The Anna agitation is as much about the redistribution of power as the demand of the civil society activists for an effective Lokpal.

71 fast-track CBI courts & 3-month limit for sanctioning prosecution among measures recommended by Pranab Mukherjee-headed group of ministers

The Anti-Endosulfan Campaign Committee, on Monday, launched its “third phase of agitation” to enforce blanket ban on the pesticide in the country.
In a function at Bovikkanam, Malayalam film actor Suresh Gopi declared formally launched the new phase of agitation.
Addressing the gathering, the actor said the country had of late initiated policies hostile to society and to the Earth. “Such evils should be nipped in the bud through active involvement of people,” he said.

The anti-corruption campaign has shown that a desperate public demands an immediate solution. Citizens have got a taste of direct democracy which is frightening for the privileged manipulators of the system, but liberating for the poor who are usually manipulated. While what the future holds cannot be predicted, the prize at this juncture of the history of Indian democracy is indeed so great that the compulsion in favour of the Jan Lokpal Bill is overwhelming.

The Jan Lokpal Bill epitomises the ultimate faith of the ordinary citizens, born out of utter despair, in an omnipotent authority – the Lokpal. But mere legislation cannot bring about reforms, without accompanying mass struggles to get them implemented by the executive agencies and grass roots movements to change social habits. The forces of corruption which are deeply embedded in our society will not give up easily, and are powerful enough to frustrate and resist the provisions of any Lokpal Bill.

The cameras have been switched off. The microphones have fallen silent. But the cacophony generated by the saturation media coverage accorded to the agitation led by Anna Hazare for a Jan Lokpal Bill continues to ricochet. Questions are being asked, as well they should, not just about the extent of media coverage, especially by the electronic media, but on the content of the coverage. (Editorial)

Fatehabad: Anna Hazare’s victory in his campaign for the Jan Lokpal Bill has raised the hopes of Gorakhpur farmers agitating to save their land for acquisition for a nuclear plant.

The Congress today made it clear that the Parliamentary Standing Committee would only be able to clear the Lokpal Bill in time for the winter session and not within a month for “a special Parliamen

At a time of national uproar over corruption and the Lokpal Bill, the government is proposing to enact a law making it compulsory for every ministry and department to act within 30 days on complain

The 13-day fast leaves UPA weaker, but doubts arise over whether Anna can rally masses again

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