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Home , India Against Corruption, Jan Lokpal Bill, Lokpal, Prashant Bhushan, Ramdev, Shanti Bhushan

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-4, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

The Anti-Corruption Movement in and the

Megha Singh1 & Dr. R. K. Sohoni2 1M. Phil, Ph.D. candidate (Political Science), Vikram University, Ujjain, India. 2Professor and Head, Vikram University, Ujjain, India.

Abstract: The Jan 2011, led by a group of social activists – Anna Andolan (people’s movement) is a collective Hazare, , , Kiran organized synergistic people’s movement formed to Bedi and Baba . ensure a corruption free India. India against corruption’s current objective, as stated on its , a follower of Gandhian principles, website, is for direct participatory democracy of opted for fasting unto death and demanded the citizens (without caring about leaders or big enactment of the long pending, names) to rid the greater Indian nation of (Anti Corruption law). This movement got support corruption wherever it is found by whatever means of general masses and media. The movement is necessary. Accordingly, IAS offers and manages a considered to be a milestone in the constitutional series of platforms and tools to empower history of India forcing the government to accept individuals who share a common dream that civil society’s demand to have a say in drafting the someday (soon) corruption will be eliminated in stringent anti – corruption law, the Lokpal bill. India. While India currently has a number of laws intended to stem corruption, supporters of the Jan This movement got support of general masses and Lokpal Bill have argued that the current laws are media. While enactment of the law and action by inadequate in light of the large number and size of Lokpals and Lokayuktas (ombudsmen) will take scandals in India. To draw the attention of the some more time to be on actual ground, this government, a focused campaign “India against movement has certainly made corruption a major corruption” was started in 2011. Through these social issue in India. collaborative efforts till August 2011, IAC was able to upload the 23rd version of the Jan Lokpal Bill : As a Narrow Phenomenon draft. As per the definition given by the World Bank in 2000, corruption is the “abuse of public Keywords: Corruption, Anti Corruption Movement, Lokpal office for unauthorized private gain” quite disappointingly; such trends are widely practiced in Introduction India, irrespective of successive attempts made by the various governments that have been formed From the early 1970s new form of social since independence, to eradicate corruption. In fact, mobilization began in India. They gained a variety the dynamics of corruption in Indian democracy are of names like social movement- people’s multi-faceted. Corruption is about disparities of movement popular movement etc. 20th century power and the subversion by entrenched relations India witnessed a large number of non – of privilege of formal laws that promise equality institutionalized collective actions in the form of and opportunity. Since being represented as the protests, agitations, strikes, , hartals, focus of patriotic loyalty in the early years of gheraos, riots etc. which strove for social and Indian freedom, the “state” was in quick time political change. Most well known movements in transformed in elite perception to being the fount of the country are bhoodan movement, chipko all iniquity. movement, save silent valley, , koel karo, mukti morcha, The other side of this story, of rising inequality and jhola andolan (fighting polythene). These of the numerous excluded sections seeking to assert movements largely distanced themselves from their right to a share in political power through the electoral process featured in the “news” agenda as political parties, or tried to cut across the ideologies of the political parties. One of the most a sidelight, an interesting curiosity. Political recent social movements witnessed in India was corruption is an ongoing problem in India, the campaign on ‘India against corruption’, April acknowledged domestically and internationally.

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 112

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-4, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Corruption or misuse of power by the person in the Following Anna’s hunger strike and the nationwide office. ripples of remonstration, a debate on the Jan Lokpal Bill was held in parliament on 27 August To combat corruption problems, India’s parliament 2011. This finally marked the end of the fast, has debated establishing an independent though Anna made it very clear that he was only commission with the authority to investigate and suspending his fast for the time being and would punish corrupt government officials. To stick end it only after a strong Lokpal Bill was passed by people faith in democratic set up, we need an the Indian parliament. Before the commencement independent agency which can effectively control of the winter session of the parliament on mal – administration. In order to have a good December 11, 2011 Anna Hazare sat on a day – government there is an international demand for the long fast at Jantar Mantar, , protesting importation of . The Indian version of against the proposals made by the parliamentary this is Lokpal and Lokayukta. standing committee on the anti –graft measure. On December 22, 2011, the parliamentary session in Anti Corruption Movement 2011 and the the lower house () witnessed debates and Lokpal Bill breaches of opinion regarding the Lokpal issue among almost all the political parties present. In 2010, following major corruption scandals, the Indian government drafted a version of a Describing Anna’s agitation as a conspiracy against Lokpal Bill. Many citizens and social activists the constitution, he opined that the ex – considered the proposed measure weak, as it did parliamentarians, judiciary as well as the prime not cover the prime minister, members of minister should not be brought under the Lokpal parliament and cabinet ministers. on 5 April 2011, bill. The government finally withdrew the Lokpal a 73- year old man in central Delhi stopped eating. bill introduced in August 2011 and reintroduced The man in question was Kisan Baburao Hazare ‘the Lokpal and Lokayukta’s bill 2011’ along with and he was protesting the congress – led central the 116th constitutional amendment bill, which also government’s lackadaisical attempts to punish included reservation for minorities and 50 percent those guilty of large – scale corruption. His specific reservation for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, demand was that “civil society” should have a say other backward classes and women. in drafting a stringent anti-corruption law, the Lokpal Bill. On December 27, 2011 the Lok sabha approved the government’s latest version of the bill and demand On 8 April the government agreed that five of strong Lokpal by Anna remained a dream. on members, chosen by Anna Hazare, would be part the same day a famous opposition leader again of the Lokpal Bill drafting committee are lawyers “punched holes in the government’s Lokpal bill and (the latter a saying it was anything but a strong and effective former union law minister), (retired) supreme court law to deal with corruption in the country……it is judge and current Lokayukta of Karnataka santosh patently unconstitutional (bill)….deeply flawed and Hegde, right to information (RTI) activist Arvind tampers with the basics of our constitution. the Kejriwal, along with Gandhian Anna Hazare debate resulted in the Lokpal bill being passed to himself. All are middle class icons. on May 13, the upper house of parliament () but the 2011, the prime minister, declared the completion Lokpal was not given constitutional status as of the ratification of the UN convention against expected. Later, the bill was passed by the corruption by the Indian Government. as per constitutional norms. Meanwhile, Anna Hazare again began his fast On June 8, 2011, while observing a day long demanding a stronger version of the Lokpal bill at hunger strike as a protest against the police MMRDA ground in . Proceedings in embargo on Ramdev’s supporters, Anna Hazare parliament were also stalled and reached a gave an ultimatum to the government that the Jan deadlock as the bill got stuck in the Rajya sabha Lokpal Bill should be passed by August 15, 2011. and was not passed during the winter session of If not, he would then begin another indefinite fast parliament. from August 16, 2011. Towards the end of July 2011, the union cabinet approved the Lokpal bill The bill was reintroduced during the budget session keeping the office of prime minister outside its of the parliament in February 2012, but it was not purview during his term in office and also excluded priorities and the session ended without the bill the higher judiciary and the conduct of members of being passed. Under these circumstances, Anna parliament inside the parliament. Some incident once again decided to sit on a day – long fast at further strengthened Anna’s decision to fast unto Jantar Mantar on March 25, 2012. Again, on May death from August 16, 2011. 1, 2012 Anna began his five weeklong tour of

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 113

Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-4, 2016 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in

Maharashtra to create awareness for a strong 9. Sanghvi Sanjay, The new people’s movements Lokayukta bill. in India, Economic and political weekly.42, no.50, 2007 However, this token fast was followed by an 10. Sanghvi Sukumar, Hazare and his Children, indefinite one which began on July 25, 2012 by Economic and Political Weekly, XLVI, no.16, 2011 close associates of Anna Hazare. He himself joined 11. Sitapati Vinay, What Anna Hazare’s the fast from July 29 onwards. On August 3, 2012 Movement and India’s New Middle Classes he broke the fast with a promise to fight for Say about Each Other, Economic and Political transparency in the system. With the announcement Weekly, vol. XLVI (30), July 2011 of the formation of a political party, the question 12. Vineeta, Political parties, Business the comes to the fore front is whether the groups and Corruption in Developing movement will be able to continue its sustained countries, , New York, struggle on the single issue of corruption. 2011.

Conclusion:-

In the 1960s itself, the idea of the Lokpal was suggested by the first administrative reforms commission. Even before Anna Hazare’s fast, Aruna Roy and other civil society members had been involved in drafting an anti corruption law. Yet the fact that the movement got even this far need explaining. India today is one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Bringing public servant and public functionaries under a scanner which makes them strictly accountable, is the start of a movement against corruption in India and one significant step in attacking the spectrum of corruption in India will be the implementation of the Lokpal bill.

References

1. Associated Press, India: Hunger Striker Claims Victory, The New York Times, 8 April, 2001 2. C. Rajkumar, Corruption and Human Rights in India: Comparative Perspectives on Transparency and Good Governance, Oxford University press, New Delhi, 2011 3. Goswami Debika & Bandyopadhyay Kaustuv K, The anti-corruption movement in India, Society for participatory research in Asia (PRIA), India, 2012 4. IANS,http://articles,timesofindia. Indiatimes.com / 2011-12-27/India/30560937 1 Lokpal-bill-lokayuktas-weak-bill, , New Delhi, December 27, 2011 5. Mohapatra Atanu, Lokpal and The Role of Media in Propping up Anti Corruption Movement in India, International Journal of Social Science & Interdisciplinary Research. 2(3), March, 2013 6. Oommen T.K., Social movements I & II, issue of identity, oxford university press, New Delhi, (Ed.) 2010 7. Politics in India after independence, class 12 political science text book, chapter VII, (NCERT) 2007 8. Ray Raka and Mery Fainsod Katzenstein (edited), Social Movements in India: Poverty, Power and Politics, oxford university press, 2005

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