Sonia, PM, Advani: Anna speaks plain.

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

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

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

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.

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

“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.

 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.