Anna Hazare

Kisan Baburao Hazare, well know as Anna Hazare born on 15th June 1937. He is a social activist and anarcho-pacifist. He was avarded Padma Bhushan by the Indian government for his role in developing model village in Maharashtra state. Padma Bhusan is the one of the highest civilian award given by the government of India.

His role model is Mahatma Gandhi and his mode of strike is nonviolent fast. His recent protest in the beginning of 2011, of fast until death against the corruption and to bring the Jan Lokpal Bill, which en-powers the Lokpal committee to deal corruption cases against the government officails. The government agreed to draft a Lokpal Bill with joint effort of both government and civil soceity.

He was recruited in the Indian Army in 1962, emergency recruitment process, during Indo-Pak war, thought he was physically did not meet the standards. He served as a driver. He narrowly escaped from war, as all his comrades died during Pak airstrike. He was deeply motivated by Swami Vivekananda's book, "Call to the youth for nation building". The people which inspired him is Vivekananda, Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave. He survived road accident in 70s. At the age of 38 he returned from the army.

He spend more time in constructing model village and worked among the poor.

in 1975, after retiring from the military, he decided to make his village self sufficient. Ralegan Siddhi, is a small village in Maharashtra. It was severely affected by drought and poverty.He understood that one of the main reason for poverty in his village like any other villages in India is alcoholism. He organized the youth in his village and named Tarun Mandal. The youth wing decided to closed down the liquor shops, most of them voluntarily by the owners themselves. But still a few continued the habit, by getting the alcohol from the neighboring villages. These people were punished. Later on tobacco products were also banned in the village.

Later on Hazare asked the government of Maharashtra state to stop issuing the license ti new liquor shops. For that the government conducted a poll in which if more than 50 percent of the people vote for it they will stop issue of new license. After the poll result, no new shops were issued license.

Other activities he performed in the village to make it self sustainable are watershed and rain water harvest, increased the milk production, uprooting unaccountability, education for all etc.

Hazare recently came to the spotlight with his fast until death against the corruption. This almost shake the New Delhi. This has shown a common man who elected the representatives can also pressurize them. The main objective of Jan Lokpal Bill is to bring down corrupt government officials as well as corrupt politicians. The people choose the government, but who will be responsible for the government employees. According to Jan Lokapal, the Lokpal committee can take actions against corrupt bureaucrats. The action will be immediate if the case is proven unlike the normal court procedure.

The government of India agreed with Hazare, but later there was some difference between the civic representatives and the government representatives which mainly concerned with including Prime Minister in the trial if he is corrupt, i.e. he will not enjoy the immunity provided by the constitution. The government argues for that they need to change the constitution.

Hazare threaten to go for indefinite strike from August 16th of 2011, if Jan Lokpal Bill is not tabled in the Parliament before that. He is met various political party leaders in June and July before the all party meeting regarding the issue. He was supported by major public figures like Baba Ramdev, Kiran Bedi, Medha Patkar, Ashok Hegde.