Civil society & politics

Team Anna’s decision to join politics not a lone instance; rural India made its foray long ago

Civil v political

Fate of Lokpal Bill hangs in balance

After getting the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill passed in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government introduced it in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. The bill was introduced despite the Congress not having sufficient numbers to ensure the pasage of the bill in the upper house. Many political parties, including certain UPA allies, are opposed to certain provisions of the controversial bill.

The battle for a strong Lokpal

The stage is set for another showdown between Anna Hazare and the ruling UPA alliance at the Centre. As the Gandhian began his three-day fast in Mumbai on December 27 to press for a strong Lokpal Bill, the Lok Sabha began to debate the bill with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tearing into the bill, saying it is flawed and unconstitutional.

The battle for a strong Lokpal

The stage is set for another showdown between Anna Hazare and the ruling UPA alliance at the Centre. As the Gandhian began his three-day fast in Mumbai on December 27 to press for a strong Lokpal Bill, the Lok Sabha began to debate the bill with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tearing into the bill, saying it is flawed and unconstitutional. The Lokpal bill envisages setting up an independent ombudsman who would have the power to investigate and prosecute politicians and civil servants.

The idea of corruption

Anna Hazare and his followers have a skewed notion of corruption. Would they ever see the Bhopal gas tragedy as the symptom of the problem?

ANNA TO BINAYAK AND TATA

We cannot fight corruption unless we understand its roots in a system that allows the plunder of public resources by a few

The big idea for change: bamboo as grass

“Stroke of the pen” reform is critical as in many cases policy is dastardly and change is laggardly. The essential element is to find that big-ticket item that can have impact on a scale and at a pace that is needed. I believe Union environment and forests minister Jairam Ramesh’s letter addressed to all chief ministers clarifying that bamboo is indeed a grass and not timber, is such an item.