Fast Report(2012) P-1

RECOMMENDATIONS  Also See  1Weakness of Government's Lokpal2Answer To questions

Main NEWS
Team Anna began their indefinite fast at Delhi's Jantar Mantar today(julf 25 ,2012)  to highlight the corruption within the government and to push for the anti-graft Lokpal Bill. Arvind Khejrival, Manish Sisodia, , Gopal Rai ,Akhil Gogoi sat on fast from today. However Anna Hazare despite the medical warnings  will begin fasting from Sunday(29).

 The backdrop of the stage has photographs of the Prime Minister and 14 other ministers against whom T.Anna presented proofs of corruption and want a SIT(Special Investigation TEAM) instead of CBI to dig in their cases.The photo of Pranab Mukerji whose name is also included in list of 15 ministers for Ghana Rice Export Scam and who is now president of nation was however covered with a cloth by Team Anna.
Kejriwal alleged that the Congress has "put a chadar (veil)" to protect the former finance minister. 
In a Press Conference at Delhi yesterday, Team Anna clarified their stands  and said that their protest is limited to three demands which are as follows

1. A SIT probe against 15 Ministers(click here to know more)
2.  Team Anna also demanded that cases of  162 Lok Sabha members and 39 Rajya Sabha members(of whichever party) who are also facing corruption charges  should be given to the fast track courts
3. SIT to go into allegations against party chiefs.

• Team Anna will also use the fast  to share evidence collected against the ministers it has accused of graft. 

"According to the  Constitution, the President has immunity against any investigation. We have given evidence against Mukherjee to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi two months ago," Khejrival said.

Government's Reply

 Law Minister Salman Khurshid suggested the activists should "write to the United Nations."  He said, "They want an  independent probe into matters which have been rejected and disapproved by the Supreme Court."

Fight at the venue 
There was a fight at the venue in the morning, when a group of 15-20 people shouted slogans against Kejriwal. According to Team Anna they were members of the Congress' youth wing, the NSUI. The party has denied this. 

Turnout Fast has got an good reaction but the turnout today was small compared to the sort of crowds Anna gathered last August, when he held a 16-day long hunger strike in Delhi to demand new legislation to tackle corruption.

|EDITOR'S View

• Team Anna should have begun their fast collectively on Sunday.
• Sunday activities gain more public then any other working day
• Moreover, if fast of Team Anna along with  Anna  would have begun from Sunday, then more crowd would have been poured in due to craze of Anna among People|
  
  

Source:http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/team-anna-starts-hunger-fast-targets-ministers-and-president-pranab-247398

Need for a fresh start to the an year old struggle

|About an year ago in 2011, a mass struggle for janlokpal, an anti corruption bill and legal structure began. From activists to common man to media, all actively participated in it.
Only department that didn't wishfully tried lokpal's implementation was POLITICAL ARENA. For the first half year congress resisted and for the rest half opposition parties also showed their true colors!
Finally a feeble bill by government(see its weakness) was presented in parliament, passed in Lok Shaba, and  strategically blocked  in Rajya Sabha. Meetings after meetings, two panels were setup, promises were announced. But nothing happened.
IAC (India against Corruption) also slipped from the path
during MMRDA's poorly planned fast (1st and 2nd report )
and due to Mufti shameem's controversy
Maybe that's why its now time for a fresh start.Hence, we all want IAC to be in form and citizens to avoid 'paid and made' controversies  |

Arvind Kejriwal, Gopal Raj and Manish Sisodia are going to sit on an indefinite fast at  Jantar Mantar from july 25. However, Anna Hazare would not sit  because Anna is not in great shape after several fasts in last one year. However, he will be there at the venue to observe and guide the fast and struggle
 In  Karnataka, N. Santosh Hegde(former Lokayukta of state) and members of the State unit of India Against Corruption, will  also start  demonstrations parallel to July 25th  fast at Freedom Park.

Demands of the fast would be

• Passage of strong Janlokpal
• a special independent investigation against 14 cabinet ministers of the Congress-led UPA-II, in the absence of an independent agency like Lokpal

QUOTE:their words(Santosh Hegde)

• “Although there has been three sessions since the Parliament agreed in principle on a strong Lokpal Bill, there are no indications of any such thing happening. We therefore have no choice but to take to the streets once again to demonstrate citizens’ frustration,”:Santosh Hegde

• "Although a Lokpal Bill was presented in the Rajya Sabha, it was without any teeth. It has now been sent to a select committee, which is only to delay matters further.”:Santosh Hegde

• “This is because 162 sitting MPs have pending criminal cases as per their own affidavits declared with the Election Commission of India and no major political party is willing to pass a strong and effective anti-corruption law because it will destroy them. That apart, 14 Cabinet Ministers in the Central government have cases pending against them.”:Santosh Hegde

 
Source:http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/article3665095.ece