Anna Hazare launches 'Janatantra Morcha'

At the today's rally (Jan, 30 2013) held at the historic Gandhi Maidan(PATNA)  Anna Hazare  announced formation of an apolitical outfit 'Janatantra Morcha' to work for 'change of system' and warned the UPA government that it 'must fear' being ousted from power if it did not bring a strong Lokpal bill. 

• He said it would not contest any polls but serve the people 'without any allurement of power or related benefits'. 
• He called upon the gathering to join the new outfit for 'Azadi ki dusri ladai' (second freedom struggle) and realise the dream of a political system that would cater to the aspirations of all. 
• He said the lokpal being discussed in parliament doesn't incorporate the public view and interest and accused that UPA was scared of losing power that's why it didn't went by the draft given by the civil society which says autonomy for CBI and CVC and other stern measures.
• Congress president Sonia Gandhi had written a letter to Hazare recently to assure him that Lokpal would be passed in the coming budget session of Parliament which commences in the second half of next month. In his reply Hazare said political class is disconnected with the public sentiments."Parliament must make laws, but the same should represent public views." he said.
• Hazare, however, said that the Lokpal Bill was not a magic wand to completely remove corruption from politics and society but only 50-60 per cent of of present corruption can be tackled lokpal .| Of course Lokpal isn't a magic ,in fact no act on paper by itself can completely uproot the present level of corruption in our nation, apart from legal acts we also require the democratic acts on street and act of humanity in our society ! And only then it will be possible to tackle the 100% of graft|

Interestingly Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday expressed support to Hazare and said he favoured a 'jan andolan' (people's movement) to strengthen democracy in India. Maybe he said so as to promote his image before public because Nitish is Anti-Modi in the BJP for the 2014 election.

Source:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/anna-hazare-launches-janatantra-morcha-to-work-for-change-of-system/articleshow/18258829.cms

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Anna-Hazare-announces-Jantantra-Morcha/articleshow/18256798.cms

Anna Hazare to undertake nationwide tour from January 30

• Anna Hazare has announced that he will undertake a nationwide tour from January 30 from Bihar(Patna) for strengthening farmers organisations. 
• He also said that he will tour Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Panjab and Karnataka and start agitation by organising farmers community
• Anna was presented with prestigious ‘"Basava Krushi" (agricultural award named after 12th century social reformer Basaveshwara) award instituted by 'Kudalasangama Lingayat Panchamasali Mahapeeth' .
  Kudalasangam seer Jayamrutyunjay Swamiji presented the award to Hazare.
• While addressing the gathering at the award function Hazare said that "Keeping in mind the need to strengthen farmers organisations, I decided to start nationwide tour for one and half years and sit for satyagraha before Lok Sabha polls at Ramleela maidan, New Delhi,"
• Maharashtra Member of Parliament Raju Shetty, 'Krushi' Mission President SA Patil and former Union Minister Babagouda Patil were present at the function.

Source:http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_anna-hazare-to-undertake-nationwide-tour-from-january-30_1789595

Anna to march from Delhi to Ahmedabad for Lokpal

• Anna Hazare and supporters have conduct a rally  from Delhi to Ahmedabad for Lokpal which began on January 7. They will reach Ahmedabad on January 10(today).Rally is named as 'Swaraj Sanvad rally'
•  The rally is being taken out to create pressure on the government to bring a strong Lokpal and bring about other changes in the functioning of the government.
• “There will be a night halt at Ambaji and a mashaal rally. We will also hold a public meeting to inform people about the need for a strong Lokpal,” said Shailesh Josh(coordinator of rally in Ahmedabad) Joshi added the rally will reach the city on January 10 and will first go to Sabarmati Ashram, before going to other parts of the city. It will then move to Baroda and to Surat before heading to Mumbai, said Joshi. A public meeting will be held wherever the rally halts.

Source:http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/GUJ-AHD-anna-hazare---s-rally-to-reach-ahmedabad-on-january-10-4143329-NOR.html

Lokpal to come up in Budget session of Parliament: Narayanasamy

The government has agreed on most of the recommendations of a Parliamentary select committee on Lokpal Bill(click here to see agreements and disagreements) and the legislation is likely to come up in the Budget session of Parliament, union minister V Narayanasamy said.

The minister of state in the PMO said that the amended bill will first be approved in the union Cabinet following which it will be brought in Parliament.

When asked to elaborate on the points on which the Government has disagreed with, the minister said they were "minor ones".

The bill, along with the select committee's recommendations, will have to be considered by the Union Cabinet. Once the Bill is passed in the Rajya Sabha, it will travel back to Lok Sabha for approval of the amended version. 

Source:http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-04/india/36148286_1_budget-session-v-narayanasamy-lokpal-bill

Arvind Kejriwal's group protests against Delhi gang-rape outside Sonia Gandhi's residence

 Around 60-70 activists of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) yesterday(21,Dec,2012) held a protest before the residence of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in Delhi demanding immediate hanging of the alleged rapists of a young girl in the capital.

The protesters marched to 10 Janpath - Mrs Gandhi's residence - from Jantar Mantar after a demonstration there and sat holding candles and shouting slogans against the government and demanding immediate action in the rape case.
Three protesters were allowed inside Mrs Gandhi's residence for a meeting with a Congress general secretary.   

Outside, the protesters demanded that the rapists of the 23-year-old girl be immediately hanged, claiming that their guilt has been proved already.

"Why is the government taking a long time?" asked one of the protesters.

One carried a poster which read, "either you take quick action or there will be violent reaction."

Several groups also held candle light vigil at the India Gate here to express solidarity with the victim.

Source:http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/arvind-kejriwal-s-group-protests-against-delhi-gang-rape-outside-sonia-gandhi-s-residence-308472

Rajasthan: Kejriwal party member wins first-ever Right to Recall referendum

December 15, 2012(date of happening)
The Rajasthan Municipalities Bill 2011 has made the Right to Recall Referendum mandatory for recalling elected representatives of municipalities who lose the no-confidence motion.The first ever Right to recall referendum was held in the Baran district(Raj) .
The referendum was to decide whether Ashok Jain (62), the chairman of the Mangrol municipality, should be retained or recalled from the post. Ashok Jain has won by a margin of 3,488 votes. 
Ashok Jain had joined AAP (Aam Admi Party) last month.
Polling was held on Thursday, with 10,998 votes being cast. Of the 16,735 voters in the municipality area, 65.71% voters exercised their franchise.Voters chose between the options of ‘empty chair’ and ‘chair with person sitting’ on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to either recall or retain, respectively, the Mangrol municipality chairman.
Jain hailed the Right to Recall referendum, saying, “It provides the right to the people for recalling their elected representatives, in case of nonperformance.”

Jain is currently recovering from a spinal injury after falling from a two-wheeler last month in New Delhi, where he had gone to join the Aam Aadmi Party of Arvind Kejriwal. He is bedridden at his house in Kota.

Jain had become the chairman of Mangrol municipality in direct elections as an independent candidate in November, 2009. He is the son of noted freedom fighter from Hadauti region, Seth Motilal Jain.

Source:http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Rajasthan-Kejriwal-party-member-wins-first-ever-Right-to-Recall-referendum/Article1-973048.aspx

Govt rejects panel's suggestions of lokpal

HAPPENED ON DEC 18.
Department of personnel and training (DoPT) under the prime minister turned down the select committee's recommendation that an official facing an inquiry from the Lokpal not be given an opportunity to be heard at the stage of preliminary enquiry (i.e  before a case is lodged) .For this purpose  government changed Clause 20(3) of the version of Lokpal bill (suggested by Rajya Rabha selected parliamentary panel )

The DoPT also rejected the suggestion that officers on a particular probe not be transferred without Lokpal's consent when the investigation was on. The government rejected this proposal, and brought in an amendment saying transferring any official would remain the exclusive right of the government. The government insisted that the Lokpal must seek the comments of the public servant against whom it may be conducting an enquiry . 
For this purpose  government also changed Clause 20(2) of the bill 

|this resistance offered by govt wil further delay the passage of lokpal which is stuck in Rajya Sabha for almost a year( and whose implementation has been demanded by citizens about 2 years ago)|

The government has mostly agreed to other recommendations of the select committee which has delinked the creation of Lokayuktas in states and exempting the PM from the ambit of Lokpal on matters of security, atomic energy and international relations.

Source:http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-18/india/35889843_1_lokpal-bill-lokayuktas-rajya-sabha