Anna will launch a country wide Tour for JanLokpal

Social activist Anna Hazare on Monday said he will begin his countrywide tour to campaign for an effective Jan Lokpal bill after two months. "I will start my countrywide tour after two months and awaken the people to demand for a strong Jan Lokpal by 2014. If it does not come, then back to Ramlila Maidan," Hazare's close associate Suresh Pathare quoted him as saying on social networking site Twitter. 
"I will not go to government for demanding the Jan Lokpal. The decision has been left to the people," Pathare tweeted quoting Hazare. 
Editor's View: Well if Team Anna is planning of a new movement then this time it should take careful moves , because last time Anna agitated in MMRDA ground in Mumbai and Mumbai begin a busy and traffic congested city was unable to respond as desired.Many people thought that this was Anna's failure but in actual manner it was failure of proper planning and not of Anna.( ||SeeMore |||||SeeMore 2|| )

Source:http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/anna-hazare-jan-lokpal-bill-countrywide-tour/1/177476.html

Anna and team ready for another agitation

 A third confrontation between Team Anna and the government in eight months seems to be brewing with the activist group hitting the road to drum up protests against the draft report of the parliamentary standing committee on Lokpal bill that ignores some of its key demands. 

Anna Hazare on Tuesday said the government had betrayed the people once again and his day-long fast at Jantar Mantar on December 11 against the report, which is expected to be the basis of the government's bill, can be a precursor to a more prolonged protest at Ramlila Maidan. 

Team Anna is upset with lokpal draft by standing committee due to following reasons

• They are unhappy because Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the lower bureaucracy was kept out of lokpal's ambit. "The draft, as I am being told, provides for the CBI to be kept under government control. If the CBI is under government control, then the Lokpal will remain an empty tin box," Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal told reporters 
• For not including the lower bureaucracy in the ambit of the Lokpal. 
  Khegrival said that most corruption around common man is done by lower bureaucracy so how such corruption can be dealt without bringing lower bureaucracy under lokpal.
   Arvind Kejriwal also said the draft violated the "sense of the House" resolution adopted by Parliament and the assurance given to Hazare when he ended his fast on August 28. "When Anna ended his fast, Parliament agreed to a resolution that stated clearly on lower bureaucracy and citizens' charter. We just hope that resolution is respected," Kejriwal said. 
• Khegrival  insisted that if small NGOs are brought under lokpal then  all government funded NGOs should also be brought under the Lokpal as massive corruption was prevalent in NGOs. 
• Team Anna also did not agree to the draft report's recommendation on citizens' charter, which has been one of the main demands of Team Anna's Lokpal movement.  "Having only five members in the state capital to look into the complaints of an entire state instead of officials at each block level, as demanded by us, will lead to the system collapsing in four days,"Khegrival said. 

Addressing a news conference at Ralegan Siddhi, Hazare said the government has cheated the people by making a weak draft. "I will wait till December 22 to see if the government makes amends. Else, I will start an indefinite agitation from December 27 till we get an effective Lokpal. I will also tour the five states which are going to polls and educate the people there," he said.Hazare urged people to express their support to him by fasting for a day on December 11 and taking to the streets. "However, the agitation must be peaceful. There should be no violence," he said.
Hazare alleged that the government was trying to break the Lokpal bill into four or five components. "I will even accept that, provided the government appoints joint committees of experts and government representatives to prepare strong drafts of each bill. We will even accept exclusion of the judiciary from the ambit of Lokpal if the government bill is strong and effective," the Anna said
Hazare said that only those NGOs which take funds from the government should be brought under Lokpal. "I would not mind even if the media is brought in the ambit of Lokpal. If you are pointing fingers at others, why are you keeping yourselves out?" he said. . 

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Anna-and-team-readying-for-another-face-off-with-govt/articleshow/10926196.cms
:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Team-Anna-unhappy-over-final-Lokpal-bill-draft/articleshow/10916738.cms
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/draft-report-on-lokpal-a-betrayal-says-anna-hazare/articleshow/10920485.cms

http://janlokpalbillcenter.blogspot.com/2011/11/upset-on-draft-by-standing.html

Govt wants to split Jan Lokpal with laws: Anna

Social activist Anna Hazare on Sunday said the government should not split the jan lokpal (its essence) in parts by bringing different laws to control corruption. “Why is government bringing separate laws when the jan lokpal is in progress?”

Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said the government had plans to bring in three-four laws to make the jan lokpal an “empty pot”. “Those include the Whistleblower Protection Act, the Public Grievance and Redressal Bill and the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill their intention is clear.”

Editor's View: All the other bill may be useless but Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill is necessary to be with the Janlokpal to prevent corruption in judicial system without bringing Judiciary system under lokpal. As its important for Judiciary System to be not under any institute and to be independent.
Source:http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Maharashtra/Govt-wants-to-split-Jan-Lokpal-with-laws-Anna/Article1-768750.aspx 

Lokpal may get constitutional status.

The congress is planning to give constitutional status to lokpal. It appears good as it will vanish all the constitutional related flaws in the bill , but as per Team Anna and BJP this will make the bill's implementation late.

As per our Constitution if there is a 'want' of amendment in the constitution then there is a need  a two-thirds majority in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in favour of amendment.Team Anna and BJP are saying that this can't be achieved  as UPA does not have majority in either house: in the Rajya Sabha, it does not even have a simple majority.
But the flip side of this argument, Congress sources point out, is that surely the Opposition parties, who have put the government on the mat on the issue of corruption, would like to make the proposed law as strong as possible and cannot afford, therefore, to oppose giving the Lokpal constitutional status.


It appears to be idea of Rahul Gandhi which he introduced in August in a speech in Parliament. In his speech in August, “We speak of a statutory Lokpal but our discussions cease at the point of its accountability to the people and the risk that it might itself become corrupt. Madam Speaker, why not elevate the debate and fortify the Lokpal by making it a constitutional body accountable to Parliament like the Election Commission of India?”

The two former CJIs (whose draft is presented before standing commitee) explained that the proposed amendment could be passed in a single day. When members pointed out that the states would have to ratify the amendment, the retired CJIs reportedly explained that the proposed amendment would not need ratification of the states.

Editor's view:  Well its not a bad thing to give this bill a constitutional status but it appears to be a bad Idea when there is a risk of rejection of this amendment. We really need a middle way out
source http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2535276.ece

Lokpal Bill not at gunpoint, says government

A day after the government got an ultimatum from Anna Hazare - pass the Lokpal Bill in Parliament or face an anti-Congress campaign by activists in poll bound states - the government retaliated saying that parliamentary processes are not carried out by "putting a pistol on someone's neck."
 Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Bansal, responded to the latest stand of Anna, saying that "You cannot get something done by putting a pistol on someone's neck," 


The parliamentary affairs minister said efforts are on to take up the bill in the winter session of Parliament. "It will be a sincere endeavour to see that the Bill is taken up during the next winter session. But it depends upon the work the committee is able to do. The committee has members from all the parties and they are getting inputs from different people who want to come before it," Bansal said.  
He said that there should not be any problem in taking up the Bill in the next session if the committee is able to give its report in due time. 


Law Minister Salman Khurshid, too, said that "Our intention and endeavor is to try and bring it in the winter session... Bring a very effective and very powerful Lokpal with Constitutional status." He, too, refused to set a timeline for the passage of the bill. "I cannot fix the time line because it has to be fixed by the parliamentary affairs minister and the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee looking into it."  


 On his part, Anna rejected the charge that he was indulging in brinkmanship with his ultimatums to the government. "If I had not served ultimatums, we would not have seen seven different legislations in Maharashtra and also the sacking of six cor-rupt state ministers," he said. Anna also defended his call to vote against Congress in the Hisar by-polls.  


Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/lokpal-bill-not-at-gunpoint-says-government/articleshow/10249933.cms

Arvind Kejriwal got an income-tax notice...

Prominent activist and key Anna associate Arvind Kejriwal got an income-tax notice asking him to pay dues of 9 lakh to the government. The notice was slapped on him in August, days before Anna started the second round of his indefinite anti-graft hunger strike. 
"I have not violated any rule. In 2006, when I had resigned from the service, I had written to the government to deduct my dues from my general provident fund (GPF)," Kejriwal said, claiming that he received no response from the government. Speaking at a press conference, Kejriwal said the government is "cracking down" on Team Anna.
Khegraval is claming that Intelligence Bureau and other government agencies are visiting his relatives in Siwani in Haryana regularly, harassing them and asking them to provide information on him.  


Kejriwal took study leave from the government between November 2000 and October 2002. Kejriwal again went on leave without pay in 2004. Subsequently, he resigned from the service in February 2006. During 2000-2002, Kejriwal was paid a salary, under the condition that he would not leave the service for at least three years upon returning from the study leave. Kejriwal argued that since he did not resign till well after three years, there has been no violation of the bond conditions. 
Government sources said a notice was served on Kejriwal first in 2007 and the subsequent notice in August was only a follow-up and was unrelated to the former Indian Revenue Service officer's central role in the Anna campaign. Kejriwal did not respond to a text message seeking comment. 


The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Kejriwal's employer (technically the activist is still a government employee as his resignation has not been accepted as he has been unable to produce a no-dues certificate), said in a statement on Friday that the department of personnel and training (DoPT) had rejected Kejriwal's request for a waiver of dues even though CBDT was itself in favour of it. 




Justice Santosh Hegde said the government is taking vindictive steps against Team Anna. The I-T department has also served a notice on Kumar Vishwas, another member of Team Anna. 
Editor's view: It may be a real charge on Arvind Kejriwal or may be a game of government, but one point is clear that there is still more controversies to be revealed or staged in INCREDIBLE INDIA.
Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/Arvind-Kejriwal-in-a-tight-spot-over-I-T-notice/articleshow/9841767.cms

Lokpal bill may have new face: Pranab (INTERVIEWS)

Mukherjee in an interview to NDTV said that the Bill may be a substantially amended
Government Bill or a brand new bill based on all bills. He said the content of the bill is important. He said: "We have accepted the will of a powerful movement, headed by a powerful leader (Anna). Now the Bill which will come as recommended by the standing committee, that will be the bill that we have to consider.” 

Talking about Team Anna’s demand that the panel of the Standing Committee should be reconstructed, he said “every year the panel is reconstructed..this year (too), the panel will be re constructed.”  But who will come from which party depends on party’s concern, he said

When asked why there was no vote regarding the resolution, Mukherjee explained that “there are ways of conveying Parliamentary approval”. He said: “Most of the time, the sense of the House has never been voted (upon). The sense of the house is when we express our happiness..we thump the table...when we express our solidarity with the people of the nation that has had a natural disaster..the Speaker mentions it,…we do not put it to motion..we thump the desk and approve."

Interview Source: NDTV news  

Net Source: http://www.indiablooms.com/NewsDetailsPage/newsDetails010911j.php

Tiwari opts out of Lokpal bill standing commitee

 Congress spokesman and Lok Sabha MP Manish Tiwari on Wednesday  opted out of the Standing Committee that is reviewing the Lokpal Bill. He said, “I support a strong and effective Lokpal Bill, but do not want any controversy to cast a shadow on the deliberations of this important bill. So, I have  decided to recuse myself from the standing committee on Department of Law and Justice.”


The Congress has decided to continue Abhishek Manu Singhavi as the Chairman. According to sources some more members may also leave the Committee to facilitate smooth interactions.

Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh may not be in the Committee which expires its term on August,31. Others whose names are taking round to be excluded from the Committee are RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav and SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav.
 The next meeting of the panel is scheduled for September 7.

Meanwhile, social activists Aruan Roy and JP Narayan are to supposed to appear before the Committee on September, 7 to present their views on Lokpal Bill. The CBI and CVC directors are  also likely to present themselves before the Committee, possibly, to oppose the proposal of sending these bodies under the Lokpal Bill.


Source:http://www.deccanherald.com/content/187522/tiwari-opts-lokpal-bill-panel.html

Anna fast ends( but not campaign)

The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha unanimously resolved that the Standing Committee would consider Anna's three demands - including the lower bureaucracy in the Lokpal's purview, a central law for creating Lok Ayuktas in states and a citizen's charter for government departments providing public service. This finally paved the way for Anna's 12-day fast to end on Sunday(august 29 2011). 


But the historic moment almost didn't come about. Anxiety hit the process once again when in the afternoon Team Anna members announced that the government was going back on its word. It was later learnt that the agreed upon draft resolution was changed and this almost scuppered the deal. Eventually Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stepped in, and with the help of top BJP leaders and his own colleagues, pushed through an acceptable resolution. There was momentary confusion when Parliament opted to unanimously adopt the resolution through the 'sense of the House' instead of passing it by voice vote. However, civil society activists accepted it. As Medha Patkar said, "The important thing is that our three demands have been accepted." 


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Anna-Hazare-wins-it-for-the-people/articleshow/9762859.cms

Team Anna may not insist on bringing judiciary under Lokpal

1. Team Anna Hazare on Thursday indicated that it may not insist on the judiciary being brought under the ambit of the Lokpal if the govt brings out a “good” Judicial Accountability Bill.
“PM has to be within the ambit of the Lokpal. As far as the judiciary is concerned, if a good Judicial Accountability bill can be brought along with the Jan Lokpal Bill then we are open to it,” Arvind Kejriwal told reporters outside Tihar jail. 


2. He further said it is not necessary that the fast will continue for 15 days. It depends on how the government responds to the demands put before it


3. When asked why Mr. Hazare was still at Tihar jail, Mr. Kejriwal said Anna could not go to Ramlila Maidan as it was not ready.


Thanks to: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2369512.ece