Anna Bol Halla Bol!!!

Anna Bol Halla Bol

790 parliamentarians VS 1,200,000,000 billion citizens of republic of INDIA.

If even after all the protests, rallies, hunger strikes and overwhelming public support, government of India is not even willing to discuss the Jan Lokpal bill and debate it in the Parliament , how difficult will it actually be to get Lok Sabha and Raj Sabha to pass the bill without compromising on its effectiveness?

None of the political parties with exception to Akali dal have expressed their support for the Jan Lokpal bill.. Why? Because approximately 30-40% of members of both houses of Indian Parliament across party lines have pending criminal cases against them.

They will make promises of drafting new bills, they will promise us to pass Lokpal bill soon but since 1968 they have rejected and delayed the 9 times. They are waiting for us to simmer down and go back to our lives. They are waiting for the Newspapers and TV channels to find a new story (Tendulkar’s 100 century? Salman Khans new movie? Etc etc). They are waiting for the protesters to back to their normal lives so they can go back to their unscrupulous ways.

US$ 50 Billions.

In the last 3 years alone and only considering scams which are in public knowledge; the scams amount to over

Madhu Koda mining scam: Over 4,000 Crore (US$ 1 Billion)
Uttar Pradesh food grain scam: 35,000 Crore (US$ 7.81 Billion)
Belekeri port scam: 60,000 Crore(US$12 Billions).
2010 housing loan scam in India: 1,000 Crore
Commonwealth Games Scam: 8,000 Crore (US$ 2 Billion)
2G spectrum scam : 67,719 Crore (US$ 15.1 Billion)
Bellary mines: 16,000 Crore (US$ 4 Billion)
Hasan Ali Khan: 35,000 Crore (US$ 7.81 Billion)

What can I do to support the Jan Lokpal bill?

Politicians know we cannot go out on protests every day, they know we will have to go back to our lives sooner or later. But what they dont know is that we all can and will support Anna Hazare/ Jan Lokpal bill through various means besides participating in rallies and protests (lets face it, unlike parliamentarians we actually have make a honest living!).

Silent support.

Wear Anna Hazare/ Jan Lokpal Protest badges, Gandhi caps, T shirts or even a small Indian Flag on your dress. Follow the rules of your company but do start those conversations with your superiors and ask them about how they feel about employees showing support to this non violent, democratic, constitutional movement. Ask them how they would view you signing up for voluntary arrests. Even if you dont participate this would make them spead the word in your organisation (they would ideally send a email to the entire organisation to state the organization policy and those of us working in multinational companies will get Senior management of major corporations all across the world to sit up and take notice).

Mail them Pink Chaddi

Remember Pink chaddi campaign ???, Wake up Nisha Susan and other cyber activists, cyber hackers etc. Make an impact and make sure whatever you do is inline with Anna Hazare's prinicipals.

You can't run but you cant hide

Email, Phone, picket your local MLA, MP ask them on their stand on the Lokpal bill.

Click here to identify your local Member of Parliament

Click here to identify your local MLA

Those of you who have personal email ids/cell phone numbers of your local politicians, share it with others by emailing to annabrigade@gmail.com or through some other means.

Shame them

Urge Foregin Print media to cover this news (NYTimes, BBC), know a friend who has a friend who knows the assistant sub editor of any news paper magazine ???

Call that NRI cousin/aunt/uncle acquaintance who always claimed to be a big shot and ask them to pressurize their senators/congressmen/local politicians on democratic reforms in India. All the world leaders have had their pictures taken in front of Taj Mahal, Gandhi memoriam but now is the times to prove the often heard phrases such as

“We are betting that India's vibrant pluralistic society will inspire others to follow a similar path of tolerance. We are making this bet not out of blind faith but because we have watched your progress with great admiration," -: Hillary Clinton

"India has a special place in my heart" and "The world's oldest democracy and the world's largest democracy are natural partners, sharing important interests and fundamental democratic values"-: Obama .

Spread the word

Spread the word on the internet, join the IAC Face book , register yourselves as volunteer, Tweet, Blog, make video messages on Youtube.

If possible attend a protest rally in your city even if it’s for a few minutes. Get a feel of how your grand parents felt in their time.

Nominate Anna for Nobel peace prize.

Petition UN to not consider India for a permanent security council membership just yet.. we are not a functional democracy. Not just yet!! and when we do get Jan Lokpal bill passed no one can doubt the legitamcy of India's claim for the permanent security council permanent seat.

Any more ideas?

Email us your suggestion at Annabrigade@gmail.com, every idea counts.

Remember there a is a long fight ahead and it wont be easy we are asking the Politicians to sign their own Arrest warrants; we are asking them stop their own illegal sources of funding with which they run their own parties.

Did you really think that all those Congress, BJP etc volunteers, Lavish Party offices and loud election campaigns were funded by donations from the common man as they claimed?

Sikh Americans back Anna Hazare campaign

Prominent Sikh Americans have voiced support for social activist Anna Hazare's campaign against corruption. Rajwant Singh, chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education, said: "Anna Hazare's campaign has the capacity to create conditions for clean and ethical politics to survive and thrive in India."

He also expressed confidence that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would "find a way out as he has done on many other challenging issues facing India in the recent past".

"Corruption does to a country what termites do to the foundation of a house. For India to achieve its full potential, corruption needs to be replaced by a fair, open, and speedy method of governance at all levels," said Navneet Chugh of The Chugh Firm, a leading law firm.
Charnjit Singh Randhawa, chairman and CEO of Washington based Rockefeller Consulting Insight Capitalists, said: "Corruption is a cancer that has suffocated every honest person in India and it is our duty to bring clean way of life to the forefront."

Ken Bajaj, chairman and CEO of Systemsnet, also based in Washington, added: "We congratulate Anna Hazare for having the courage to lead this noble cause. Every Indian must see this as a task to convert world's largest democracy to achieve rightful place in the world."

Rajendra Singh supports Hazare

Magsaysay awardee and water expert Rajendra Singh on Wednesday extended his support to Anna Hazare by terming his fight as a peaceful agitation.

"The people have witnessed many agitations. However, all those agitations promoted violence. Anna Hazare has shown that peaceful agitation can become successful", Singh said after delivering a lecture at a function in the city.

On Monday and Tuesday, employees of the revenue department wore black badges to work and organized a demonstration at the district collector's office.

President of state revenue employees' federation Laxmikant Pacharane said, "The two-day agitation received a good response from members. The employees' federation support Hazare's demands that the government should take corrective steps to restrict corruption. Agitation at the district collectorate was held during the lunch break".

Pacharane said employees from other state departments, such as irrigation and education, and employees from Sassoon hospital, etc. also extended their support to the agitation. Similar agitations were held in other districts during the last couple of days, said Pacharane.

Dalit Support for Hazare spreads

Support for Hazare spreads

Into its ninth day, the agitation launched by Gandhian Anna Hazare, continues to draw supoort in several measures.

The Karve Road Merchants' Association will take out a rally on Thursday to express support to the Jan Lokpal bill. A statement issued by executive president Ajit Sangle said that the merchants will gather at Nalstop chowk at 3.30 pm and walk to Balgandharva chowk where activists of India Against Corruption have been staging an agitation since last week.

The Nagrik Chetna Manch has organised a lecture on Jan Lokpal bill by Abhay Firodia, chairman of Force Motors on August 31 at Poona Club. "The lecture will be followed by interaction with Firodia who has had a very long association with Anna Hazare," a statement said.

The Rashtriya Dalit Congress expressed its support on Wednesday. Kishor Shinde, secretary of the organisation, said, "A section of people have been misleading the Dalits by claiming that Hazare was out to change the Constitution whose architect is Babasaheb Ambedkar. There is no substance in the allegation and Dalits would do well to remember that corruption has been hampering the progress of the country and Hazare's Lokpal bill is based on the Constitution."

Govindacharya lends support to Hazare's fast

Former BJP ideologue Govindacharya on Thursday lent support to Anna Hazare's fast for a strong Lokpal asking him to continue it and accused BJP of not playing well its role as the main opposition on the issue. "I came here as a conscious citizen of this country. I did try to be a negotitator. I will try to take this forward but Anna Hazare should not end his fast," he told reporters at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi.

He also said Hazare's movement was "much bigger" than the Jai Prakash movement of the 1970s.

"10% of the RSS will be here because they are concious people," he said.

Govindacharya also accused the main opposition BJP of not playing its role well on the issue.

Shimla shuts shops in Anna support

The anti-corruption campaign of social activist Anna Hazare has stirred people of Shimla too. Traders in the hill town observed a one-day Shimla bandh and shops remained shut in support of Anna's crusade on Wednesday.

Traders and members of Beopar Mandal Shimla, submitted a memorandum to President of India through Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, pleading for the President's intervention in the matter of having a strong Jan Lokpal Bill while urging her to take concrete steps to diffuse the present stalemate. President of Shimla Beopar Mandal, Ramesh Sood said, "The call for market bandh in Shimla had been given to support Anna and his team for a strong Jan Lokpal Bill and as a show of support for the Gandhian who has been on indefinite fast." He added that a copy of the memorandum has been sent to the President of India by post. The traders also took out a procession holding banners and tricolours to show solidarity with Shimla Team Anna.

Bachendri Pal sits in dharna in support of Anna Hazare

Bachendri Pal, the first woman to climb Mt Everest, came out in support of the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement and sat on dharna at Sakchi roundabout here on Thursday.
Bachendri Pal sits in dharna in support of Anna Hazare

Pal, chief of Tata Steel Adventure Sports, was accompanied by Premlata Agarwal, the oldest Indian woman and first from Jharkhand to climb Mt Everest three months ago and Bangaluru's mountaineer-cum-lawyer Kokila Sudha.

Supporting civil society's Jan Lokpal Bill, Pal said she has been supporting Hazare's crusade against corruption right from beginning and took part in dharna on Thursday for self-satisfaction.

Pal said a stringent anti-corruption bill had become necessary in the country to check the menace, "which has crossed all limits affecting general masses in the country".

Agarwal said, "we are raising our voice from roof top in support of Jan Lokpal bill but nothing has happened even after Hazare's fast for the last ten days", she said.

Ex-servicemen extend support to Hazare

The Indian Ex-Servicemen League (IESL), which represents over 40 lakh ex-servicemen in the country along with their family members, on Wednesday extended its support to Anna Hazare who has been fasting here for the past nine days demanding a strong Lokpal Bill.

"The IESL completely supports Anna Hazare's "Anti Corruption" campaign. The League represents over 40 lakh ex-servicemen including their families," an IESL statement said today.

IESL is a non-government organization with representations from former defence personnel from all the three services.

Techies log out for Anna Hazare's cause and Jan Lokpal Bill

The protest against corruption in Hyderabad spread out on Tuesday with more independent groups surfacing to organise their own rallies. On Tuesday, around 200 techies took out an anti-corruption rally at Kothaguda junction in support of Anna Hazare's cause and to create awareness about the Jan Lokpal Bill. On the other hand, Hyderabad Kirana Merchants' Association at Begum Bazaar took out a rally saying that members of five other associations were joining them.

Each group had a different reason to participate in the anti-corruption rallies. "There is a perception that people dwelling in this part of the city do not really care about the cause. This rally was to make people aware that we do care and we too want a corruption free India. Though the number of techies that turned out was not very huge, slowly we will increase in number," said Bala Subramaniam, an IT professional.

Employees of firms such as Microsoft, Wipro, Infosys, CA, Google, Deloitte, Dell, HCL, and Tata Consultancy Services, among others participated in the protest

IIT, IIM seek online support

In a unique way to pledge their support for Anna Hazare's fight against corruption, more than 2,000 people including students and faculty members of India's noted management and engineering institutes such as Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM) have formally endorsed an online petition. The petition seeks public support against graft and appeals people to skip one meal in a day till Anna continues with his fast.

Amid 2,084 signatures that were received on till late on Wednesday evening, there were few from IIT-K and IIM-L faculty members. Expressing his views, Deepak Gupta said: ``I don't agree with everything that Jan Lokpal Bill states but I truly like the concept which is super. If Parliament has been representing views of common man, there would have been no need of drafting such a Bill.'' Deepak signed the petition as an individual but he also happens to be a faculty at IIT-Kanpur. Supporting the Gandhian path, teacher fraternity at IIT-K will observe a day's fast on Thursday to express solidarity with Anna.

Anna supporters hold Roza Iftar in Lucknow

Activists of India Against Corruption (IAC) Wednesday organized a ‘roza iftar (ritual breaking of Ramzan fast)’ for Muslims thronging the Jhule Lal Park here where 11 Anna followers are on a fast in solidarity with Anna Hazare whose hunger strike for a strong anti-Lokpal bill continued for the ninth day.

The iftar was attended by over 50 Muslims who have been regulars at the protest venue over the past several days. They were led by Maulana Athar Ali Naqvi from Darul Uloom Nadwa-tul-Ulema, widely recognised as among India’s leading Islamic seminaries.

This comes close on the heels of whole-hearted support to the Anna movement by All India Muslim Women Personal Board, whose president Shaista Amber led a delegation of nearly 100 women earlier during the day to offer prayers for Anna Hazare’s health.

Amber was also critical of Delhi Jama Masjid’s Shahi Imam Ahmed Bukhari, who had sought to term Anna’s campaign as ‘communal’. Several Muslim supporters of Hazare also flayed Bukhari for his comments.

Dr Ambedkar supporters burn Anna Hazare effigy in Chennai

Anna Hazare effigy was burned by an ex Congress MLA and supporters of Dr Ambedkar citing that the Gandhian was subverting the Indian constitution created by their leader. Ex Congress MLA and party functionary Ku Selvathanthai along with members of the apex body Ambedkar Desam of all pro Ambedkar organizations turned up near the statue of their leader near the Nehru stadium and burned the effigy of Anna Hazare. They shouted slogans saying that the constitution framed by their revered leader to protect the oppressed classes was being subverted by upper class led agitation.

The supporters then garlanded Dr Ambedkar statue and marched away. They pointed out not a single Dalit was in the panel for drafting the Jana lok Pal bill. They termed it as an upper caste agitation. While effigy of Manmohan Singh are burnt elsewhere the novel protest from Dalits evoked curiosity. As reported earlier Christian- Muslim organizations have kept away from the fast. Shiva Sena Chief Thackeray asked Anna to hand over the baton to Kiran Bedi and other team members to carry on the protest.Dr Ambedkar supporters burn Anna Hazare effigy in Chennai

NGOs support Anna with hunger strikes in Chanda

Even as anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare's hunger strike entered the eighth day on Tuesday, those fasting here to express solidarity with him vowed to continue their hunger strike until Anna ends his fast.

While four persons have taken up the indefinite hunger strikes at two different places in town, a chain hunger strike and daily sit-in agitation before the district collectorate is also being staged since August 16.

RTI activist and social worker Nitin Bansod was the first to take up an indefinite hunger strike in support of Anna Hazare at Mahatma Gandhi statue in Chandrapur. He began on August 17 and it was his seventh day of fasting on Tuesday. Doctors examined Bansod on the fourth day and recommended medication, but he declined it. Cops also tried to persuade him to give up.

Bandu Dhotre said the government should not test Hazare's patience and his supporters, and begin dialogue to break the impasse. "People are fed up of corruption," he said.

Hunger strike, rally in Ponda

Social activists and women organized a hunger strike and a rally respectively in the town on Wednesday in support of the anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare.
Expressing solidarity with Hazare in his fight against corruption, Ponda Kala va Krida Mandal has organized day-long token hunger strikes for activists at the old bus stand which will continue till August 31.
Several women from Ponda also took out a candle light rally on Wednesday evening. The rally that passed through several parts of the town was attended by 300 women.

2,000 farmers from Uttar Pradesh set off to Delhi to back Anna Hazare

Some 2,000 farmers from Uttar Pradesh are headed to New Delhi in support of the fasting Anna Hazare, the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) said on Thursday.

"BKU supports Hazare's campaign," BKU's Dharamendra Malik said in Muzaffarnagar, some 350 km from Lucknow. He said the farmers were headed to Delhi's Ramlila ground where Hazare is fasting.

He said the farmers were drawn from Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Bijnor and Saharanpur districts.

The BKU accused Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi of being a "mute spectator" to the deadlock between the government and the civil society over a Lokpal bill.

"He (Gandhi) must become active so that the issue can be sorted out at the earliest," Malik said. "We believe the central government is just having a monologue, and not dialogue."

Autowala rally in support of Anna Hazare

Support for Anna Hazare's campaign for Jan Lokpal Bill is gaining momentum with every passing day. On Tuesday, several auto rickshaw drivers under the banner of Three-seater Auto Rickshaw Chalak Sangharsha Samiti took out a massive rally to voice their support for the Gandhian activist's campaign against corruption.

Harishchandra Pawar of Nagpur Zilla Auto Chalak Malak Mahasangh told TOI that the rally flagged off from Yashwant stadium passed through Munje square, Loha pool, Tilak Putala square, and culminated at Variety square. About 150 auto rickshaw drivers representing various unions participated in the rally.

Pawar said, "Fed up with the harassment by RTO officials and traffic police department, our members decided to support Hazare's movement. We want these corrupt officials to get punished so that we get relief from their illegal demands."

Meanwhile, the traffic wing of the city police has decided to launch a drive against autorikshaws and other private vehicles carrying school children beyond their capacities and the bikers doing stunts, from August 29.
Sources said that the traffic department received several complaints against young bikers doing stunts on roads and jumping traffic signals as well as rash driving.

Former PM I K Gujral comes out in support of Anna Hazare

Coming out in support of Anna Hazare, former Prime Minister I K Gujral today said the Gandhian's campaign against corruption has made the common man feel empowered and realise that he can be an " agent of change" in the society.

In a letter to Hazare, Gujral appreciated his "singular effort to galvanise" the entire nation of the issue of fighting corruption, which has spread to every organ of the society like a "cancer".

"I dare say that your clarion call has stirred our nation in a manner that is reminiscent of our Independence struggle, when young and old, rich and the poor selflessly dedicated themselves for the success of a movement that shaped our future," he said in the letter

Anna Hazare latest fashion at Lakme Fashion Week

No prizes for guessing what is the trendiest piece of garment at the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week: Gandhi caps depicting 'I Am Anna Hazare'.

The third day of the Lakme Fashion Week Winter-Festive collection saw several guests and models supporting anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare in his fight against corruption.

"I am supporting Anna Hazare and thought of distributing Gandhi caps at Lakme Fashion Week. With this, everyone across the world would come to know about the issue he is fighting for and hence more support would pour in," Viren Shah, president of the Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association, said.

Guests at the Lakme Fashion Week were seen wearing Gandhi caps, while models were seen holding them in their hands during Debarun, Shymal and Bhumika's show today evening.

While designer duo Parvesh-Jai have also been supporting Hazare by wearing a black ribbon and a batch that says 'I Am Anna'.

"I have been wearing a black ribbon and the batch from last two days. I find it absurd that why Anna was arrested... as what he is doing is for the betterment of the country," Parvesh said.
"I am supporting Anna. I hope people will become aware about the issue and support him," Jai said.

Anna Hazare himself involved in corruption: Manish Tiwari

Launching a blistering attack on Anna Hazare ahead of his Aug 16 fast, the Congress Sunday alleged he was “neck deep in corruption”, and said the social activist needed to be “shown his place”.

“We want to ask Kisan Baburao Hazare alias Anna that with what face do you talk of fast against corruption. You are involved in corruption from top to bottom and we are not saying say this, this has been said by a probe panel which was headed by a former Supreme Court judge,” party spokesperson Manish Tewari told mediapersons.

Angered by the contents of Hazare’s letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in which he accused the United Progressive Alliance of adopting “dictatorial stance” and asked the prime minister “with what face will he unfurl the tricolour” at the Red Fort on the Independence Day, the Congress went all out to attack the social activist.

“The Lokpal bill has gone to the standing committee. He (Hazare) was invited before the panel which had representatives from several political parties…One stance inside and another outside. It (his words) are not an insult to the government but parliament,” Tewari said.He said Hazare’s words were also an insult of the tricolour.

Referring to remarks of a US State Department spokesperson, Tewari said the “irresponsibility” shown by Hazare had given chance to foreign countries to make a comment on the government.
“The fast on Aug 16 is neither on Lokpal bill nor corruption,” Tewari said and challenged Hazare to first give replies to charges made in the Justice Sawant Committee report.

“The nation wants to know,” he said and asked Hazare’s colleagues in the drafting committee Santosh Hegde and Shanti Bhushan if they had sought replies from the activist.
Asked on the about-turn in the Congress party’s attitude towards Hazare, Tewari said several agitations were held in the country and the government tries to find a way out through talks.

“When you cross boundaries of decency, it is not only disrespect to the government but to parliament,” Tewari said, accusing Hazare of crossing “the Lakshman rekha”.
“If someone was suffering from a combination of grandeur and grandstanding, then he needs to be shown his place. That’s precisely what we have done today,” Tewari said.
He also accused Hazare of trying to spread unrest.

“If someone thinks that creating unrest is their birthright, then there has to be political response,” Tewari said.
He said the Justice P.B. Sawant Committee had gone into four of the organisations associated with Hazare, including Hind Swaraj Trust.

He said the trust had also been faulted for wrong “alienation of land”, and added that Hazare had not furnished accounts of a trust for two decades from 1982 to 2002.
Referring to another trust associated with Hazare, Tewari said the report had stated that some of workers were abusing its platform for anti-social activities such as extortion, blackmail, harrassment “and goondaism”.

The Sawant Committee was set up by the Maharashtra government to probe Hazare’s allegations of corruption against four state ministers, but one of the ministers had made counter allegations against the social activist.

Muslim Women Personal Law Board backs Anna, slams Imam Bukhari

A day after Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari came down heavily on Anna Hazare’s campaign for the use of slogans like ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat mata ki Jai’, All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board (AIMWPLB) president Shaista Amber on Tuesday criticised him and said that nobody forced Muslims to raise these slogans in the anti-corruption movement.

Shaista Amber said people of all communities had participated in the freedom struggle and then slogans were raised without any hesitation. On Tuesday, she staged a dharna with 35 other Muslim women at Jhulelal Park where eight persons are sitting on an indefinite hunger strike since August 15. They also offered special prayers for the well-being of Anna Hazare and the success of his movement.

Originally, 15 persons had started an indefinite hunger strike at Jhulelal Park since August 16. But seven of them ended their fast on Tuesday on doctors’ advice. Shaista Amber said, “In the holy Quran, Muslims have been asked to protest atrocity and corruption. Therefore, every Muslim should support Anna Hazare’s anti-graft campaign.’’

Anna Hazare/ Jan Lokpal Bill