People Web International

By Manashimaya Duttagupta

People’s power has won. Anna Hazare, the man behind the second freedom struggle of India, has swept the whole nation in support of his crusade to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill in the parliament. It was his “fast unto death” that captured the attention of Indians across the globe and millions of people, various groups, organizations, students, senior citizens, thronged the Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi to be a part of the whole crusade.

As the fast came to an end with all the opposition parties supporting the Jan Lokpal Bill and finally the government’s approval to pass the Bill on the twelfth day of his fast, with Parliament agreeing “in principle” to consider the contentious suggestions of the activist and his aides under the conventional parliamentary process of lawmaking, millions of people from all walks of life, came to the streets to celebrate not only in Delhi but in other states, towns and even villages. On the thirteenth day of his fast, when Anna  Hazare broke his fast , at 10.20 am drinking coconut water mixed with honey from the hands of Simran and Iqra, the two small girls, five year old and eight year old respectively., there was drum beating, flags waving, and chants of Vande Mataram, Bharat Mata ki Jai and Inquilab Zindabad at the maidan. In the evening people gathered at the India gate to celebrate the day at the call of Team Anna. Several thousand jubilant supporters gathered amid the beating of drums, dancing and singing patriotic songs. There was a candlelight vigil by some groups at the India Gate in the evening. The people rejoiced the whole day and the evening till midnight celebrating their victory as they described it as “victory of Jan Shakti” mobilized by Anna. There was no stage, no speeches and no leaders –just people. Placards wishes “Happy Independence Day” as tri-coloured kites with Anna’s name welcomed the people. Over 5,000 people had gathered at the historical monument to celebrate the “victory” of the anti-corruption movement on Sunday.

The 33 hunger strikers broke their fast about 20minutes after Hazare did, drinking  lemonade behind the stage. After his marathon 12 day fast on the Lokpal issued, activist Anna Hazare was admitted to the Medanta Medicity hospital on Sunday, where his condition is reported to be stable and under observation. While the activist was being taken to the hospital, thousands of people came out on the streets to get a glimpse of him. Many others gate crashed into the hospital premises delaying his admission.

On the 13th day as Anna Hazare in his speech said that his agitation will continue, about the right to recall and reject, he explained that the right to demand a re-election if they vote for none of the candidates. The crowd let out a roar of approval. He also said about his future plans – on the farmers, labourers.

Parliament’s resolution on Saturday led Anna Hazare to end his fast. Having rejected the government’s version of the Lokpal bill Anna Hazare’s team had demanded nothing short of the passage of its own version, called the Jan Lokpal Bill, when Hazare’s indefinite fast began on August 16. Government’s hara-kiri in arresting Hazare and putting him in Tihar jail – leading to an outpouring of support from the masses – only resulted in the civil society grouping hardening its position even further, as it put a deadline of August 30 within which it wanted the Parliament to convert the Jan Lokpal bill into a law.

What it finally got was just a revolution conveying the “in-principle agreement” of both Houses of Parliament to the three contentious provisions that the Anna camp definitely wanted to be included in the Lokpal bill – to include the lower bureaucracy within the ambit of the Lokpal establishment of Lokayuktas in states through the Lokpal bill, and a citizen’s charter for all government employees. There is no certainty as to whether the final bill, as recommended by the standing committee, would have the Prime Minister within the purview of the Lokpal, a key demand Lokpal bill – to include the lower bureaucracy within the ambit of the Lokpal bill, and a citizen’s charter for all government employees. There is no certainty as to whether the final bill, as recommended by the Standing Committee, would have the Prime Minister within the purview of the Lokpal , a key demand at the start of the agitation, though the government is said to have relented on this count.

Anna Hazare described Saturday’s development as only a “half victory”. “The complete victory is still to be won,” he said from the stage at Ramlila grounds after receiving a letter from the Prime Minister and a copy of the Parliament’s resolution from Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.

Kisan Baburao Hazare, a former soldier in the Indian Army, a Gandhian by belief, outlook and practice, a quintessential traditional Indian by looks and mannerism managed to inspire thousands of Indians globally, the ultra-modern Indians. Some say “The Anna Hazare fast” can be described as the first real “social networking movement” in India. The model village as contemplated by Gandhiji was brought in reality by Shri Anna Hazare at Ralegaon Siddhi, a village in Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra by his dedication. He began his social activism from Ralegaon Siddhi where he successfully led a movement against alcoholism and made it a model village. His campaign was instrumental in the Right to Information Act in Maharashtra, which is considered one of the best RTI acts in India.  He was awarded Padma shri and Padma Bhushan.

Meanwhile sources in Team Anna confirmed that it was important to keep the momentum of the fight against corruption going. “While addressing the crowd at Ramlila Maidan, Anna had asked the youngsters to dedicate some of their time to work for the betterment of their country. We now want to channelise the power of the youth,” said the source.

-by Manashimaya Duttagupta, PWI Reporter National Capital Territory Delhi
September 2011
Contact: nct.delhi@peoplewebinternational.com