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.
