by Pallavi Polanki, Discrimination is a dynamic industry in India. A survey recorded an astonishing 80-odd practices of untouchability—new, bizarre, vintage. Two thousand years and counting. We must hold the record for perpetuating one of the worst crimes on humanity for the longest time running. The practice of untouchability has an unbroken history. A record the …
Draft of Bahujan Lokpal Bill
TO BE INTRODUCED BEFORE THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF PARLIAMENT. By Dr.Udit Raj, (Chairman of All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations). Other leaders included in the delegation are P. S Krishnan- Former IAS, Shabnam Hashmi- Anhed, Vinod Diwakar-Advocate, Joseph Dsouza, John Dayal-All India Christian Council, Prof. Ravi Varma Kumar- Former, Chairman, Karnataka, Backward Commission, Yusuf Ansari- Gen. Secy, Peace Party, Chandrapal Singh …
No Lokpal, says Kancha Ilaiah
[ A Round Table India report] August 30: At a public meeting at the Hyderabad Press Club today, Kancha Ilaiah emphasized that the Team Anna sponsored Jan Lokpal bill was a direct attack on representative democracy and the constitution and it should be opposed vigorously. ‘No Lokpal’ should be the Dalit-Bahujan demand, he said. The …
Want to live in the India Anna wants to build?
By Chandra Bhan Prasad It is true that corruption is a menace that must be uprooted and a new law enacted in the changing circumstances. India has seen an explosion of wealth post 1990 which has resulted in rampant loot. But who will make the new law? Members of Parliament or the Anna Hazare-led battery …
Memorandum of Views & Suggestions on Lokpal Bill: Samvidhan Bachao Andolan
by Samvidhan Bachao Andolan To, Shri K P Singh, Director, Rajya Sabha Secretariat 201, Second Floor, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi – 110 001 MEMORANDUM OF VIEWS AND SUGESTIONS ON LOKPAL BILL 2011 (BILL NO 39 OF 2011) Sir, This is in reference to the Newspaper advertisement No davp 31202/11/0019/1112, where in Parliamentary Standing Committee …
Irom Sharmila’s heartfelt letter to Anna Hazare
Irom Sharmila, the Iron Lady of Manipur as she is often called, has been on a fast for the last ten years protesting against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act that is in place in parts of Manipur and the north east and gives the Army and the paramilitary forces the power to shoot or …
Bahujan Lokpal Bill: some suggestions
Dinesh Maurya [Presenting the Bahujan perspective i.e., the views of the SC/ST/OBC and religious minorities, on the proposed Lokpal legislation, the writer makes some useful suggestions to make the bill more inclusive- Round Table India] We want to submit some suggestions regarding the Government of India’s proposed Lokpal Bill. Like Anna’s Lokpal Bill, our …
A Lokpal Critique
by Vaibhav Wasnik The following is a collection of points from online debates that I have been part of, consolidated as an article. That corruption is a problem in India or most developing economies is not anybody’s secret. But the rampant misusing of the power of suggestion by a “corporations” backed media to counter the …
Tired of Democracy?
by GAIL OMVEDT Why are such masses of people (apparently: in our village some came out for a morcha organized by the Maharashtra Navnirman Samiti) following Anna Hazare, when it is now clear that his Lokpal is an authoritarian, centralized and undemocratically pushed proposal? Several articles, including those by Arundhati Roy and Aruna Roy, have …