ANNA HAZARE

Dr.Kisan Baburao Hazare, popularly known as Anna Hazare (b. June 15, 1938), is an Indian social activist who is especially recognized for his contribution to the development of Ralegan Siddhi, a village in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India and his efforts for establishing it as a model village, for which he was awarded the Padma Bhushan by Govt. of India, in 1992. On April 5, 2011, he has started a fast unto death to make a pressure on union government to enact Lokpal Bill a law on Lokpal that deals with corruption in public offices.

ARREST

Anna Hazare was arrested in 1998 during Shiv Sena-BJP rule in Maharashtra when a defamation suit was filed against him by then Maharashtra Social Welfare minister Babanrao Golap of Shiv Sena. He was released following public uproar.

LOKPAL BILL MOVEMENT

The movement attracted attention very quickly through various media. It has been reported that thousands of people joined to support Mr. Hazare's effort. Almost 150 people are reported to join Mr. Hazare in his fast. He said that he would not allow any politician to sit with him in this movement. Many social activists including Medha Patkar, Arvind Kejriwal and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi have lent their support to Hazare's hunger strike and anti-corruption campaign.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOVT PROPOSALS AND ANNA HAZARE VERSION.

GOVT PROPOSAL

Lokpal will have no power to initiate suo moto action or receive complaints of corruption from the general public. It can only probe complaints forwarded by LS Speaker or RS Chairman.

Lokpal will only be an Advisory Body. Its part is only limited to forwarding its report to the "Competent Authority"

Lokpal will not have any police powers. It can not register FIRs or proceed with criminal

investigations.


CBI and Lokpal will act have no connection with each other.

Punishment for corruption will be minimum 6 months and maximum up-to 7 years.

HAZARE VERSION

1. Lokpal will have powers to initiate suo moto action or receive complaints of corruption from the general public.

2. Lokpal will be much more than an Advisory Body. It should be granted powers to initiate Prosecution against anyone found guilty.

3. Lokpal will have police powers. To say that it will be able to register FIRs.

4. Lokpal and anti corruption wing of CBI will be one Independent body.

5. The punishment should be minimum 5 years and maximum up-to life imprisonment.

This movement has also been joined by many people providing their suppport in Internet social media such as twitter and facebook. Many celebrities like Shekhar Kapur, Siddharth Narayan, Anupam Kher, Madhur Bhandarkar, Pritish Nandy, Prakash Raj, Aamir Khan showed their public support through twitter. [3]

AWARDS RECEIVED BY HAZARE

• Padmashree award by government of India in the year 1990
• Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra award, by government of India on November 19, 1986 from the hands of Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi.
• Krishi Bhushana award by Maharashtra government in 1989.
• Felicitation by Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation 15 January 1987
• Felicitation by Pune Municipal Corporation.

• On April 15, 2008, Kisan Baburao Hazare received the World Bank's 2008 Jit Gill Memorial Award for Outstanding Public Service: "Hazare created a thriving model village in Ralegan Siddhi, in the impoverished Ahmednagar region of Maharashtra state, and championed the right to information and the fight against corruption.