anna hazare

Indian Ocean In high Sea!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Mar 2014 12:18:00 -0700

While it's easy to search something from Google Earth or Tom-nod in real-time and tag to look-up, which definitely will get you millions of likes and comment on your this achievement, but how hard is it to track those tags physically. The Deep Sea Search operations is whole new mouse and Keyboard trick, one could crack insensitive jokes, and speculate conspiracy theories sitting in front of a computer, the real heroes are the ones who have braved of nature to carry out the search operation browsing and overcoming the waves in Indian Ocean.

We’ve all been tracking news of the Malaysian aircraft that went missing after taking off from Kuala Lumpur on March 8. While no confirmed sightings have been made since, the Malaysian Prime Minister confirmed on March 24th that the jet crashed into the Indian Ocean and lost all lives On Board.

My prayers and condolence to all on board lives that were lost on MH370 and to their families.

Earthquake in Sikkim 42 dead across India.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 08:47:00 -0700

Gangtok: At least 42 people have died in India, most of them in Sikkim, others in neighbouring Bihar and West Bengal. The earthquake, which measured 6.8 on the Richter Scale and was centred on the Sikkim-Nepal border 64 kilometres north-west of Gangtok, is the region's worst in 60 years. Among the toughest parts of the recovery is the operation to re-open National Highway 31A which connects Sikkim to the rest of the country, and is needed to bring in food and other supplies.

At a hospital in Siliguri, a man being moved on a stretcher says he wants to share his story. "I was driving in my car," he said, "and suddenly there was this jolt. The windshield shattered, pieces of glass were flung at us, and our car started swerving." 12 people have also died in Nepal and Tibet, pushing the death toll to 54. Indian Home Secretary RK Singh said that number may rise as rescue and relief operations progress. Heavy rain in the area caused landslides through the night and much of today, making it tough for doctors and others to reach the Western and Southern districts in Sikkim. Nine helicopters are being used to airdrop food and other supplies to areas like Siliguri. A breakthrough came late this afternoon when the Army was able to clear a crucial road from Siliguri in West Bengal to Gangtok. More than 5000 Army jawans are being used to provide assistance to those affected. 2000 people have taken shelter at Army camps.

In Sikkim's capital, Gangtok, the devastation seems absolute. More than 100,000 buildings have been severely damaged. Government offices and hospitals have been left unusable. The Chief Minister cannot use his office. Water and power supply remain erratic; phone towers have been hit, making communication tough. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is headed to Darjeeling, said that her priority is to ensure that National Highways 31A and 55, damaged by landslides, are repaired urgently so that food and other supplies can be transported. Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported that at least seven persons have been killed and 22 others injured in Tibet.Meanwhile, a seismic observatory in Shillong said that an earthquake of 4.3 magnitude on the Richter scale shook parts of Meghalaya today.

Many injured in north Bengal, power supply disrupted.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:07:00 -0700

North Bengal Affairs Minister Gautam Deb said the quake triggered landslides in Kalimpong and Kurseong sub-divisions while several patients in a nursing home in Siliguri sub-division of Darjeeling district were injured. Many people were injured, power supply was disrupted in parts of northern West Bengal and houses developed cracks as a powerul quake, epicentred in adjoining Sikkim, rocked the region Sunday evening. 'One sub-station has been affected in Siliguri, disrupting power supply. Most of the areas of north Bengal, including Darjeeling district, have been lashed by overnight rains. After the quake, situation has deteriorated with landslides in Kalimpong and Kurseong,' Deb said. 'The impact was more in Cooch Behar district. Jalpaiguri district has also been hit,' he said shortly after an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale with its epicentre near the Sikkim-Nepal border hit the state Sunday evening,The Darjeeling district magistrate has been asked to go to the spot to see the situation first hand, the chief minister said. 'The DM of Darjeeling is already on the field assessing the situation but he may not be able to assess the whole situation right now as it is very dark out there. As Darjeeling and Kalimpong are close to the epicentre, that's why it is a bit affected as per initial reports,' Banerjee said.'But there is nothing to panic. The administration is on high alert,' she said. She said she could not contact officials of Jalpaiguri district.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that as per initial reports, power supply has been disrupted in areas near Sikkim like Kalimpong of Darjeeling district, and adjoining Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar districts.
'Some houses may have developed cracks in the hills, but we are still awaiting confirmation. We are constantly monitoring the situation. If anybody is trapped, then we should all work together to rescue such people. We will help each other,' she said.
The chief minister said an emergency helpline (03322145486) has been started at the director general of police control room at the state secretariat, Writers' Buildings, in Kolkata.
Weather officials warned of more landslides in the Darjeeling hills following heavy rains.
Panic gripped Kolkata, where Durga Puja shopping was at its peak.'It was very frightful. I never had such an experience. There was an announcement on the public address system to evacuate the floor. I and my sons managed to come out fast. But there was lot of commotion at the exit gate,' said a man in his late 30s who had come to a shopping mall with his two sons.
'Due to heavy rainfall in Darjeeling hills, there are chances of landslides following the earthquake. There may also be aftershocks,' said G.C. Debnath, director of Regional Meteorological Centre, Kolkata.
Shopping malls were evacuated, people rushed to the streets, and the superstitious people blew conches to ward off evil spirit.

Severe earthquake rocks Sikkim, 20 killed.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 13:56:00 -0700

An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the richter scale hit North India on Sunday and the epicentre was 64 km from Gangtok in Sikkim at 6:10 pm, causing damages in the area. Mild tremors were felt in Delhi and other parts of North India. Tremors were felt in Patna, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal also.

Reports said that tremors were felt for almost 30 seconds. People in most parts of North and East India rushed out of their homes in panic.

Aftershocks measuring 6.1 and 5.3 on the richter scale were also felt around Sikkim 20 minutes after the earthquake.

Speaking to CNN-IBN, the DGP of Sikkim said that many buildings were damaged. He also said that roads were blocked and people were stranded on roads. He said that the Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling has called for an emergency meeting.

Arvind Kumar, Principal Resident Commissioner of Sikkim said that there was excessive damage in the northern parts of Sikkim. He also said that the rescue operations had started in the area.

The Chief Secretary of Sikkim Karma Gyatso said that there were reports suggesting that one child succumbed to injuries after the earthquake.

There were intermittent power outages.

There were also reports of landslides following the earthquake in areas around Sikkim and also Darjeeling.

The Prime Minister also spoke to the Sikkim Chief Minister and offered all help. The Prime Minister also directed the Cabinet Secretary to call for an emergency meeting.

There were reports of damages from Bihar. Two buildings collapsed in Katihar in Bihar. The NTPC power plant in Kahalgaon in Bihar has also been shut down because of the earthquake following which North Bihar was under power crisis. One person reportedly died in Bihar in a stampede following the Earthquake.

Chief Election Commissioner SY Qureshi who was staying in a hotel in Bhutan said that there were minor cracks in the hotel.

RS Dattatreya, Director, Seismology in the Met Department said that there were possibility of aftershocks only in the area around the epicentre.

Earthquake News: At least 18 people have been killed - seven in India and five in Nepal - after an earthquake measuring 6.8.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 13:53:00 -0700

New Delhi: At least 18 people have been killed, 13 in India and five in Nepal, and over 100 are injured after an earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale shook Sikkim this evening. Strong tremors were also felt in parts of North and East India and parts of Bangladesh and Nepal, causing widespread panic. The epicentre of the quake is said to be just 64 kilometres North-West of Gangtok. (First Pictures)

Seven people, including two Armymen, were killed in Sikkim and 33 others received injuries there. In Bihar, a seven-year-old girl was among two dead. Four more died in West Bengal. Of the five people killed in Nepal, three casualties were reported from Kathmandu, where the British embassy collapsed and smashed a car. Tremors were felt in Lucknow, Patna, Kolkata, New Delhi and the National Capital Region, which sent thousands of people running out of their homes. (Forum: Did you feel the tremors?)

Three aftershocks, of magnitude 5.7, 5.1 and 4.6 were also felt in Sikkim, says the India Meteorological Department. (Buzz on Twitter)

Many buildings in Sikkim developed cracks, including the Sikkim Manipal University building.

The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has launched search and rescue operations in the Pegong area of north Sikkim which has been "badly affected." The ITBP rescued 15 foreign tourists and 150 villagers in their operations. They have been moved to battalion headquarters. Rescue operations are, however, being hampered by heavy rainfall and landslides. (Read: ITBP rescue 15 tourists, 150 villagers)

Apart from five civilians, two Army personnel have also died in Sikkim. There has also been extensive damage to Army structures in North Sikkim. One Army bus and several Army vehicles are also missing in the region. Four teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been rushed to Sikkim and five more teams were being sent from Kolkata, Cabinet Secretary Ajit Kumar Seth told reporters after a meeting of top officials in Delhi convened on the direction of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The PM has also spoken to Sikkim's Chief Minister Pawan Chamling and offered help. (Read: PM orders meeting of disaster authority)

10 engineer columns are moving from Siliguri to clear the four blockages in the Siliguri-Gangtok route. Large amount of civilians have been accommodated in Kalimpong in West Bengal and other places in Sikkim. There is no electricity in Gangtok and Darjeeling. Telephone lines have also snapped in some parts of Sikkim; phone lines are congested in West Bengal. (Read: Many hurt in Bengal, power supply disrupted)

Five Indian Air Force planes have also been pressed into action for relief operations. Small Army columns in Sikkim have also been mobilised post the earthquake. The quake comes just days after an earthquake of 4.2 magnitude hit Haryana's Sonepat district, sending tremors in New Delhi. (Read: Sikkim quake is India's fourth this September)

Petrol price hike was decision of oil marketing firms: Pranab.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 07:34:00 -0700

Amid resentment over the sharp hike in petrol prices, the Government today distanced itself from the decision saying the call was taken by oil marketing firms. "So far as petrol price is concerned, petrol has been deregulated. It is the oil marketing companies' review," Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said when asked about the Rs 3.14 per litre hike.

He was talking to reporters after launching Land of Two Rivers, a book written by Nitish Sengupta in New Delhi. Yesterday the state-owned oil companies hiked petrol prices stating that depreciation of Rupee increased the cost of crude oil imports. This is the second major hike in four months. In May, petrol price was increased by Rs 5 per litre. While the UPA ally Trinamool Congress has already demanded a rollback in the hike, CPI(M) termed it as "callous" and demanded restoration of the administrative regulation of petrol pricing. The CPI(M) said that the petrol price hike comes at a time when inflation is touching double digits and this would only have a cascading effect on price rise. The RBI in its monetary policy today said that the petrol price hike would push WPI inflation up by 7 basis points. Petrol prices were freed from government control in June last year.

BJP slams govt over fuel price hike, threatens protest.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 07:31:00 -0700

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today joined the growing chorus of political outrage over the latest hike in fuel prices. Slamming the government over move, the BJP - the main opposition party - threatened to take to the streets to protest against the hike, saying it would force the government for a rollback in prices. It also rejected the government's argument of the fuel price hike being related to the fall in rupee, saying that it was faulty financial policies of the Centre that was responsible for this move.

"Congress is angry with the common man...that is why the hike", BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said. The party also exhorted West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to use her clout in getting the government to reverse its decision.

Ms Banerjee's party, the Trinamool Congress, incidentally has expressed its unhappiness after petrol prices were increases by Rs. 3.14 a litre yesterday. Senior party leader and cabinet minister Dinesh Trivedi said his party was "very upset" but that "the alliance with the UPA is not in trouble, this is a democratic way of expressing dissent." Other allies of the Congress, including the DMK and Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) too have criticised the move.With the fuel issue still raging, an impending ministerial meeting to consider making cooking gas more expensive for households had to be called off today.

People's power - Anna Hazare was not the first.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 07:26:00 -0700

The Magna Carta

In 1215, fed up with King John losing his lands, men and money in France, the barons of England made a deal with him. They wanted to protect their liberties and privileges while limiting the king's powers. It was the first document that English subjects forced on their king. Three of its clauses remain part of the country's unwritten constitution.

Women's suffrage

Women in Europe had been demanding the right to vote since the 19th century. In England, by 1914, the movement turned violent, with window-smashings and arson attacks. World War I, however, put a halt to demands, as the men went off to the warfront and more than a million women took up their jobs.

In 1918, when the war was over, the government granted women above the age of 30 the right to vote. In 1928, the right was extended to women above 21. It, of course, remains debateable if the women's movement proved successful or if the government simply appreciated the women's war efforts.

The African-American Civil Rights Movement.

Between 1955 and 1968, the movement fought to gain voting rights for Blacks in the Southern US states and ban racial discrimination. It included mass action, sit-ins and boycotts — all familiar to us Indians. Several anti-discriminatory laws were passed in these years, including those giving Blacks the right to vote. The hero of the movement was Martin Luther King.

The Anti-Apartheid Movement in South Africa

What began as a boycott of South African goods in other countries transformed — after the massacre of around 70 blacks in Sharpeville in 1960 — into a global ostracisation of the country's racist regime. Following intensified internal agitation and international sanctions, the apartheid laws began to be repealed in 1986.

Manmohan Singh should learn from Indira Gandhi: Anna Hazare.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:33:00 -0700

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has given his first interview to IBN18 Editor-in-Chief Rajdeep Sardesai.

Following is the transcript of the interview:

Rajdeep Sardesai: Has the saint of Ralegan become the country's hero?

Anna Hazare: I am a simple worker. It is not proper to call me a saint, otherwise people will just come to visit me and not do any work.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Did you ever imagine 5-6 months back that your fast at Jantar Mantar would have such a huge impact? You have been fasting since 1986. You have sat on 11 fasts. Did you ever think this fast would have such an impact?

Anna Hazare: I too sometimes think of this. Why did the country rally behind a Fakir like me. Perhaps it is God's wish that I have to do something good for this country, that he has created me.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Do you think you would have managed such a support had you done this agitation in Ralegan or in Mumbai?

Anna Hazare: This is true. Delhi is India's capital and the media helped in taking the agitation to every home in the country.

Rajdeep Sardesai: What is the biggest achievement of this agitation?

Anna Hazare: The biggest achievement of this agitation is the rise of the youth, because of their fervour it is now a matter of time before India gets rid of corruption.

Rajdeep Sardesai: But corruption cannot be eradicated by mere sloganeering. Corruption cannot be rid only by wearing Anna's cap.

Anna Hazare: This I have said earlier also. One does not become Anna by merely writing 'I am Anna' on the cap. To become Anna you have to have high morals, be ready to sacrifice, be prepared for humiliations and continue to burn like a lamp.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Will you agitate again if the standing committee does not accept your suggestions in the Jan Lokpal Bill?

Anna Hazare: Yes we will agitate, but this time not against parliament. We will identify parliamentarians in the standing committee who oppose the bill and sing bhajans in front of their houses and during elections go to their constituencies and prevail upon the voters not to vote for such people.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Does this mean you are slowly moving towards politics?

Anna Hazare: There is no politics in this. We are against corruption which is ruining this country and making the common man miserable. This is an effort to make the country a better place to live in.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Your opponents may say that if you insist on only your version of the Jan Lokpal Bill, it will amount to blackmail?

Anna Hazare: We are not saying accept our version of the Bill as it is. But we want a good Bill in the interest of the country.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Are you ready to accept suggestions from activists like Jayaprakash Narayan and Aruna Roy who too have their own versions of the Jan lokpal Bill.

Anna Hazare: Absolutely.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Are you ready to compromise on the Jan Lokpal Bill?

Anna Hazare: If there are good suggestions we will accept them.

Rajdeep Sardesai: So you are ready to talk to other activists.

Anna Hazare: Yes.

Rajdeep Sardesai: You are not insisting that only your version of the Bill is acceptable to you?

Anna Hazare: No. That will be like dictatorship.

Rajdeep Sardesai: This is not dictatorship?

Anna Hazare: No.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Will you campaign against corrupt politicians in next year's assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab? Will you in some form connect your movement against corruption with elections?

Anna Hazare: Absolutely.Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha are sacred temples of democracy. Only sacred people should go to such places. If non sacred people go to such places it is a threat to democracy. Today so many parliamentarians are criminals. It is important to make people aware that they should not send such corrupt people to parliament.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Will you campaign against candidates who are corrupt and have a criminal record?

Anna Hazare: Absolutely.

Rajdeep Sardesai: So is this not politics?

Anna Hazare: How is this politics? It is our duty to make people aware if wrong-doers are elected.

Rajdeep Sardesai: But don't' you feel some political party will try to take advantage of this. Nitin Gadkari has said he is ready to support you if you go along with his party. LK Advani too is going on a yatra.

Anna Hazare: That will happen. This has happened many times in the past. When I protested during the Congress rule, BJP-Shiv Sena people tried getting close to me. Their government came to power and they went a step ahead of them. The cycle of agitations continued.

Rajdeep Sardesai: So you will not associate yourself with any political outfit.

Anna Hazare: Absolutely no.

Rajdeep Sardesai: You will not associate yourself with any political yatra like LK Advani's.

Anna Hazare: My point is if the BJP leaders say they are ready to support me then why don't they first bring the Lokayukta Bill in the states they are in power. They must first act in people's favour.

Rajdeep Sardesai: People think BJP is using you as a pawn against the Congress. Are you completely denying this allegation?

Anna Hazare: If Congress feels like this then why is it misleading us. Since the beginning of this agitation they have been lying. I was put in jail as part of a conspiracy.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Who do you think was behind this conspiracy? You had earlier taken Chidambaram's name. Do you think the PM was misled?

Anna Hazare: I think Manmohan Singh is not the only PM. There are many people who think they are the prime minister.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Do you think the PM was misled?

Anna Hazare: Who listens to the PM? He is remote controlled by many people.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Sonia Gandhi wanted you to join the drafting committee when you started the fast in April. Do you think Sonia Gandhi was also misled or do you think that she is a part of this conspiracy?

Anna Hazare: Whether it is Sonia Gandhi or Manmohan Singh, they feel they have to take such leaders along if they want to run the government. Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister not because of Congress workers, but because she worked for the poor.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Are you saying that Manmohan Singh should learn from Indira Gandhi?

Anna Hazare: Absolutely.

Rajdeep Sardesai: You are referred to as a Gandhian, but a few days back you said that the corrupt should be hanged. Gandhi never said that anybody should be hanged to death.

Anna Hazare: That is why I took those words back. But there should be life imprisonment for such corrupt people and the money they had appropriated should be seized form them.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Your movement has been accused of having a dubious source of funding, and authors like Arundhati Roy have also brought up this issue. Does this worry you?

Anna Hazare: This is no cause for worry for me. There is no question of black money in my movement against corruption

Rajdeep Sardesai: What will you do if you discover that black money is funding your movement?

Anna Hazare: If I get to know that black money is involved, I will back out of the movement. I will run this movement till there are no allegations against us. Those who make such charges are not always above suspicion themselves

Rajdeep Sardesai: Have you told your team members Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia to ensure that the funding for this movement is not from dubious sources, or from industrialists who are associated with black money?

Anna Hazare: I have warned my team mates. I have asked them to hire a Chartered Accountant to audit the finances of the movement April onwards. I have asked them to give me a copy and send one to all the core committee members as well.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Vilasrao Deshmukh, who was one of the negotiators during your August fast, has been named in the Adarsh scam. This gives an impression that you are negotiating with tainted ministers.

Anna Hazare: He was the Prime Minister's representative, I never called him. Vilasrao Deshmukh hasn't become any less tainted just by meeting me.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Do you really believe that India can have a political party comprising of non-corrupt people?

Anna Hazare: Absolutely. All parties have some non-corrupt leaders. If all those politicians come together, a good party can be formed.

Rajdeep Sardesai: You have said that you don't want to lead such a party, but will you encourage Arvind Kejriwal or Kiran Bedi to be part of one?

Anna Hazare: I don't want that. This party should have non-corrupt people with political knowledge and experience. If Arvind or Kiran become a part of such an outfit, people will level allegations against me.

Rajdeep Sardesai: There is an allegation that this is a middle-class movement and that the rural population isn't involved with the Anna movement. Do you believe this is true or is it just propaganda?

Anna Hazare: There are people who will always criticize. They have not seen the fact that we got a lot of support at the local level.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Some people who gave speeches at Ramlila Maidan were of questionable intent. Will you keep such people away from your movement?

Anna Hazare: Some people want to use me to gain political mileage, but I have never trusted them. People who are part of the movement should have a clean image and our funding should also be clean.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Medha Patkar, for example, has said that you should include the Dalits, Muslims and Adivasis in the movement. She says it's not enough to break your fast at the hands of a Dalit or a Muslim girl. Do you agree?

Anna Hazare: I agree with this. This is why we have decided to double the core committee's strength and include people from all communities.

Rajdeep Sardesai: So the core committee will not become like a political party?

Anna Hazare: Absolutely not.

Rajdeep Sardesai: So the core committee won't be limited to just 4-5 members?

Anna Hazare: Yes. During the fast we noticed that Hindus, Muslims and Christians participated equally. The communal divide is fuelled by politicians, and we want to unite everyone and move ahead.

Rajdeep Sardesai: The government has sent members of your team Breach of Privilege notices. Do you think this was fair?

Anna Hazare: Congress' intention is not right. They gave notices to Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal, tomorrow they will also send me a notice.

Rajdeep Sardesai: You say that Parliament is supreme, then doesn't it have the right to send a Breach of Privilege notice?

Anna Hazare: We trust Parliament, but not these parliamentarians. So we will never go against Parliament.

Rajdeep Sardesai: But you will go against the very same Parliament if they don't pass the Jan Lokpal Bill?

Anna Hazare: We will sing bhajans in front of houses of Parliamentarians who oppose the Bill.

Rajdeep Sardesai: People have started to feel that all politicians are corrupt. Do you agree?

Anna Hazare: That's not true. All politicians are not corrupt. But the few corrupt ones have managed to defame the others.

Rajdeep Sardesai: When, at Ramlila Maidan, Kiran Bedi makes fun of politicians and Om Puri calls them 'illiterate and backward', do you think that is right? Won't people stop believing in democracy?

Anna Hazare: I keep telling people not to blame all politicians. I feel that all the non-corrupt leaders from BJP and Congress should come together and form a new outfit.

Rajdeep Sardesai: If non-corrupt people from all parties join hands to form an outfit, will you support them?

Anna Hazare: Absolutely, I will support them.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Will you lead such an outfit?

Anna Hazare: No, I will not lead them. But I will support them and I will tell people to vote for them.

Rajdeep Sardesai: So you are saying that you will support such a party that non-corrupt politicians form?

Anna Hazare: Absolutely, because that is the only solution left to save the nation.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Why don't you lead such a party?

Anna Hazare: No, I am a simple man.

Rajdeep Sardesai: But you are now a hero for many. If you lead such a party, people will be drawn to vote. You had earlier told me that you don't believe in elections, because you feel people only win after luring voters with money and alcohol. Have you changed your mind?

Anna Hazare: No, I'm not a hero. So many people support me, but I still sleep on the floor in the temple. I still live in an 8x10 room.

Rajdeep Sardesai: You say your next fight will be about electoral reforms. You talk about 'Right to Recall' and 'Right to Reject'. Do you think they are practical options?

Anna Hazare: Yes, they can be implemented. Our citizens have become aware now.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Is it practical to hold elections again and again?

Anna Hazare: Why not? Let it happen. If a small expense is going to save all the crores wasted in corruption, won't it benefit the nation?

Rajdeep Sardesai: If the government doesn't agree on these reforms, will you again go on a fast?

Anna Hazare: We are ready to discuss these issues with the government. I am going to write a letter to the Prime Minister and urge him to initiate a discussion on these reforms. If they are not interested, then we will protest again.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Some people consider these protests a form of blackmail. What would you say to them?

Anna Hazare: In 1950, Indian citizens became the rulers of our nation, and they have sent their servants to Parliament to implement beneficial laws. When Parliamentarians don't do their work, then their bosses, i.e. the citizens, have a right to pressurise them.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Activist Irom Sharmila has been on a fast for the last 12 years. Her supporters have invited you to Manipur. Do you want to be associated with that protest, or do you only want to focus on corruption?

Anna Hazare: Two of our representatives will go to Imphal, understand their issues, and then we will discuss it for sure.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Will you join other movements or only focus on corruption?

Anna Hazare: For the wellness of the society and the nation, we must support all the good movements happening around the country.

Rajdeep Sardesai: So you will go to Khairlanji if atrocities are committed on Dalits?

Anna Hazare: Yes, definitely.

Rajdeep Sardesai: If there are Hindu-Muslim riots, will you go there to help maintain peace?

Anna Hazare: Yes, absolutely. We will go.

Rajdeep Sardesai: In just 6 months you have become a national hero. Do you agree that your life has changed?

Anna Hazare: I don't agree with that. I don't like the word 'hero'. I am the same person who still lives in a temple. Till the time I live, I will remain the same. I do not need any security. Did Bhagat Singh, Rajguru ask for security? If they did, would we have gained independence. I have written a letter to the Home Minister saying I don't need security. Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi were given security, did they not die?

Rajdeep Sardesai: What about TV cameras?

Anna Hazare: That is why I told the media I won't talk to them. I don't want to become a hero. This fame is what creates ego.

Rajdeep Sardesai: Some people criticised you for going to a five star hospital instead of a government one. What will you say to them?

Anna Hazare: It doesn't matter to me. Those who want to point fingers, can keep doing so. If people at Medanta care for me and don't charge a penny, why shouldn't I go there?

Rajdeep Sardesai: What is your message for the people of Ralegan Siddhi? Some people still have to pay bribes for getting work done. What will you tell the common man who doesn't have the strength to fight a mighty government?

Anna Hazare: Yes, I know some people are forced to pay bribes. If they want to stop this, they have to come forward and join our movement. They have to be ready to take a beating, and also to go to jail.

Anna Hazare was a catalyst for what needed to be done.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:30:00 -0700

Minister of state for communications and information techno-logy and twice-elected MP from Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot is amongst the Congress's Young Turks. Analysing the Jan Lokpal movement, the nation's mood and the path to reforms, Pilot spoke with Monobina Gupta on challenges the Congress faces:

How has the Anna Hazare-led Jan Lokpal movement affected the Congress?

This government has committed itself to implementing the Lokpal Bill and ensuring the institution of a strong Lokpal. As a nation and a democracy, we have been able to reach an understanding. Thousands of victorious people left the Ram-lila Ground, convinced that our Parliament would work towards ending corruption.

Anna's taking up the issue and getting mass support resonated with the government, the party and Parliament. Rarely does a country with a democracy the size and scale of India take up an issue highlighted by an individual and his team. Rarely does it become a national issue, addressed in such forceful fashion within Constitutional and legislative propriety. Anna, no doubt, was a catalyst for what needed to be done.

But could the Congress have handled events better?

From early this year, we were in touch with Anna's team mem- bers and Anna himself. I think a lot of issues were not understood - particularly the timeline Team Anna had in mind. In a democracy, you cannot circumvent certain issues. Anna's team understood this later. Importantly, red tapism and corruption are two different issues. A single Lokpal Bill cannot eliminate all ills. Accountability and transparency are as necessary as e-governance and digitalisation of government services in making a paradigm shift in governance.

What should the government's relationship with civil society and movements be?

India is a country where protests, peaceful movements, divergent views have been the norm, rather than the exception. You need multiple voices - which is why our demo-cracy, riding out many problems, has flourished. It is the bureaucrats' job to draft Bills. But this time, we had civil society members as part of the drafting committee which included five ministers as well. Extraordinary circumstances demanded extraordinary measures.

Government and civil society have always engaged with each other. They should do so more in the future. We welcome suggestions, particularly from grassroots people on improving governance. But the consultative process must also protect the sanctity of Parliament and its legislative prerogative.

Has Indian democracy emerged stronger ?

I certainly think so. The process of discussions, negotiations and talks made us more resilient. What could be better than a jubilant people conveying their sentiments to Parliament? It's a great lesson learnt.

Alongside politics, there are perceptions the Congress is going slow on economic reforms. Your view?

We require a guarded approach on how quickly and what areas to reform. A lot has been gained from the last two decades of reforms. At the same time, our cautious policies shielded us against global economic meltdown. Reforms are important - but we also must be mindful of tens of millions of people who need the government to reach out to them. Reforms do not mean giving up your constitutional obligation towards the poor. Social welfare and reforms should go hand in hand.

Those on the socio-economic fringes need support. The Congress needs to focus on them. At the same time, we have to also look after aspiring India - which wants more liberalisation.

Anna’s take on politics simple, simplistic.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:29:00 -0700

Anna Hazare reflects what a majority of Indians feel. He dislikes politicians. He hates corruption. He wants the country to change. And, yes, he thinks Prime Minister Manmohan Singh lacks authority and hardly anybody in the Congress or the government listens to him.

His understanding of things is uncomplicated, an extension of the man himself. Given a chance he would purge all Vidhan Sabhas and Lok Sabha of all corrupt elements. He would not mind throwing his lot behind a political outfit which does not carry the corruption taint. He would even support a political party formed out of honest people from all parties.

“Yes, I will support them, but I will not be a part of the leadership of that party. This is the only way we can save this country,” he said in an interview to the CNN-IBN television channel today.

Girls Simran (2nd L) and Ikra offer coconut water and honey to veteran Indian social activist Anna Hazare (C) after he ended his fast at Ramlila grounds in New Delhi on 28 August 2011. Adnan Abidi/Reuters

The honest intents of the man, who recently led the country’s biggest non-political anti-corruption movement and demolished the big ego of the political class rather ruthlessly, were never in doubt. He personified the collective disgust against corruption and frustration at the politicians. His simplicity was his biggest asset then – it made him an instant hero.

The simplicity is intact. As is the simplistic approach to gargantuan issues. That is a problem. It won’t take him or the country far.

Anna plans to ask people in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab, states going to election shortly, not to vote for corrupt contestants.

“Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha are sacred bodies and only sacred people should go in it. If corrupt people go then it is a threat to the democracy. That is why people have to be woken up and have to be told that they should not vote for the corrupt,” he said.

On the face of it, it is a good idea but in the end impracticable. The obvious questions follow: How do you identify who is corrupt? Who gives you the right to brand someone corrupt? The identification could be based on loose popular perception, which won’t stand legal scrutiny. A campaign of this kind could end up creating more problems than solutions and damaging Anna’s reputation.

The Gandhian holds late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in great esteem. “There was Indira Gandhi who worked for the poor in the country; she was elected as the prime minister. They should look at that,” he said.

The late prime minister was a competent leader but her reputation at tackling corruption certainly left a lot to be desired. That she had to face the Sampoorna Kranti movement of the late Jayaprakash Narayan—a movement similar to that of Anna himself—is testimony to her great failure on this front. Corruption was the dominant theme of that movement too.

The Gandhian wants to remain an outsider in the political process. “If the good people of all parties can come together and I will tell the people of the country to support them, but I will not be a part of the leadership of that party…I don’t have the capacity. I am an ordinary man,” he said.

Such an approach smacks of escapism – a reflection of the popular attitude towards politics. People who criticise the political class for its many failures are reluctant to take up the challenge themselves. Anna, with his popularity, could form a party and participate in elections easily. Admitted, he is not a career politician but the country needs honest men to be at the forefront, in the leadership role.

What Anna does from now on is important. He could stretch himself thin through targeting individuals. The yields from the effort would be insignificant. A much better idea would be if he focuses solely on electoral reforms which stops dubious characters from entering politics.

Anna Hazare trashes 'politics rumour'.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:27:00 -0700

Anna Hazare spoke exclusively to TIMES NOW on Tuesday (September 13) and puts an end to all speculation of him joining politics says such rumours are part of a conspiracy against Team Anna.

Arnab Goswami : Anna Hazare is speaking to TIMES NOW for the first time after his fast over the Jan Lokpal Bill. Anna Hazareji, thank you very much for speaking with us.

Anna Hazare : Thank you.

Arnab Goswami : There have been reports that you will support some political party and fight elections. In response Congress has said that Anna Hazare's movement should not be political one. Please clarify if you contest elections?

Anna Hazare : We don't attach ourselves with any political party. No political party has a clean image. But, some political parties have got some good candidates. Political parties cannot avoid someone and go ahead. Likeminded politicians should form a separate party and only then the country can be saved. Otherwise, this country today has not good future. We support only the likeminded people, those who are patriotic and understanding. People can be from many parties.

Arnab Goswami : Are you saying that there will be a new political party?

Anna Hazare : In any political party, good leaders are very few. Likeminded, clean leaders from all the parties should come out and save this country. We will support such leaders.

Arnab Goswami : But, likeminded leaders should form a party and not group.

Anna Hazare : It is up to such leaders whether they form a party of group. Whatever they have to do should be within the governing principles and rules and regulations. All should save this country from danger. But, I doubt it will happen. People who are involved in this movement will identify MPs, ministers who are opposing good things and will do bhajans, dharnas before their residences. The effect of this would be very great. We should not send the politicians who oppose the Jan Lokpal Bill to the Lok Sabha again.

Arnab Goswami : How will a new political party be formed? When you started all this, your aim was Jan Lokpal Bill. Now, you are going ahead and now saying that political party should be formed. So, people are saying whether politics is the basis of all this. You critics say that politics is the basis of all this anti-corruption movement started by Anna Hazare. How has your stand changed? Have the demands changed?

Anna Hazare : We are presenting the situation before the people and giving an example. Our entire and only focus is on the Jan Lokpal Bill. At present, we do not have time for any other activity except Jan Lokpal Bill. We are giving an example before the people as to how we can change this country and save it. Good leaders from various parties and groups should also think in such a way and then only the country can be saved. I am not going to think on these terms. What should be done and how it should be done is left for those leaders. We have the issue of Jan Lokpal Bill before us. Till the time Jan Lokpal Bill is formed, this agitation will continue.

Arnab Goswami : Will this new political party fight the state elections, national elections or local elections? Who will be the leader of this new party? If you are suggesting such an idea, you will have to do this.

Anna Hazare : No. I won't go into all this. I have presented it before the general public because I have got such an idea. I have also presented the same thing before such good leaders. They will think as to what should be done on this. I don't have experience on this issue. But, I can foresee that only if such thing happens, this nation can be saved.

Arnab Goswami : Will you or your team have a role in this political party?

Anna Hazare : No. We won't have a role in this.

Arnab Goswami : How will the new party be financed? Who will provide the resources?

Anna Hazare : Likeminded people should think about it and find out what to do and how to do. I have only presented an idea that I have got. But, I find only this idea if one wants to save the nation from dangers.

Arnab Goswami : Annaji, until now this movement has been social, and people's movement. And, if political meaning, political purpose come out of this movement, general public will see something else in all this. People will say this anti-corruption movement has become a political movement.

Anna Hazare : I have given this idea to the good leaders of various parties. We wonâ€™t enter into this. We will concentrate on Jan Lokpal Bill now and if a strong bill comes out of this, we will think about other good things.

Arnab Goswami : You will support such party.

Anna Hazare : Yes. We will support them.

Arnab Goswami : Doesn't it mean that you also entered politics indirectly?

Anna Hazare : No. No. Now, we are supporting good people. Our support will be the same then also.

Arnab Goswami : Will it be one party, many parties or new parties?

Anna Hazare : It could be. It may also happen that many parties can combine into one new party. This is the only way if you want to save the country. Now, we are going in our way - Jan Lokpal Bill, changes in Election system. We have presented this suggestion before good people. Such people can give a bright future to this nation.

Arnab Goswami : You also said you will undertake another agitation and that is on Electoral reforms. How will it be done? Will you sit on another fast for this? Have you thought about it? You pressurized this government twice with your fast. Are you ready to go on fast for Electoral reforms?

Anna Hazare : The present system is that on these electronic voting machines it is written from which place it has come. At the time of counting of votes, all the contestants go to that place and see from which place how many votes they have got. If the candidates come to know that from particular villages if they have got less votes they will take revenge on those villages. This system should be changed. We have written to the Election Commission, the Government of India to change the system but nothing has been done on this. This is one. Another one is right to reject. If voter says he does not like any candidate in the list, last symbol should be 'no selection'. Voter can put his mark on that if he does not like any one. If majority of votes are on 'no selection' there will be no result of the election. Such election stands cancelled. Contesting candidates spend crores of rupees to fight elections. If they lose after spending money, they will get a lesson. This we want to achieve.

Arnab Goswami : Do you think the leaders who are corrupt tainted should fight elections? Should they participate in political activities? What should be their role?

Anna Hazare : Now, rules are not that strong enough to punish corrupt people. Everyone knows corrupt people have entered Parliament. System should be changed. Changes should be brought into the system. Parliament is a sacred place. To this sacred place, corrupt and unholy people have been entering. What will happen if such things happen? We are thinking about this. If all the MPs have given such corrupt and tainted people their support, who am I stop them?

Arnab Goswami : What do you have to say about Vilasrao Deshmukh? There are charges against Vilasrao in the Adarsh issue. Court has also uttered something against him. There are allegations against him. But still you have entered into a negotiation with him.

Anna Hazare : I have not talked anything. I have not invited him to talk with me. The Prime Minister has sent him as his representative. I had to talk with him because he has been sent.

Arnab Goswami : Has any political party tried to talk with you after this recent fast? Has any big politician tried to talk with you?

Anna Hazare : About which issue.

Arnab Goswami : Has it happened that any leader tried to talk with you so that you don't say anything against them? They will try to be in touch with you.

Anna Hazare : Till now, no leaders came to me and nobody will come in the future also. We are fighting against corruption, and even there are good leaders in the ruling class and Opposition but because of corrupt people the political parties, leaders wonâ€™t come to me. Everybody knows that I am fighting against corruption for 20 years, so leaders won't come to me.

Arnab Goswami : There is news that Anna Hazareâ€™s thought and judgement can be controlled by people like Arvind, Kiran Bedi and Prashant Bhushan? What is your view?

Anna Hazare : Such people are ignorant I think so. If you look the world through the colour of eyeglasses, then you can only see through that colour only. I have been doing this movement for 20 years. Six ministers resigned, 400 officers resigned, 7 laws were made and these all are not made with any support. My hair has gone white not because of sunshine but with experience. Whole life I have followed my experience. Why I want to hear somebody? I have all the experience.

Arnab Goswami : You have this team - Kiran Bedi, Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan, Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, etc. Will these people be with you when you proceed further for the other agitations, movements in the future?

Anna Hazare : They will definitely be with me. If the people are not corrupt, they will always be associated with me. The day I have any proof against them as to they were involved in corruption, either I wonâ€™t be with them or they wonâ€™t be with me. They wonâ€™t go far from me if they are clean and clear.

Arnab Goswami : What do you have to say about Swami Agnivesh? Many people say he is working in favour of the Government irrespective of him being in your team.

Anna Hazare : I have talked with him twice. I said if he had to say anything to Government, he should first talk with our own committee members. But, he didnâ€™t talk with our own members and directly met ministers and gave assurances. This is not correct. After we take any decision over anything we will first call for a meeting of the committee members, and in the meeting we will decide whether it should be done or not. We have seen this shortcoming on him. So, we have decided that till the time he corrects himself, he wonâ€™t be associating us. We will see what to do if he changes himself.

Arnab Goswami : People say Baba Ramdev supports Anna Hazare and Anna Hazare supports Baba Ramdev. People say Anna does not speak anything against Ramdev even if there are allegations against him. There are allegations against Ramdev recently.

Anna Hazare : If there are allegations against him, there is law. There will be enquiry against him according to the law. If there is any punishment, it would be given as per the law. But, one thing is clear. Baba Ramdev is fighting against corruption. We are fighting against corruption. We have decided that in this anti-corruption movement, we will support him and he will support us. It is decided that we both wonâ€™t occupy same stage.

Arnab Goswami : Why like that, Annaji?

Anna Hazare : They can look after over other things if there is a problem. But, on the issue of corruption we have to come together and fight it out. Corruption should be removed from this country. If there is any problem with rules and other laws, they will look over it. We wonâ€™t involve in it.

Arnab Goswami : How do you manage that only clean image people are around you because many kinds of people want to support you? How do you manage all this?

Anna Hazare : Retired judges of Supreme Court told that they have to give the rest of their life for this activity. Army colonels are all coming forward. Good people are coming forward. We have decided that we will keep a restraint over the people who are willing to join us. We are not taking in people as and when they show interest. Our people will check their background, their work, their sincerity and their patriotism. They will be associating us after all these things. We have not kept a political board where all are invited irrespective of their criminal background. The people will brought into our system only after such background check.

Arnab Goswami : Have anyone in your team have political ambitions? Do you wish for any direct or indirect political role? Such reports are coming in. Politicians have commented over this today. They are saying it would have been better had Anna Hazare kept himself aloof from politics. Do you want to say anything over this?

Anna Hazare : We wonâ€™t enter politics. I do not want to go into all this mess. If I become MLA, MP or minister, I cannot do what all I have been doing from outside. I wonâ€™t be allowed to do what I have been doing from outside. That is the reason why I have been outside and forming a pressure group.

Arnab Goswami : But, why is it said that either Anna Hazare or his team members have political ambitions? Why is it said that Anna Hazare should slowly come to politics?

Anna Hazare : The reason for this is that some people want to disturb this movement. That is the reason whey such talk is coming out. They want to deviate the general public from the issue. But, people know very well. General public wonâ€™t come into this trap. People have known what is right and what is wrong. There is a conspiracy to malign this movement. They have their own means and ways. They will try to detach the people associated with his agitation. They wonâ€™t get any success in this. General public understands what is right.

Arnab Goswami : Do you think there is a conspiracy going on against you - that you want to see the downfall of this government, and you want to uplift someone?

Anna Hazare : Even after 64 years of independence, India has been like a big mountain. There is heavy debt on our country. Who is responsible for this?

Corrupt people are responsible for this. Because of corruption, there is price rise. Why should we send such corrupt people to the Parliament? for ruining this country? We always think for society and nation. We donâ€™t have any interest for any party, group. People have known all this and now the task has become easy. We have the confidence that we can do god for this nation.

Arnab Goswami : LK Advani is going on yatra against corruption. Do you give issue based support to him?

Anna Hazare : No. We wonâ€™t support it. If LK Advani thinks that he is undertaking rath yatra to fight against corruption, why doesnâ€™t he support us openly? Why doesnâ€™t he openly fight for Jan Lokpal Bill in the Parliament? If you want to remove corruption, then do this. Why donâ€™t you appoint a Lokayukta in the states where you have governance? Lokayukta will try to remove corruption to some extent.

Arnab Goswami : In Gujarat also there is no Lokayukta. Many people say Anna Hazare is soft on Narendra Modi and that is why you donâ€™t criticise him.

Anna Hazare : I ask those people - why should Anna Hazare do all the things? Why donâ€™t people become Anna Hazare? Why donâ€™t you become Anna Hazare and do this work? I have no money, no property and no power. Why is there is expectation for anything from Anna Hazare. I ask such people, why donâ€™t you become Anna Hazare?

Arnab Goswami : Narendra Modi has also not appointed Lokayukta. 7 years have passed by. Opposition says Anna Hazare has gone to his house when he went to Ahmedabad.

Anna Hazare : It is wrong. They are trying to malign me. I donâ€™t know he resides. Why will I go to his house? I donâ€™t have anything to ask for. I donâ€™t have to take advantage of any party. There is no need for me to go to anyoneâ€™s house. It is a conspiracy against me.

Arnab Goswami : Anna Hazareji, there is not 100 per cent guarantee that Jan Lokpal Bill will be passed in the Parliament. There is a sense of the House but it is not binding. What will you do if this Bill is not passed even in the next session of the Parliament? Have you thought about? Is there any deadline for it?

Anna Hazare : We have thought about. If anyone in the Standing Committee or any MP in the Parliament opposes it, people will go to MPsâ€™ houses and protest and agitate over it. Will protest outside the houses of all the MPs who will oppose the Lokpal Bill. 2nd we'll request the citizens not to re-elect such people in the next election. What is the need of such people who do not want to fight corruption?

Arnab Goswami : How long are you ready to wait for the Jan Lokpal Bill?

Anna Hazare : Now that we have democracy we will wait till the next election and then teach each one of them lesson.

Arnab Goswami : How?

Anna Hazare : Whoever has opposed the Bill will be taught a lesson then.

Arnab Goswami : In Manipur Irom Sharmila has been fasting for more than a decade. After your fast forced the Govt to debate the Lokpal issue, people have been saying how Irom Sharmila has been ignored by the Govt. So why don't you go and support Irom Sharmila?

Anna Hazare : We have taken a decision on this. Two of our people are going there and enquiring the matter to find out what is the intention behind it, whether it is right or wrong. After the report comes to us our committee will decide.

Arnab Goswami : But you?

Anna Hazare : We'll think about that after the report comes.

Arnab Goswami : You are saying that a new political party should be made. Are you saying that a third Front, besides Congress and BJP, should be supported? Because many small parties will get together and says, don't support Congress and BJP, support us.

Anna Hazare : This is an idea that I have put in front of the people and all the parties. Many ideas and paths will come out from this and the discussion will proceed, that is fine. I have put forward whatever I feel in front of the parties. I will not lead them but I just gave an idea that i had. They'll decide whether to follow it or not.

Arnab Goswami : Is there no leader or party in the present who you think is right for leading the country?

Anna Hazare : There are leaders but no party. It is up to such leaders to decide how to save the country. There is no party at present who can save the country and give it a bright future.

Arnab Goswami : Would you like to name a particular person who you think is an ideal leader?

Anna Hazare : There is. Everybody knows it. Why should I name anybody? If I name one, others will immediately come and start questioning.

Arnab Goswami : When the fast was going on, how were you getting news of people fasting everywhere, joining your movement, and wearing the 'I am Anna' cap? How were you getting the feedback and how were you feeling?

Anna Hazare : I did not try to find out anything. I only know about the people who were sitting in front of me. Some people came and told me about it but I was not aware of the happenings in the entire country, nor did I want to find out. The lakhs of people standing in front of me inspired me and based on that I continued by revolt.

Sonia, PM, Advani: Anna speaks plain.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:26:00 -0700

Excerpts of his remarks on the Prime Minister, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and even opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) patriarch L K Advani: On the PM: The PM is a good man, incorruptible. But he is surrounded by many others who feel they are prime ministers. No one listens to him. He is being remote-controlled. His authority is limited.

On Sonia Gandhi: She is not assertive enough on corruption. I met her but if she were serious about fighting corruption she should have pushed a strong Jan Lokpal Bill. Whether it is Sonia Gandhi or Manmohan Singh, they should remember that Indira Gandhi became Prime Minister not because of Congress workers, but because she had worked for the poor.

On Advani's rathyatra against corruption: I do not support his yatra. If BJP is serious about fighting corruption why not they come out in the open in support of the Jan Lokpal Bill.

On Digvijay Singh: He is my old friend (smiles). He used to touch my feet everywhere he would meet me. Now he calls me an RSS man. I don't know what happened to him.

On Swami Agnivesh: He is not part of our team since we decided that till he stops going to the ministers again and again we cannot associate us with him. He keeps going to the ministers.

On the mass support he received: I never thought that lakhs and crores would support me. I think it is God's work. Earlier only a few thousands or ten thousand would join me in my movements.

Anna Hazare Lashes Out

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 12:54:00 -0700

There’s a new found confidence in Anna Hazare, the 74-year-old Gandhian social activist who has captured the imagination of the common man in India with his anti-corruption crusade. And, with his own standing continuing to rise while that of India’s politicians tumbles ever further, an increasingly assertive Hazare is now taking on the country’s top politicians.

Hazare has given his first interviews to two TV channels – Headlines Today and CNN-IBN – since he abandoned his hunger strike in New Delhi last month. In the interviews, Hazare has taken pot shots at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) patriarch L.K. Advani. He described Singh as ‘a remote-controlled prime minister’ who ‘lacks authority.’ He also said that nobody in Singh’s team listens to him.

He went on to dismiss Advani’s proposed nationwide anti-corruption tour, saying that it is simply a ‘political gimmick’ aimed at garnering votes. ‘I don’t think it is for the good of the country and its people. It is aimed at votes. If it is not so, bring about the Lokpal law,’ Hazare said of the ombudsman bill that he and his followers have campaigned for. ‘Then I will support him (Advani). Our yatra is not for votes. It is for people’s awareness,’ he added.

Hazare also launched a frontal attack on union Home Minister P. Chidambaram for ‘masterminding’ his arrest on August 16 and sending him to Tihar Jail, claiming that the government had planned to pack him off to his village in a helicopter.

The diminutive old man is essentially trying to convey to everyone who will listen – and particularly to his detractors – that he is nobody’s man and keeps his own counsel. ‘I am not connected to any party, nor will I ever be a part of any political party,’ he told the two media outlets. He argued that he is willing to extend support to, and campaign for, any political grouping that is corruption-free and belongs to the non-Congress and non-BJP fronts. But in the same breath, he also made it clear that he himself wouldn’t join up with any party.

‘Yes, I will support them, but I will not be a part of the leadership of that party,’ he said. ‘This is the only way we can save this country.’

Why Hazare has waded into the political arena right now, and decided to attack both the government and the main opposition in the process, is unclear. It also remains uncertain whether his latest comments are likely to pave the way for his own political ambitions. High-profile public campaigners like Baba Ramdev and Swami Agnivesh have openly flirted with politics in the past, but Hazare has so far been careful to avoid any such suggestion.

Ironically, Congress leaders may actually have welcomed Hazare’s latest remarks. After all, the BJP had been keen to fan the Anna Hazare fire when it saw him taking on the government head on. Now, though, Hazare doesn’t need any party’s backing. He has, in some ways, become bigger than his makers.

Advani's yatra 'gimmick', says Anna Hazare

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 12:52:00 -0700

Anna Hazare today called L K Advani's proposed yatra against corruption as a "gimmick" and said he would not support the BJP unless it backs the Jan Lokpal Bill in Parliament and its governments enact a legislation for appointing Lokayuktas in states.

Hazare, who was on a 12-day fast demanding strong Lokpal in New Delhi last month, tore into the Congress and UPA Government saying many people "inside the Congress think they are the Prime Minister". "If Advani is serious on the issue of corruption, then instead of yatra, he should ask all BJP-ruled states to enact legislation for appointing Lokayuktas...it is a gimmick," he told.

"Absolutely not. If BJP says that they support Anna then they should bring Lokayukta bill in their states. First bring Lokayukta and then (ask for) support," he said in a response to a question whether he would join any political yatra, especially the one to be undertaken by Advani soon. Hazare said he and his team would support BJP only if states ruled by the party Lokayuktas and back "Jan Lokpal in total" in Parliament.

Criticising Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister P Chidambaram and HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, Hazare, who was part of the Joint Drafting Committee along with the three, said they "behaved like prime ministers". To a specific question about the three ministers, he said: "Everyone knows that they behave like Prime Ministers. Why do you want me to spell it out?"

Hazare said he would support a front consisting of non-corrupt people from non-BJP, non-Congress parties but not lead them. "I will support them but not lead them. Because that is the only solution to make a strong nation. The good people of all parties can come together and I will tell the people of the country to support them," the Gandhian said.

However, Anna was evasive to a pointed question why he had not raised his voice against the absence of a Lokayukta in Gujarat for the last seven years. "Why just Narendra Modi? We should think about the entire country. There should be Lokayukta in every state," he said. In a climb down, Hazare said he would not insist on death sentence for corrupt as it goes against Gandhian principles.

They should be put in prison for their life, he said, admitting that he changed his views after people told him that his demand would not be in accordance with Ganhdian ethos. Accusing Chidambaram of "masterminding" his arrest on August 16, Hazare said: "The government wanted to do a Ramdev on me. It had kept a plane ready to take me from Tihar jail to Mula Dam in Maharashtra. But Chidambaram's strategy boomeranged on the government," he said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is a nice person, but is "ineffective" because he was "remote-controlled" by senior ministers, Hazare alleged. Asked would he begin his protest again if the Standing Committee does not agree to his demands, Hazare said: "Yes. We will protest but not against Parliament...We will see those who oppose it in the standing committee and we will start singing bhajans in front of the houses of those parliament members."

"No, not at all...there is no question of politics in this," he said when asked whether it wasn't politics. Hazare lavished praise on Indira Gandhi saying she worked for the poor in the country. "She was elected as the Prime Minister. They should look at that," he said. "Absolutely," was all he said when asked whether Singh should learn from Indira Gandhi.

Asked whether his movement is being politicised, Hazare said: "That will happen...this happened many times in my life...When I protested during Congress government, BJP and Shiv Sena leaders were roaming around me...that govt went and BJP-Shiv Sena came to power. Congress did graduation and the latter got a doctorate."

He said if he comes to know black money is used in his movement he will not lead it. "Till the time I will be associated with this movement, I want it to be clean. It should be spotless. People who write and say, are they honest? How can we believe they are honest? The colour of spectacles we wear, we see the world in that colour," he said.

Will support political party that fights graft: Anna Hazare

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 12:51:00 -0700

Very few social activists have captured the attention of Indians across the globe as Anna Hazare did during his "fast unto death" over the issue of the Lokpal Bill in New Delhi in April 2011. Hazare, a Gandhian by belief, outlook and practice, has become the face of India's fight against corruption. During his fast over the Lokpal Bill, Hazare, a quintessential traditional Indian by looks and mannerism, managed to inspire and mobilize the support of even the ultra-modern Indians - Indians for whom the word "social" only means having a profile on social networking sites. The "Anna Hazare fast" can be described as the first real "social networking movement" in India. Hazare, a former Army man, began his social activism from Ralegan Siddhi, a village in Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra, where he successfully led a movement against alcoholism and made Ralegan Siddhi a "model village". Hazare's campaign was instrumental in the implementation of the Right to Information Act in Maharashtra, which is considered one of the best RTI Acts in India. A Ramon Magsaysay award winner, Anna Hazare, like his idol, Mahatma Gandhi, has triggered a debate over the use of fast as a means of protest in India. By sheer commitment and simplicity, he has demonstrated that Gandhian principles are relevant even in the 21st-century India.
Anna Hazareon Tuesday said he is ready to campaign for and support a like-minded non-Congress, non-BJP political outfit that is corruption-free but won't join politics.

The 74-year-old civil society leader criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying he is remote controlled by many people and is not allowed to do anything. "I feel Manmohan Singh is not the only PM, a lot of people inside the Congress think they are the PM. If they want to run the government, whether it is Sonia Gandhi or Manmohan Singh they will have to take people along with them," Hazare said in TV interview. He suggested that Manmohan Singh should learn from former prime minister Indira Gandhi. "There was one Indira Gandhi who worked for the poor in the country; she was elected as the PM. They should look at that," he said. Hazare, who sat on a 12-day fast last month for a stringent anti-corruption law, said he will again start the protest if the parliamentary standing committee that is examining the government's Lokpal bill, Hazare's Jan Lokpal bill and a draft submitted by activist Aruna Roy does not agree to their demands. "Yes, we will protest but not against the parliament...we will see those who oppose it in the standing committee and we will start singing bhajans in front of the houses of those parliament members who are opposing such a nice bill which can improve the country," he said of the Jan Lokpal bill. According to Hazare, he is ready to campaign for a political outfit that promises to fight against corruption. "I will support them but not lead them as I am an ordinary man. The good people of all parties can come together and I will tell the people of the country to support them." Replying to a question on allegations about source of funds for his India Against Corruptionmovement, Hazare said: "This is not a matter of worry for me. I will not allow black money in my movement against corruption." "If I get to know if black money is used, I will not stay in this movement I don't like it. Till the time I will be associated with this movement, I want it to be clean. It should be spotless," he added.

Don't vote MPs who have opposed the Jan Lokpal Bill.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 12:11:00 -0700

Making it clear that there will be no let-up in his crusade against corruption, Anna Hazare on Sunday asked people not to vote for MPs who have opposed the Jan Lokpal Bill in the next general elections and "gherao" their houses even as he announced to undertake a nationwide yatra including states where assembly polls are due.

"Watch the MPs on television and note those, who have opposed the Jan Lokpal bill in Parliament, and later 'gherao' their houses chanting bhajans in a non-violent protest," he said at the end of the two-day meeting of the core committee of his anti-corruption movement, the first since he called off his 12-day fast at Delhi's Ramlila Ground on August 28.

"People should stage a sit-in in front of their houses and chant Raghupati Raghav Rajaram," he said adding he would campaign against MPs opposing the Jan Lokpal Bill in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Resolving to intensify his fight to ensure passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill, the 74-year-old anti-corruption crusader said he would embark next month on a nation-wide tour for the cause.

"I will tour constituencies where the MPs, who have opposed the Jan Lokpal Bill, will seek re-election and urge people not to vote for them, The government Lokpal Bill is fraudulent. Corruption will only increase if a legislation is passed based on Government's draft," he said.

Hazare said he would prefer to travel by train rather than plane so that he can interact with the general public. "A plane takes you from one place and lands within a short time at another place. There is no interaction with common people during this kind of travel. I'll also travel by plane, there will not be any difference between me and the ministers," he said

Briefing the media after the core committee meeting, Kejriwal said Anna Hazare would also take out a 'yatra' in the states, where the next assembly elections are due and people would be informed about the stand taken by various parties on the issue of Jan Lokpal bill, leaving it to their discretion as to for whom they should vote.

"We will tell people about the stand taken by political parties on the Jan Lokpal bill without supporting any particular political party. Let the voters make their choice in the elections," he said making it clear that the anti-corruption movement would not be supporting any candidates during their campaign to inform the people.

Kejriwal strongly refuted the charge made by Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh that he and some other members of the movement had a link with the RSS, which had arranged for refreshments for agitators on Ramlila Maidan. "Singh is haunted by the ghost of RSS but we are not afraid of RSS," he quipped.

Kejriwal told reporters that in order to remove any possible misunderstanding in the minds of people, the core group of the movement would initiate legal proceedings against certain publications carrying articles alleging a nexus between its members and RSS."We will send a defamation notice seeking their apology," Prashant Bhushan, a member of core committee added.

Kejriwal said, in view of the allegations of corruption being made against Hazare and his team, the cre group has decided to constitute a 3-member committee of three retired high court or supreme court judges, who would investigate any such charges. "These judges will be of impeccable integrity," Bhushan added. Bhushan also appealed to the people to verify credentials of those, who are collecting donations using the name of Anna Hazare or India against Corruption. As part of its efforts to ensure transparency, the core group members would put up a list of their assets on website and all audited accounts by October 15, Kejariwal said.

Foreigners too support Anna Hazare

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:51:00 -0700

“I don’t know who Anna Hazare is but I feel that his fight for freedom from corruption is right.There has been a great response from the masses and I feel that it is my moral responsibility to fight for what is right,” said Mr Joe Stephen(tourist from Hungary) who had painted Indian Flag on his face.

As the huge number of people are supporting Anna Hazare. Foreign tourists also take interest in the campaign to support the anti-corruption. they did not know much about Anna Hazare then also they support him just to end this corruption.

Candle-light marches, Rallies and sloganeering on the streets is common now.

“We were sight-seeing near Victoria Terminus and saw a huge crowd approaching with placards. A passer-by told us it was an anti-corruption rally so we joined in,” said Ms Jamie Stewarts, a student from New York.

OPINION: The war against corruption is not only on the streets but also on social networking sites like Facebook, Google plus etc. People start making groups, pages on anti-corruption to support Anna Hazare. Not only people are supporting Anna Hazare but also encouraging other people to do so, Anna vows to continue his protest till Jan Lokpal bill is adopted. Now foreigners are also supporting against corruption if Indians will take initiative, surely all the traces of corruption will be vanished. Do support Anna Hazare by changing your Facebook display picture in black color.

Anna Hazare to campaign against MPs opposing Jan Lokpal Bill in 2014 general election.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 07:54:00 -0700

Hoping to carry his anti-graft campaign forward, Anna Hazare on Sunday announced that he would travel across the country to educate the people about the various provisions of the Jan Lokpal bill and also exhort them to vote against the MPs opposed to their version of the legislation during the next general election.

"The government Lokpal draft was fraudulent.Corruption would increase if a legislation is passed on the basis of government's draft,'' the Gandhian, who had in August undertaken a 13-day-long fast at the Ramlila Grounds in the Capital to press for the acceptance of the Jan Lokpal bill, told newspersons in his village, Ralegaon Sidhi, in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra at the conclusion of two-day meeting of his core committee members. "We will also see which member of the Standing Committee opposes the Jan Lokpal bill," Hazare said, adding that houses of such members would be gheraoed. The standing committee on law and justice, which is headed by Congress Rajya Sabha member Abhishek Manu Singhvi, is presently studying the various versions of the Lokpal bill. "People should stage a sit-in in front of their houses and chant Raghupati Raghav Rajaram, he said, adding he would campaign against MPs opposing the Jan Lokpal bill in the 2014 Lok Sabha election. "I will tour constituencies where these MPs will seek re-election and urge people not to vote for them,'' Hazare said. Reiterating that that the second battle for Independence had begun, Hazare expressed confidence that, "eventually, victory will be ours." "It is not Hazare, but God who was behind the success of the anti-corruption agitation," he observed and urged his supporters not to let the torch of this anti-corruption agitation douse till the country is rid of corruption,'' he said. Hazare also announced that he will undertake a countrywide tour next month after his health improves. Talking about his fast at the Ramlila Maidan, he said, "There were five to six people in the UPA government to consider themselves as Prime Minister. During my 12-day fast, there was nobody to take decision. Sonia Gandhi had gone abroad. The government's position had become weird. Aiming at devising a strategy for passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill in Parliament, the two-day meeting of the core committee of Team Anna began in Ralegan Siddhi on Saturday.

Key members of Team Anna -- including Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Santosh Hegde, Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan and Manish Sisodia -- are present in the meeting, which is being described as the first formal engagement after Hazare's fast in New Delhi last month. The meeting commenced at 11:30 am. Before commencement of the meeting, Hazare told PTI that he core committee will discuss the outcome of the agitation and also decide on the future course of action.

"People must ask the parliamentarians about their role in the Jan Lokpal Bill movement. People must be careful while electing the MPs in future. Those MPs who are either against the Jan Lokpal Bill or passive about it must not be given a second chance. The fight against corruption would continue till India is freed from corruption," he said.

According to insiders, the meeting will also discuss ways to further mobilise public opinion in favour of the Jan Lokpal Bill to make it an instrument for achieving the goal of a corruption-free India.

Anna Hazare to tour poll-bound States.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 07:31:00 -0700

A day after Anna Hazare strongly pitched for the Right to Reject clause in elections, the Gandhian has stated that he would tour all the poll-bound states. Many States are having assembly polls next year.

Prominent member of Team Anna, Arvind Kejriwal made an announcement in this regard while addressing the media in Anna’s village Ralegaon Siddhi on Sunday.

Kejriwal said core committee members of Team Anna would declare their assets on their website by October 15.

Diversifying Team Anna’s campaign against electoral reforms, Kejriwal had said on Saturday that Hazare will write to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, seeking his views on having an annual performance audit of the MPs.

Hazare on Saturday also had urged people to 'gherao' houses of MPs opposed to the Jan Lokpal Bill. "We should gherao the houses of MPs opposing the Jan Lokpal bill. They should not be allowed to come out," the 74-year-old told a meeting of anti-corruption activists.

Meanwhile, Prashant Bhushan, another core committee member of team Anna, has slammed Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh by saying “Digvijay has a habit of making false accusations”. The senior lawyer said that they would take legal action against Digvijay Singh.

9/11 and terror: The war has to begin and end in Pakistan.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 9 Sep 2011 14:12:00 -0700

It is 10 years since that fateful morning when 19 terrorists took control of four aircraft, three of which struck the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon. The attacks that left over 3,000 dead seemed to herald the beginning of the age of ‘super-terrorism’. The United States led by President George W Bush responded with a declaration of war on terrorism. The strategic doctrine that underpinned this ‘war on terror’ was a combination of defence and deterrence on American soil and attack and prevention overseas.

The contribution of each of these elements to American security is open to question. But it is clear that the offensive and preventive component of this strategy has pitched the US in prolonged conflicts with no easy end in sight. In Iraq, combat operations may have ceased but the political reconciliation essential for a stable peace has proved elusive. The war in Afghanistan continues to take its toll without an edifying end in sight. Meanwhile, the US finds itself involved in overt or covert operations in a range of other countries—Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Nigeria to name a few. On the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the Obama administration is bound to talk up its major success in the war on terror: the killing of Osama Bin Laden earlier this year. The impact of Bin Laden’s death on the effectiveness of al Qaeda remains to be seen.

Preliminary assessments differ depending on the analyst’s views about the organisational nature and structure of Al Qaeda. Those who believe that al Qaeda is a centralised outfit plotting, coordinating and executing major terrorist attacks think that the death of Bin Laden is a severe blow. The attacks that left over 3,000 dead seemed to herald the beginning of the age of ‘super-terrorism’. Those who believe that al Qaeda is a flat, networked outfit operating with franchises claim that Bin Laden’s passing is not going to make much of an operational difference.

Neither of these views is entirely convincing, for they overlook the central contribution of Bin Laden to al Qaeda’s functioning. Osama shrewdly understood the diffused nature of power in a world of global communications. Contemporary conflicts are as much, if not more, about winning the battle of public opinion as about winning the battles on the ground. The ability to craft and disseminate convincing narratives—about the nature of the struggle, the stakes involved, the progress of operations and the eventual outcome—is a crucial dimension of warfare in the early 21st century. Bin Laden was an outstanding purveyor of the al Qaeda’s narratives—messages that drew and secured support for the outfit in its attempt to take on the US.

His death may or may not affect the operational effectiveness of al Qaeda, but it will certainly diminish its ability to appeal to new bases of support and approval.The Obama administration can also draw comfort from the fact that the ongoing upheaval in the Middle East has taken the form of popular, democratic protests. The al Qaeda’s message appears to have little resonance with the crowds that throng the main squares and thoroughfares across the Arab world.

To be sure, there are Islamist outfits of various kinds involved in these protests. But their ideology and politics is considerably different from that of al Qaeda. Set against these positive developments are more worrying trends. The most problematic of these is the conflict in the Afghanistan-Pakistan theatre. The elimination of Bin Laden has created the necessary political backdrop for an American withdrawal from Afghanistan. But the exit may not be all that smooth. For one thing, the insurgency has proven more resilient and adaptive than anticipated by American strategists. General David Petraeus’ much feted counter-insurgency strategy has not been as successful as the Pentagon would like us to believe. Claims about the ‘momentum’ of the insurgency being broken betray a serious misunderstanding of the nature of counter-insurgency warfare.

Control of territory, not momentum of operations, is the key factor in counter-insurgency—particularly when the insurgency has an external base. The US military’s performance on this score has so far been decidedly mixed. Equally dubious is the assumption about a smooth transfer of operational responsibility to the Afghan security forces. In the past year an additional 100,000 Afghan personnel have reportedly been recruited and trained. But their operational mettle is yet to be tested seriously.

Besides given the persistent problems over the availability of Western trainers, it seems unwise to rely too much on the capability of the Afghan forces. To be sure, there will be a residual American presence to shore up the Afghan forces. But the insurgency is also morphing in more dangerous ways. The last couple of months have seen a surge in the use of improvised explosive devices and in the assassination of senior Afghan leaders.

Efforts to reach out to the Taliban have been halting. The possibility of a negotiated settlement is made much more difficult by the fact that the Taliban is no longer a unified entity. There are several factions and associated groups that have considerable operational independence. The upshot of it is that the Americans will have to rely on all available partners to create a patchwork of small deals with these outfits.

The most important of these potential partners is Pakistan. But, as many American officials realise, it is the least reliable of partners. The challenge of dealing with Pakistan is compounded by the fact that Pakistan is also the main focus of America’s battle against the al Qaeda and its affiliates. (As far as India is concerned, Pakistan has always been the epicentre of terrorist concerns – whether it is 26/11 or the latest Delhi blast which is being laid at the door of HuJi – a Bangladesh outfit with links to Pakistan’s ISI. The US not only depends on Pakistan for cooperation on intelligence and covert operations, but is also concerned about the possibility of Pakistani nukes falling in jihadi hands. Washington does hold certain critical levers like economic aid to Pakistan. But the Obama administration believes that sanctions or conditions-based aid will not work. Figuring out how to deal with Pakistan is the single most important challenge in America’s struggle against terrorism. Unless the Obama administration takes a more realistic tack, the US might find itself embroiled in the region for another decade.

Delhi blast: The pillars of the Indian state are crumbling

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 9 Sep 2011 14:05:00 -0700

On the face of it, a court where ordinary people flock for redressal of mundane disputes may seem an unlikely target for terrorists. No cause is meaningfully advanced by blowing to bits people who are just going through the timeless grind of the legal system. Yet, if there’s one overarching message from yesterday’s blast at the Delhi High Court, which killed 11 people, it is that it expands the range of the pillars of the Indian state that have now been targeted by terrorists. Bomb blasts and terrorist strikes in Mumbai have typically targeted commercial interests – the stock exchange, the diamond bourse and the teeming markets, among others. That’s because Mumbai is in many ways the engine of India’s economy, and targeting the money trail gets the terrorists more bang for their vile efforts.

Wednesday's blast at the Delhi High Court is the latest instance of terrorists targeting the symbols of the Indian state. But since Delhi is all about temporal power, it is the pillars of the state that are being targeted. The strand that connects yesterday’s blast with the high-profile attack on the Red Fort in 2000 and the Parliament complex in 2001 is that all of them are powerful symbols of a democratic state. With all its historical associations, the Red Fort represents the majesty of Indian executive authority. And Parliament is (despite the ongoing debate over whether its members are worthy of the privilege they are accorded) today the potent symbol of a working Indian democracy. If the targets in the past were the executive and the legislature, yesterday’s attack was aimed at the judiciary, the third pillar of the Indian state. Tragically, however, the blood price in every case is paid by ordinary folks who are unrepresentative of the might of the state, and in fact are themselves victims in their own way. The connection with the 2001 attack on Parliament is doubly reinforced by the purported reason for yesterday’s attack. The terror group that has reportedly claimed responsibility for yesterday’s blast, the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI), is believed to have demanded the withdrawal of the death sentence on Afzal Guru, who has been convicted for the attack on Parliament. Faced with such an open and overwhelming challenge to its authority, the response of the Indian state – and, in fact, all the elements that go to make up the edifice of our parliamentary democracy – has been monumentally inept. For although the death sentence was handed down after due – and laborious – process of law, it has now become the subject of political back-and-forth. An effort is now on in the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly to pass a resolution to demand that the death sentence on Afzal Guru be commuted.

First, Parliament, one of the most powerful symbols of the Indian democracy, is targeted by vile terrorists; then the executive authority of the day is unable or unwilling to implement the verdict in the case handed down by the judiciary; to compound that, the entire political establishment plays political football with the judicial verdict. …It’s easy to see why terrorists have been emboldened into repeated attacks on the might of the Indian state: they know they can get away with it, given the ineffectual response of the executive and the natural inclinations of the political establishment across the spectrum to play one-upmanship games with the issue of terrorism.

HuJI or Indian Mujahideen?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 8 Sep 2011 08:12:00 -0700

Just a day after the Delhi bomb blast outside the High Court, investigating agency National Investigating Agency (NIA) has been confused as they received two emails from two prominent terror groups claiming the responsibility of the blast.

NIA started probing an email sent by Indian Mujahideen (IM) which on Thursday, Sep 8 claimed that they were responsible and masterminded the blast outside the court in the national capital.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) official also informed, "Mail can't be ignored, we will investigate it." Indian Mujahideen is being parented by the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).

Earlier Harkat-ul- Jehadi (HuJI) had claimed the responsibility of the blast. It has also been reported that HuJI had sent an email to a media house citing that this blast in the High Court was in retaliation to the death sentence pronounced on Afzal Guru, who has been convicted in the Parliament Attack case.

Quake-prone Delhi lacks safety measures: Expert

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 8 Sep 2011 08:00:00 -0700

With Wednesday night's earthquake still haunting many in north India, aNational Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) official said the tremor was just a reminder of the vulnerability of Delhi and neighbouring areas which lack safety measures.

According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), the 4.2 Richter scale quake shook Delhi and neighbouring areas at 11.28 pm. The epicentre of the quake was in Sonepat in Haryana, about 90 km from Delhi.

The NDMA official said Thursday that Delhi was in a high-risk seismic zone prone to earthquakes measuring 7-7.5 on the Richter scale.

"If such a high intensity earthquake comes, we have no safety measures implemented,"the NDMA official, pleading anonymity, told IANS.

"The national capital is about 300 km from the Himalayan collision zone but the tremors there could have an effect here," he said.

The Yamuna river and the adjoining areas have a high risk of earthquake. East and northeast Delhi are the most vulnerable because the soil in these areas is alluvial (smooth and unconsolidated).

According to BR Vaidya, director, seismology department, IMD, a project was underway to identify the maximum risk areas.

“Usually the area along rivers is more vulnerable because of the loose soil... the water content in the soil also matters,” Vaidya said.

He said an earthquake above 5 Richter scale can cause major damage in the national capital.The NDMA official added that there was a need for a re-look at Delhi's town planning.

“After Gujarat earthquake in 2001, the town planning there has been tremendously changed but Delhi, which is prone to frequent mild tremors, is yet to learn its lessons,” he said.

"It is high time we constructed earthquake-resistant buildings. Not just the centre, but state governments should also bring in stringent building by-laws," he said.

"Senseless construction of buildings should be avoided and at least one foot distance between two building should be maintained. Multi-storeyed buildings are dangerous," the NDMC official added.

Delhi earthquake shakes city for a second time after deadly bomb blast

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 7 Sep 2011 13:04:00 -0700

An earthquake struck New Delhi Wednesday, shaking the city just hours after a deadly bomb exploded outside the high court. It was a minor quake for the earthquake-prone city, coming in at 4.3 magnitude, but for the already-nervous populace, it rattled already frayed nerves.

A bomb blast struck the capital’s high court complex in the morning, killing 11 people and injuring at least 76. The violence was claimed by a terrorist organization seeking an immediate end to the prison sentence of Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri convicted for his role in a 2001 attack on India’s Parliament. At first, people reported on Twitter that the shake made them think a second round of violence had started. However, after the first shock wore off, people quickly turned to humor to downplay the scare.

The intensity was 4.2 and the epicentre was Sonepat," Shailesh Nayak, Secretary in Ministry of Earthsciences, and IMD Director General Ajit Tyagi, told PTI.

The quake sent shivers among citizens who ran out of the high-rise buildings.

There were no immediate reports of any casualty. The fire brigade and police said they have not received any immediate calls of casualty or damage.A report from Chandigarh said that tremors were felt in Panipat, Faridabad, Gurgaon among others towns of Haryana. People rushed out of their homes in Chandigarh and Sonepat. The tremor was felt very "sharp for some seconds" in Sonepat, witnesses said.

There were no immediate reports of any casualty, police said. Meanwhile, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan mentioned about the tremor on his Twitter page." The blast in Delhi in the morning and just now a 6.6 earthquake in Delhi.....just spoke to my daughter, it was horrifying but all safe," Bachchan said."Hearts and prayers for those who lost loved ones earlier today in the blast... and I do hope there has been no casualties