The fast and the curious {Indian protests}

http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2011/08/indian-protests

HOUGH August 22nd was a national holiday in India, a crowd of tens of thousands gathered in the Ramlila Maidan, a public ground in central Delhi, to cheer on Anna Hazare, a populist anti-corruption crusader who has tied the government in knots. They gathered in the dust and sunshine, some seated beneath enormous awnings, most wearing white Gandhi caps and badges proclaiming "I am Anna". Dozens of television trucks lined up outside the grounds, as cable channels feverishly broadcast every moment of Mr Hazare’s hunger strike. He is poised to complete his first week without food on August 23rd.

The crowd sweltered but remained in good cheer. These protests will not fade, whatever the temperature or the admonitions from a nonplussed government. Many have made big efforts to attend: one man had travelled 150km from Haryana state; a student had arrived from rural Maharashtra; another had arrived from Patna, in distant Bihar. For the youngsters, especially, there was a thrill of being part of something momentous—plus a decent chance of getting on national TV.

Asked if they worried about Mr Hazare becoming a cult figure, perhaps even usurping the image and methods of Gandhi, his supporters roared back that their leader was pure, set on a good cause to purge India of dreadful corruption. Mr Hazare and his legions of fans insist that the government passes, word-for-word, a bill he has drafted that would up a Jan Lokpal, a people’s anti-corruption ombudsman with powers to hold everyone from the prime minister and high-court judges downwards to account.

Is it democratic for street protesters to impose their law, however good or not, on an elected system? Do we know that the billion-plus other Indians really want to go along with it? Shouldn’t parliament have some sort of say? Other civil activists, such as Arundhati Roy, have blasted Mr Hazare’s campaign for its strong air of nationalism. Muslim leaders, too, are worried that it is taking on too much of a Hindu nationalist feel. Chants that "Anna is India, India is Anna" suggest a troubling demagogic tendency. Shouldn’t that give supporters pause to think?

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/PMs-new-offer-to-Anna-Hazare-Lets-debate-all-versions-of-Lokpal-bill/articleshow/9732307.cms

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has offered a new formula to end the Lokpal deadlock with Team Anna.

Replying to the debate on corruption in Lok Sabha, Prime Minister said the government is ready to debate all versions of the Lokpal Bill in circulation at present.

The PM said the aim was to give the country a strong Lokpal and for that the government was ready to involve all sections in discussions.

The PM said alongwith the Jan Lokpal Bill the bills prepared by Aruna Roy's NCPRI and Jaiprakash Narain (of Hyderabad) will also be debated by the Parliament.

After the debate, the strongest points of all the bills could be forwarded to the standing committee for its consideration.