Politicians more concerned than Anna: Lalu

New Delhi: Dismissing Anna Hazare's "threats" on Lokpal issue, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Friday said that politicians were more serious on the issue of tackling corruption than Team Anna.
"We are more serious on corruption than Team Anna. We have come out from the anti-corruption agitation of Jayaprakash Narayan. We are committed to eradicate corruption but no one should be partial.

"Corruption at levels in media corporate, NGOs or real estate sector should be looked into by the Lokpal. Disproportionate properties of individuals should be taken over by states and redistributed," Prasad told reporters after meeting Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan also accompanied him.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Friday said that politicians were more serious
 on the issue of tackling corruption.

On the issue of black money, the RJD leader said it would not be unearthed by making new laws. "For this, a movement is required," he said.

Paswan demanded immediate implementation of recommendations of Rangnath Mishra Commission report for improving the lot of minorities and a commission for judicial services on the lines of those for civil and police services in the country.

Doubts over Anna's 12-day fast unfounded

JAIPUR: Doubts about Anna Hazare's 12-day fast are baseless, feel experts and religious followers even as Anna Hazare has explained to the likes of Lalu Yadav that it is the power of "brahmcharya" that helps him keep fast for longer durations.

While breaking his fast at the Ramlila ground on Sunday, Anna had said a few politicians who doubt his fast should understand the power of "brahmcharya" that helps him stay without food for several days. Besides, Anna is certainly not to first to observe a long fast. Under various customs and traditions, people are known to observe fast for over a month.

Both the sects of Jain community--Shwetambar and Digambar observe eight-day fast during Paryushan Parva. "During these days, people only take water and that too, in a controlled manner," says Rajendra Bhandari, a follower of the Shwetambar sect, and secretary of Rajasthan Khadi Federation. Throughout the day, the community members perfom bhajan kirtan, and it is only after sunset that they drink water. Bhandari says his sister Chandrakanta, also a Jaipur resident, had once fasted for 30 days.

Followers of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, 12th century sufi saint, are known to fast for 40 days, and survive on just water. The custom is known as chilla kashi. Hazrat Nizamuddin, the famous 14th century sufi saint, used to observe chilla kashi. The chilla, or retreat of Baba Farid is a revered place among Chishti followers at the Ajmer dargah.
"Chilla kashi is observed under the supervision of a peer at a designated place and the followers are given either water or tea depending on the body requirement," says sufi scholar Syed Jazmul Hasan, who has worked extensively on Chishti philosophy.

It's not just religion, but science too backs Anna's fast. Gastroenterologist at SMS Medical College, Dr Subhash Nepalia, says that keeping a long fast by a healthy person is quite possible. "The feedback mechanism in human brain keeps feeding your appetite centres, but once you stop taking meals the mechanism doesn't work, so one can stay without meals. The duration depends on the support system of one's body," he explains.

Nutritionist, Asha Khumgar says that with an Army background, Anna Hazare can easily manage to remain without food for more than 15 days. "Anna Hazare comes from an Army background where men are trained to live without food in war times. Moreover, he is a brahmchari that also helps in revitalizing his body." Besides, it is his immense will power that has helped him stay without food for such a long time, adds Khumgar.

Sharad Yadav's rant against Team Anna puts Nitish Kumar in a spot

PATNA: Even as JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav basks in adulation for his unabashed bashing of the Anna Hazare campaign, his tough rhetoric against the anti-graft campaigner and his colleagues may cause discomfiture to his colleague, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Although Kumar is also a staunch believer in parliamentary supremacy, something that Yadav invoked in his speech, the chief minister seems to be wary of the risk of being perceived to be opposed to the anti-corruption upsurge. That his chief opponent Lalu Prasad seconded Yadav's observations in the widely watched debate in Parliament has only added to the unease of the Bihar CM who is helped by memories of alleged corruption under RJD rule.

In fact, Kumar, who has made eradication of corruption one of the key planks, had a detailed discussion with Hazare and members of his team only last month. He even invited them to help his officials draft a new Lokayukta campaign for Bihar. Justice Santosh Hegde has already taken up the assignment. Early on, Kumar was the first chief minister who refused to respond to government's belated effort to reach out to state governments and political parties on the issue of Hazare's push for a strong Lokpal, thus putting a spoke in the heels of government's effort to rally the political class against the civil society activists.

Given this and the CM's attempt to reinforce the perception that his regime marks a clear break from RJD rule, some leaders in JD(U) say it was awkward to see the party president and Lalu taking almost the same line not on anti-corruption activism but also its coverage in media.

Bihar recently became the first where properties of corrupt government servants would be confiscated and where CM, ministers and officials furnish details of their assets. It has also enforced the Right to Public Services Act.