal Bill draft meeting
First Lokpal Bill draft meeting was held on 16 April 2011, Eight days after Gandhian Anna Hazare called off his fast demanding a stronger Lokpal law. The government has agreed to audio-recording of all meetings of the Lokpal Bill panel and to holding public consultations before a final draft of the anti-graft law is prepared. Next meeting will be held on 2 May 2011.[55]
Anna Hazare insisted to telecast the live proceedings video, but government denied stating certain "drawbacks" of doing so and so the first meeting was held recording the audio for future references.[56]
Use of social networks
Within a day of the beginning of the agitation, more than 30,000 people pledged their support to the Lokpal Bill. Organisers of the India Against Corruption said 30,000 people from Maharashtra expressed their support on their website.[57] With an active Facebook page comprising of over 60,000 fans and a Twitter profile with more than 3300 followers, the “India Against Corruption” movement has already been a big success. The website has 20,000 members in Mumbai alone.[58] Within a few days the Facebook page for India Against Corruption had more than 150,000 likes.[59]
There was heightened political activity on social networking websites like Twitter and Facebook. Various support group pages and events were created on the websites to show support and rally the masses.
Nonpartisan nature
Hazare and the protesters have tried to keep the protests non-political. No politicians were welcome at the site of the fast. Former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti and pro Sonia Gandhi journalist Barkha Dutt were forced by civilians to leave, after the protesters objected against their presence which they believed was harming the integrity of their movement.[60]
Government response
Hazare's protest has led to the resignation of Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar from the Group of Ministers on corruption after Anna took potshots at him.[61] On 8 April, the government started seriously considering the demands of the protesters. The government has stated that it will table the bill in the parliament in the upcoming Monsoon session.[62] On 9 April, the government finally agreed to have a 50:50 distribution of the Government appointed officials and the members of the civil society.[63] On May 13, PM Manmohan Singh stated that the Indian government has completed the process for ratification of UN Convention against Corruption[64].
Political response
Bhartiya Janata Party
Bhartiya Janata Party supported Anna Hazare. Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitley urged the Congress-led UPA Government to take veteran social activist Anna's indefinite fast very seriously.[65]
Senior BJP leader, L.K. Advani suggested that a meeting of political parties should be convened to discuss this issue "particularly in the context of black money and curbing money-power in elections".[66]
BJP leader and Chief Minister of GujaratNarendra Modi posted on his Facebook account that he was diligently praying for Anna Hazare's health. He also published an open letter to Anna Hazare thanking him for the latter's support for the development work in Gujarat (being spearheaded by Narendra Modi himself as the chief minister of the state). Narendra Modi also cautioned Anna Hazare of possible vilification by a certain 'powerful-group' that wishes to defame Narendra Modi and Gujarat. He reiterated his support for the Jan Lokpal Bill, stating that he was also just another common man.[67]
Swami Ramdev claimed that Bharat Swabhiman Yatra has evoked massive support from the masses and more than 10 crore people have been directly involved with the movement. His Yatra ended on June 1 at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh after travelling over one lakh km across the country.[69]
Swami Ramdev declared that a people's movement to liberate the country from rampant corruption and build a strong spiritual ‘Bharat' would be launched by him in June. The movement which is second phase of Bharath Swabhiman Yatra is named 'Satyagraha against Corruption'.[70] He declared one of the main objectives of the movement was to bring about an end to corruption and bring back black money stashed away in various financial institutions in the country and abroad. On the midnight of June 5th, police raided the site where Baba Ramdev was fasting against corruption and black money issues in the capital and forcefully detained him and removed his supporters from the site after firing tear gas shells and resorting to lathicharge to end his day-old indefinite hunger strike on black money issue.[71] Seventy one people were injured and moved to hospital four patients are reported to be in critical condition.[72] Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee called the police action ‘unfortunate’, but added that the government had to do that as Baba Ramdev had no permission to hold a political agitation in Ramlila Ground.[73]
He maintained that second phase of Bharat Swabhiman Yatra would begin from October this year and the Yatra would once again travel a distance of one lakh km.[69]
Jantar Mantar fast on June 8
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". - Anna Hazare ( When some press reporter ask him how can he protest at Jantar mantar since prohibitory orders)
In a response to Police crackdown at Ramlila ground protests, activist Anna Hazare have said that he will be sitting on a one day hunger strike at Jantar Mantar on June 8, 2011.But he changed this venue to Rajghat as police didn't permit him to fast at Jantar Mantar.[75]
Anonymous starts Operation India
Hacker group Anonymous has come out in support of a civil movement against corruption in India by hacking one of the websites of a government the National Informatics Centre website. It has been named as Operation India.[76]
Joshi, S. M. (1982). "Corruption in India: ramifications and remedies". 2 JP memorial lecture 1981. New Delhi,: Popular Prakashan for Jayaprakash Foundation: 28. Retrieved 15 April 2011. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link)
Political corruption in India. Popular Book Services; [sole distributors: Lalvani Bros., Bombay. 1967. p. 180. Retrieved 15 April 2011. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
India
