Anna Hazare to be invited for campaign against Modi govt

VADODARA: A BJP rebel in Gujarat is planning to invite anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare to launch a state-wide campaign against the Narendra Modi government.

Former BJP Minister Nalin Bhatt, who has quit the party, said, "we are planning to invite Hazare to Gujarat to launch a crusade against the rampant corruption in the state."

Bhatt also criticised Modi's planned Sadbhavna fast in the city on December 15.

Anna Hazare to be invited to campaign against Narendra Modi govt

A BJP rebel in Gujarat is planning to invite anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare to launch a state-wide campaign against the Narendra Modi government.

Former BJP Minister Nalin Bhatt, who has quit the party, told this to reporters here today.

"No political party, including Congress, is capable of removing Modi from power, despite 17 cases of corruption, which ran into Rs one lakh crore, have surfaced. Only Hazare can pull the Modi government down and provide relief to six crore people of the state," Bhatt said.

"Therefore, we are planning to invite Hazare to Gujarat to launch a crusade against the rampant corruption in the state," he added adding that there was no political motive behind the move.

"We are also trying to reach Team Anna members Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal to persuade Hazare to visit Gujarat and make it a corruption-free state."

Bhatt also criticised Modi's planned Sadbhavna fast in the city on December 15.

Anna Hazare says govt has cheated entire country, Congress lashes out at him

NEW DELHI: Accusing Team Anna of "practising an extreme form of intolerance", Abhishek Singhvi, senior Congress leader and chairman of the Parliamentary panel on Lokpal, said attacking those who do not agree with their view is a negation of democracy.

"None of this is surprising. As usual and true to form Team Anna is practising an extreme form of intolerance, namely those who do not agree 100 per cent with their view must be condemned with personal attack and vilification," Singvi said.

He said this is a "negation of democracy" itself because Team Anna has decided that "no one in the nation, be it Parliamentary Committee, Parliament or the Cabinet, can ever disagree with them."

"This is most unfortunate and regrettable," said Singhvi who is also an eminent lawyer and spokesperson of Congress.

His remarks came close on the heels of Anna Hazare's attack on the Committee for its "weak report" on the eve of his day-long fast.

Govt has cheated entire country: Anna 

On the eve of day-long fast to protest against the Parliamentary Standing Committee report on Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare today said government has "cheated" the entire country and that he will carry on his campaign till next Lok Sabha elections to create awareness against UPA.

The social activist said he suspected that Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi was behind Standing Committee rejecting even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's promise to include the Citizen's charter, lower bureaucracy and establishment of Lok Ayuktas in the states.

"They have cheated the whole country. The Prime Minister had given in writing that these three issues would be brought under the Lokpal Bill...The Prime Minister's letter was thrown into the dustbin. Why this volte face? Is Singhvi's post higher than that of the Prime Minister," Hazare told reporters here.

"There is somebody behind... Who is bigger than the Prime Minister?... We suspect Rahul Gandhi could be behind this... Who else can dare to challenge the Prime Minister? That is why there are these problems," Hazare said, alleging that their intentions are "not good".

He was referring to Standing Committee headed by Abhishek Singhvi which has disfavoured inclusion of Group C and D employees and kept out Citizen's charter and Lokayukta.

Hazare, who will hold a day-log fast at jantar mantar tomorrow, said he will resume his anti-corruption agitation from December 27 and then carry on this for next two years till the Lok Sabha elections.

"We will continue to fight for the next two years. We will move around the whole country before the general elections to create public awareness," he said and asked "Why to retain those who have destroyed the country?"

They are one voice of many worlds

CHANDIGARH: Adding a new dimension to the ongoing campaigning for upcoming municipal corporation elections, a non-political group has fielded candidates with unusual profiles. The group has a Panjab University professor, a shopkeeper, PhD degree holder, and homemaker whose child was kidnapped and murdered.

Chandigarh Jan Manch comprises a social group, the employees association, teacher leaders, and a few persons with political background. The 16 candidates fielded by the Manch are no political high-ups who can afford flashy campaigning.

Impressed with Anna Hazare's anti-graft campaign, a group of eminent educationists, businessmen, lawyers, writers, social activists, doctors, trade union members, and housing group representatives formed the Chandigarh Jan Manch.

Former Panjab University Teachers' Association (PUTA) president Manjit Singh said, "The Jan Manch is not political in any way and came into existence due to a lot of crucial issues that are not resolved as yet. The members have joined hands for a social cause.

Elections were not the agenda but we planned to contest the polls." The group members, who are from all walks of life, depend on personal contacts and pamphlets to woo voters.
Jan Manch includes Khushpreet's mother Kulwinder Kaur, Ranjit Kaur of colony no 5, a BEd; businessman Jatinder Kumar Sahni, 28; and PhD degree holder Meena Sharma. Many PU students have come forward to support Ranjit Kaur.

Banking on Rahul to bring changes in Lokpal draft: Anna

Ralegan Siddhi/ Pune: Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Saturday expressed dissatisfaction with the current provision of the Lokpal Bill. In an exclusive interview with STAR News, the social activist alleged that even though the standing committee had taken the decision to bring Group C and Group D employees under the Lokpal’s ambit, it was reversed the next day. He also suspected Rahul Gandhi to be behind those changes but added that he was hopeful that if Rahul wished, changes could still be made in the standing committee’s draft on the Lokpal Bill. Anna said Rahul Gandhi had an untarnished image and must continue to remain unblemished. However, he believed he was not fit for becoming Prime Minister at the moment and must work much harder before aspiring for the post.

According to the social activist, the current draft of the Lokpal Bill was weak and would not deliver justice to the people. Anna said the Prime Minister seemed to have given him the false assurance that even Group C and Group D employees would be under the Lokpal. Bringing them under the CVC was not sufficient because it was controlled by the government. According to him it was imperative to bring these tiers of bureaucracy under the ambit of the Lokpal so as to ensure justice for the common man. Anna threatened to launch another agitation if the government did not formulate a strong Lokpal.

Hazare to fast tomorrow

RALEGAN SIDDHI, 10 DEC: Ahead of his day-long fast for a strong Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare today launched a vitriolic attack on the government, charging that it was “intoxicated” by power and said the “second fight for independence” has started which will go on till corruption is eradicated.

Before leaving for Delhi where he will hold the fast tomorrow, Mr Hazare said: “So many martyrs lost their lives for our independence but even today we cannot experience independence. Who got independent. What independence. Corruption, loot is still here. Only 'goras' left and 'kalas' came in, that is the only difference.”
“So the second fight for independence has started, it is a long fight, till corruption gets eradicated, it will go on. Many people will have to get to jail again, be lathi-charged, some will have to sacrifice, that time is here now. Till we sacrifice, we won't get the right independence,” Mr Hazare told reporters here.

Keenly observed by government and people, the activist will sit at Jantar Mantar, the protest hotspot in the National Capital, the whole day along with his supporters demanding a strong anti-corruption law.

Hitting out at the government, Mr Hazare said: “This government is intoxicated by power and money. It cannot see anything else. They have forgotten the sacrifices by the likes of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru."

“It is our job to get them into their senses. This in only a day-long agitation, after 27 December, it will be a long agitation. Today that you all are here, I am energised,” he said.

This will be Mr Hazare's second protest at Jantar Mantar on the issue, the first being the hugely successful five-day fast from 5 April which forced the government to set up a joint committee of government and activists to draft Lokpal Bill. Team Anna and police expect a large turn-out at the venue and adequate police personnel are being deployed at the spot.

Bal Thackeray attacks Anna for targeting Pawar

Shiv Sena supreme Bal Thackeray in the party’s mouthpiece Saamna on Thursday questioned the authenticity of Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campaign,claiming it appeared to target only Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.



Referring to Hazare's Tuesday blog in which he alleged that Pawar has an old habit of shielding the corrupt,Bal Thackeray in Saamna said that Anna has found only Pawar to be a corrupt leader in Maharashtra and the rest of the country and all others are as clean as washed rice.



In a sharp edit in party mouthpiece Saamna,Thackeray said,"If that is so, then is the Lokpal Bill being proposed only for Pawar? Why are you (Hazare) fasting and melting your bones at Jantar Mantar? Both Pawar and Hazare hail from Maharashtra, then why are you trying to defame the state before the rest of the country? Why are you singling him out and targeting him?" .



 Thackeray demanded why Hazare was not speaking out against those supporting Home Minister P. Chidambaram, who is accused of involvement in the 2G spectrum scam. Pawar was slapped by a man in Delhi last month over price rise and corruption.



Raising doubts over Hazare's knowledge of Gandhi's philosophy, Thackeray said merely wearing a Gandhi cap does not imply there is a 'Gandhi' in you - "Read Gandhiji and experience him, he never used violence in words, thoughts or deeds… First Hazare supported the Pawar slapping incident, then regretted and then again supported it," Thackeray said, ridiculing Hazare's changing stance on the issue as bordering on "madness".

Slamming Anna  and his team members,Thackeray said Hazare was reduced to a mere "puppet" in the hands of his Team Anna members and  they were "airing their opinions through Hazare, which is a terrible thing".


"This means that it is Hazare's waist and somebody else's dhoti (cover). These people lack courage to question Sonia Gandhi, her relatives and Bofors scam on their blog," Thackeray said.

"We shall ensure the defeat of Sharad Pawar and his Nationalist Congress Party through the ballot boxes. For this we don't need Hazare's verbal mafia language," Thackeray said in conclusion.

Court seeks evidence on allegations against Hazare

A Delhi court has asked a complainant from Haryana to produce evidence on allegations that Anna Hazare and his team had instigated people against the government during their protest at Ramlila Maidan.

Dismissing Satbir Singh’s plea seeking a direction to the Delhi Police, asking them to register a criminal case against Hazare and his team, Metropolitan Magistrate Tyagita Singh told him to produce evidence supporting his allegations.

“This court is of the opinion that no direct offence by accused persons is made out at this stage.The complainant is granted the opportunity to lead his evidence, and the complaint is treated as a case under Section 200 CrPC,” the court said.

Ahead of polls, Congress to send report on corruption in Punjab to Team Anna

The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) would send a detailed report on “rampant corruption in the state government and its shameless acts to reduce the authority of Lok Pal” to activist Anna Hazare and his team.

The move comes in the wake of propose plans of the Team Anna and the social activist to campaign in Punjab ahead of the assembly elections early next year.

“We welcome Team Anna to campaign on the issue (in Punjab),” state party chief Capt Amarinder Singh said.

Amarinder was talking to the media persons in Jalandhar on Friday evening at the residence of party MLA Amarjit Singh Samra where 13 SAD leaders from Hoshiarpur joined Congress in the presence of AICC general secretary Gulchain Singh Charak.

The former CM said that the Team Anna has raised two main issues - corruption and Lokpal - and in Punjab the SAD-BJP government has a abysmal record on both the issue. “We will send detailed materials about the corrupt activities of the government and how they have reduced the institution of Lokpal in Punjab. Team Anna would have to take into account both the factors and then they should take their decision,” he added.

Queried whether his son Raninder Singh would be contest the coming assembly elections, Amarinder ruled out any such possibility.

“Raninder has neither applied for the ticket nor would he have enough time. He is now the chairman of National Rifle Association where he needs to devote a lot of time. I don’t think he would be able to do justice to both the jobs,” Amarinder said.

The state Congress has received more than 2,000 applications from ticket aspirants. He said the party getting a re-survey done on 42 seats as the earlier review had not zeroed in on a single probable candidate.

Reacting to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s allegation that the ambitious irrigation project about strengthening canals and distributaries in Punjab could not be accomplished due to step-motherly treatment by central government, Amarinder said that state government should have got the projects cleared through the planning commission.

About the party manifesto he said that it would be released after Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee clears it.

Hazare team rejects Lok Pal report to begin stir

The report of the standing committee on the government’s Lok Pal Bill was tabled in Parliament on Friday and resoundingly rejected by the Anna Hazare group, which has threatened agitation this Sunday and then a congregation at Ramlila Maidan from December 27.

Supporters of the Hazare-led India Against Corruption (IAC) have told Business Standard the new round of agitation will be ‘even bigger and better’ than the previous one and plans were afoot to make it an all-India affair.

 This is after the report of the standing committee partially addressed many of the issues earlier flagged by the IAC. The report has several dissent notes, including three from Congress members themselves. The report also leaves it to Parliament to resolve whether and how the Prime Minister should come within the purview of the proposed ombudsman. It suggests a separate bill for a grievance redressal mechanism, which should have statutory status.
It recommends leaving the conduct of MPs inside Parliament out of the Lok Pal purview and wants statutory status for the Lok Pal, with state Lok Ayuktas being covered under a separate chapter in the same bill. The states, it says, would be free to draft their own Lok Ayukta law that would cover the chief minister.

On all this, the IAC is flexible. What it is inflexible about are two provisions – what treatment the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should get from the Lok Pal and how the lower bureaucracy – specifically group C and D employees that include patwaris, panchayat officials and peons – should be treated. The standing committee says group C and D employees will, according to government plans, be merged – and all will be counted as group C. They should come within the jurisdiction of the Central Vigilance Commission, which has a huge administrative machinery but will have little to do once the Lok Pal is established. CVC should report to the Lok Pal on corruption in this category of government employees.

Thus, the committee is loath to dismantle existing institutions to check corruption. But it does create new ones.

On the CBI, the committee wants it to be autonomous of the government. So, the practice of taking sanctions from the government against corrupt officials will be done away with. The CBI will report to the Lok Pal but not be subordinate to it and investigation and prosecution will be hived off into separate wings. Prosecution will be done under a Lok Pal judge.

IAC members were scathing on these recommendations. Lawyer Prashant Bhushan called it a “hotch potch” Bill, which was likely to increase rather than reduce corruption. Arvind Kejriwal called it “a more or less Congress report”, with seven of the 12 members supporting the Bill from that party. “We had plans to go on an agitation and fast from December 27 if the Parliament failed to pass a strong Lok Pal Bill in the current session. We are sticking to our plan,” the Hazare supporters said

Hazare added from his Ralegan Siddhi village in Maharashtra that the committee had fooled the people by keeping the government Bill largely intact.

The report was supported fully by just 12 out of 30 members, of which seven were from the Congress. While 16 dissented, two never attended. So much for its credibility, said Kejriwal.

The team would now observe a day’s fast at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Sunday. “We are trying to evolve a consensus among different parties and have also called for their participation in the dharna,” team members said.

Hazare’s public statement indicated he had nothing against the Prime Minister or Congress president Sonia Gandhi (who is indisposed) and that it was Rahul Gandhi’s utterances that showed the government was not serious about bringing back probity to public life.

He also said the effect of his campaign would be visible in Uttar Pradesh in the run-up to the assembly elections there early next year.

Anna Hazare strongly opposes parliamentary panel's 'weak' Lokpal Bill draft

Ralegan Siddhi, Dec 9: Veteran social activist Anna Hazare today strongly lashed out at the Central government and Parliamentary Standing Committee for 'betraying' the people by drafting a 'weak' Lokpal Bill.

Addressing mediapersons here, Hazare said: "The issues and provisions that appear in the draft released by the Standing Committee are same as those in the government version of the Lokpal Bill.

  "The Standing Committee's draft mirrors what has already been said by the government. This proves that the Standing Committee has betrayed and misled the people. The Standing Committee's draft will not in any way help eliminate corruption from this country," he added.

Hazare further questioned the need to bring out a 'weak' draft.

"The government had always promised to frame a strong anti-corruption legislation, but it has come up with this weak draft. Who is the brain behind this tactic? The Prime Minister had sent me a letter assuring me on the three main conditions laid down by us," he said.

"A resolution was also passed in the Parliament. This resolution was also forwarded to the standing committee by Pranab Mukherjee himself. Now, the Standing Committee says we never received that document. Is it a government or a trader's shop?" he added.

He also said that the government must frame a legislation that envisages a corruption free India.

"There is no use in bringing out a weak draft just for show off. Neither would it help national interest nor would it help eliminate corruption. Till the time corruption remains prevalent, the country cannot progress. Can't the government see that out of a rupee, not even ten paisa is reaching the rural areas? How will this country progress? Due to graft, even ten paisa cannot reach the villages out of a rupee, money from development funds is siphoned off, poor people are suffering and inflation is at its peak. Is the government not aware of this?" he said.

Hazare had earlier said that he would stage a one-day strike in New Delhi on December 11, if the tabled anti-graft bill reflected a weak institution of Lokpal.

The Bill is seen as a weapon to root out corruption and nepotism from the government machinery and in public life.

The proposed Bill envisages the setting up of a national anti-corruption watchdog to check financial mismanagement and corrupt practices that have deeply pervaded several democratic and civic institutions of India.

Ahmedabad to celebrate Human Rights Day on Dec 10

On the occasion of Human Rights Day on December 10, the Movement for Secular Democracy, in association with People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) will organise programmes to celebrate the 'stand for citizens', focusing on human rights declaration on UN Charter, 1948.

In Ahmedabad, the day has been celebrated every year for past 12 years. This year's celebration is an extension of Anna Hazare's visit to the city in May, said Prakash Shah, working president, PUCL.

"The need of the hour is to develop a united movement of people against anti-people policies of the governments and preserve the human rights at all costs," said Shah.

The celebrations will include discussions, drama, street plays and songs, and a candlelight procession. The programme will take place at Sardar Baug, nicknamed Anna Andolan Janpant after the activist visited the state. On December 15, Justice Santosh Hegde will deliver a lecture on "Corruption in our country and people's movement," at Shikshan Mahavidyalaya Bhavan, Gujarat Vidyapith, Ashram Road.

COURT-HAZARE 2 LAST

Singh, in his complaint, has accused Hazare of Singh, in his complaint, has accused Hazare of instigating people across the country to lay a siege of the houses of MPs and ministers to press their demands. He has alleged that a 21-year-old man, who had participated in Hazare's hunger strike, had died of pneumonia for which Team Anna was "responsible." The Delhi Police in its reply has said no case is made out against the social activist and his teammates. Even as the court dismissed his plea, it noted Singh was correct to some extent in saying that the huge public gathering at the Ramlila Ground had caused disruption and obstruction in traffic and that it had become difficult for authorities to control the public and maintain law and order. According to it, certain cases of theft and quarrels had come to the notice and FIRs were also lodged.

35,000 migrant children to be covered in pulse polio campaign

CHENNAI: About 35,000 migrant children, including Sri Lankan refugees, will be covered during a special pulse polio campaign on Dec 11 conducted by the Tamil Nadu government who are more susceptible to the disease, an offcial release said.

"The inflow of migrant families to Tamil Nadu is on the rise every year. Mostly, these migrant children are more susceptible to have polio infection because of their constant movement from one place to another, without proper immunisation coverage," the release said.

Enumeration and mapping of all migrant children had been done. Children at construction sites, brick kilns and quarries, wards of migrant agriculture labours and fishermen, pavement dwellers and Sri Lankan refugees will be covered during the exercise, according to the release.

The state had been free of polio since 2004, it said. PTI SA ARP Hazare to visit Chennai on December 18

Chennai, Dec 9 (PTI) Social activist Anna Hazare and his team would visit the city next week as part of stepping up their demand for a stronger Lokpal.

"Anna and his team will be here on December 18 and participate in a public meeting," India Against Corruption, Chennai-Chapter, Volunteer Venkatnarayanan told reporters here today.

The venue of the public meeting would be announced later, he said.

He said IAC volunteers across Tamil Nadu would observe a token fast on December 11 expressing solidarity with Hazare who is set to stage a similar protest protesting the Standing Committee proposals, which excludes his key demands like bringing lower bureaucracy under the ambit of the ombudsman besides provisions for Citizen's Charter.

"The token fast will be conducted on December 11 across Tamil Nadu coinciding Anna's fast in Jantar Mantar in New Delhi," he said.

Anna blames Rahul Gandhi for parliamentary committee's Lokpal report

Ralegan Siddhi/New Delhi:  Anna Hazare today attacked the Parliamentary Standing Committee report on Lokpal, saying it was fooling people while his team questioned its "credibility" saying it had the support of only 12 MPs.

He alleged the report will not help in any way to fight corruption and repeated his charge that Rahul Gandhi was behind the recommendations of the panel.

"The issues remain the same. This means the Standing Committee has fooled the public. Their report does not help in fighting corruption," he told reporters in Ralegan Siddhi.

Renewing his demand for inclusion of the lower bureaucracy under the ambit of Lokpal, Hazare said government wants to bring Group C and D employees under Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). "The CVC is under government, it will do what the government says. Then what is the point," he said.

He also objected to the Standing Committee's recommendation to keep MPs' conduct inside Parliament out of the ombudsman's ambit asking "why are they scared".

"Even a school boy would know that it is a trick," he said.

His colleagues in Delhi, meanwhile, attacked the Parliamentary Standing Committee questioning the credibility of its report.

"Standing Committee had 30 members. Two never attended. Sixteen dissented. So this report is supported by the balance 12. Seven are from the Congress, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Amar Singh and rest from Mayawati's BSP. So much for the credibility of this report," prominent Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said.

However, panel chairman Abhishek Singhvi had earlier said that a dissent note by an MP does not mean that he or she is against the entire report and they may be expressing their reservations against one or more points.

Hazare, who will be fasting on Sunday in protest against the exclusion of his key demands like bringing the lower bureaucracy under Lokpal, said the government was saying from the beginning that they will bring a strong Lokpal Bill but they have brought a very weak bill.

"Who is behind this? The Prime Minister has written to me.

Pranab Mukherjee wrote to the Standing Committee that Parliament has passed a resolution. But the Standing Committee says it has not received any communication. Is this a government or a trader's shop?" he said.

However, the Standing Committee report made public today clearly mentions that the panel was in the know of the Parliament resolution. "...There was a detailed discussion on the statement of the Minister of Finance on the issues relating to the setting up of the Lokpal in both the Houses of Parliament on the 27th August, 2011," it said.

Hazare said he trusts Parliament but asserted that a "show-off" draft will not help things.

Team Anna also said they will oppose "tooth and nail" the Standing Committee proposals on the ombudsman which they claimed is taking the anti-corruption systems in the country two steps backward.

Claiming that the committee recommendations, if implemented, would increase corruption and disintegrate CBI's functioning, Kejriwal said, "This report takes our anti- corruption systems two steps back. We must oppose this report tooth and nail".

Lawyer Prashant Bhushan said the proposals were likely to increase corruption rather than being able to control it.

Activist Kiran Bedi said, "Damage is done by keeping CBI's investigation powers out of Lokpal - whole reason for the Lokpal? Will Parliament undo?"

Bedi said the fears about diluting the Lokpal were not unfounded.

Court asks complainant to lead evidence on charges against Team Anna

A Delhi court has asked a complainant from Haryana to lead evidence on his allegations that Anna Hazare and his team instigated people against the government and disrupted normal life during their August anti-graft protest.

Metropolitan Magistrate Tyagita Singh, while dismissing Satbir Singh’s plea seeking direction to the Delhi Police to straightway register a criminal case against Hazare and his team members, gave him an opportunity to produce evidence in the court to support his allegations.

“This court is of the opinion that no direct offence by accused persons is made out at this stage, hence direction to the police to lodge FIR and investigate the case cannot be given at this stage. Hence, application under section 156(3) of the CrPC (lodging of FIR) stands dismissed.

“The complainant, however, is granted opportunity to lead his evidence and the complaint is treated as case under Section 200 CrPC,” the court said, fixing December 12 as the date of recording of the complainant’s statement. Leading evidence in a court by a private complainant implies getting recorded his statement and those of other witnesses in support of his allegations and production of other documentary evidence to support the charges.

Anna Tops Facebook Status Updates

Bangalore:  As Kapil Sibal cries for screening online contents on social networking sites, Facebook has come up with a list of India’s most talked topics in 2011 which reveals that that people of India are more engaged in political activities and it was Anna Hazare and Lokpal toped list of most status updates this year.

Politics, entertainment and sports are the favourite topics of India, the top ten Indian shared status of Facebook revealed. Ra.One and Chammak Chalo showed the best way of utilizing social networks as an advertising tool. Shahrukh Khan proved the right way of technology can make things crazy. Chhammak Challo, the super hit song from the movie Ra.One also in the hit list of Facebook updates. Death of Osama Bin Laden, Jagjit Singh and Steve Jobs are in the hit lists of Facebook status updates as their life could make a large influence worldwide.

Yuvaraj Singh is in the top sixth of the most talked list. His good performance during the World Cup which titled him as the Man of the Tournament award and his health issues made him on the top. The movie rockstar also tops the list as the discussion started about Rahman’s musics, Ranbir’s acting, the news on Nargis appearance. Captain Dhoni is listed on eight as Indian team won World Cup this year. And the ninth position places Indian National Congress as it involved in various allegations on issues like Lokpal, 2G Spectrum scam, petrol price rise, FDI and a lot more including Kapil Sibal’s online censorship talks. Gujarat and Sikkim earthquakes places the tenth position in the most talked topics of the2011.

Anna Hazare says PM serious about fighting corruption, but Rahul Gandhi 'interfering'

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Friday said he had doubts about Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi's intentions on eradicating corruption from the country. He suspected the party's heir apparent as the main roadblock to a strong Lokpal.

In an interview to Headlines Today's Ashok Singhal in his village Ralegan Siddhi, the Gandhian said that in the UPA government he found only Prime Minister Manmohan Singh serious about a strong Lokpal bill.

"The prime minister seems to be serious about Lokpal otherwise he would not have given in writing after passing three resolutions in Parliament," Hazare said.

"Half of the members in the standing committee were accepting the Jan Lokpal draft. The standing committee chairman also agreed and prepared a report accordingly, but again changes were made. That means there is some pressure on the committee to make changes. It must be on Rahul Gandhi's interference. Sonia Gandhi is unwell so she cannot interfere," he said.

"Since Rahul Gandhi has spoken on the matter, we have doubts that he is pressuring them (committee members). Rahul Gandhi doesn't want to end corruption from the country. If corruption ends, then their powers will reduce. And they don't want that to happen," he added.

Hazare also defended his team members Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal over the allegations of irregularities made against them daring the government to act against them and punish them if they were guilty.

Clarifying on the alleged financial irregularities by his associates, particularly Kiran Bedi, he said, "That was not corruption. There could be some irregularity but not corruption. It would have been corruption had she have spent the money at home. If government is so confident that they (Team Anna members) are corrupt then why doesn't it conduct an enquiry through any of its agencies and punish them?"

Renewing his warning to the government, the Gandhian said, "The government will have to accept people's demands. Those demands are not incorrect. We have to make this country free of corruption. Poor people of the country are fed up of corruption. If they don't accept the demands, people will again stand with us. I will tell people of five states, where elections are going to be held, that this government is not serious about eradicating corruption. Why to keep such a government?"

Team Anna's awareness campaign with assembly in sight

NAGPUR: With the state legislature's winter session starting next week, Team Anna in Nagpur has decided to hold a series of events to highlight their cause. Starting Friday, the four-day long programme will focus on creating awareness about the Jan Lokpal Bill.

India Against Corruption's (IAC) Nagpur chapter has also decided to lend its support to the call given by various organizations for a separate Vidarbha state. City coordinator for IAC Ajay Sanghi said, "This decision was taken by Nagpur chapter after consultation with various stakeholders in Vidarbha. This is not something Anna Hazare has said or decided."

Central core committee members Mayank Gandhi and Shamoon Qasmi too will be in the city to deliver lectures on Jan Lokpal Bill at Tajbagh and Mominpura.

On Friday evening a car and bike rally will start from Congress Nagar and culminate at Tajbagh. There, Gandhi and Qasmi will speak on 'Jan Lokpal Andolan - A golden opportunity in national integration'.

Shakeel Patel, secretary of Khwaja Garib Nawab Foundation, which is organizing the Tajbagh function, said, "We wanted the core committee members to come and dispel doubts in our community. There were rumours that Anna Hazare is connected to the RSS. It was a ploy of the government to alienate minorities from this national movement. Hence, we invited Team Anna to come and address a gathering and put their stand before us."

A similar lecture will be held on Saturday at Mominpura. It is being organized by Urdu Editors Conference. From Sunday onwards, IAC Nagpur will hit the road again by organizing a sit-down protest at National Civil Defence College, near Hislop College, to support Anna's single day fast.

At 6pm, a candle march will start from the venue to Shankar Nagar and back.

IAC had planned a candle march on two more days, but the police have refused them permission to hold more marches. "The authorities have asked us to restrict our candle marches till December 12. We had planned to support various other issues, including a separate Vidarbha, during those days. Now, we will just join other organizations in their candle march on other days," Sanghi said.

BOX

ANNA BRIGADE

Dec 9 (4pm) - Car & bike rally from Sanghi Sadan, Congress Nagar

Dec 9 (8pm) - Lecture by Mayank Gandhi, Shamoon Qasmi and Ajay Sanghi at Tajbagh

Dec 10 (8pm) - Lecture by Mayank Gandhi, Shamoon Qasmi and Ajay Sanghi at Mominpura

Dec 11 (10am) - Protest at National Civil Defence College, near Hislop College

Dec 11 (6pm) - Candle march from National Civil Defence College to Shankar Nagar

Dec 12 (6pm) - Candle march from National Civil Defence College

IAC vehicle rally to be held on Dec 11

The Mumbai chapter of India Against Corruption (IAC) has organised a vehicle rally from Dadar’s Shivaji Park to Azad Maidan on December 11 to support social activist Anna Hazare’s daylong fast in Delhi.

While Hazare will observe a one-day fast at Jantar Mantar, Delhi, his supporters in the city will also observe the token fast.

The vehicle rally will begin at 10.30am. It will start at Dadar and will snake through through BDD Chawl, Worli, Worli Naka, Haji Ali, Tardeo, Nana Chowk, JSS Road, Opera House, Metro before culminating at Azad Maidan. A registration desk has also been set up by the IAC at all railway stations to reach out to supporters.

“We have received support from all vehicle associations who will lend their vehicles for the rally. The vehicles will accommodate Lokpal supporters. This protest rally is being to organised to inform the government that if the Jan Lokpal Bill is not passed in the current parliamentary session, then there will be a bigger country-wide agitation,” said Mayank Gandhi, IAC’s Mumbai coordinator. Various cyclists and vehicle groups have lent their support to the event.

“Corruption is affecting our business and therefore all bus operators want the Lokpal to be instituted. We are therefore sending yellow school buses for the rally,” said Anil Garg, president, School Bus Owners’ Association.