Social activist Anna Hazare began an indefinite hunger strike against the Centre in Delhi on Friday, nearly seven years after his anti-corruption movement caught the imagination of millions of Indians and shook the then UPA government.
The venue of his protest will be the same iconic Ram Lila Maidan, where he had sat on a hunger strike in 2011 demanding that the then government set up a Lokpal to investigate cases of corruption. This time, however, his target is the Narendra Modi-led BJP government.

Hazare has been pressing for setting up of the Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in the states, besides implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, which has suggested ways to address the agrarian distress.

Hazare previously has accused the Union government of not appointing the Lokpal to investigate the cases of corruption, despite having a law in place. “Anna will first visit the Rajghat and then come to the Ram Lila Maidan, where he will go an indefinite strike,” said an aide of Hazare.
The day, March 23, has been chosen on purpose as Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev were hanged to death on this day by the British, the aide said. A core committee meeting of Hazare’s trusted aides and representatives of farmers’ organisations took place at the New Maharashtra Sadan on Thursday.
The 2011 anti-graft agitation by Hazare, which aimed at the increasing corruption cases that had surfaced during the UPA rule, had received the support of millions of people across the country. Some of the main organisers of that anti-corruption movement later formed the Aam Aadmi Party, which now governs Delhi. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was one of Hazare’s key aides.
The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory warning to commuters to avoid taking routes towards Aruna Asaf Ali Road, Delhi Gate, Darya Ganj, New Delhi Railway Station, Ajmeri Gate, Paharganj, ITO, Rajghat, Minto Road, Vivekanand Marg, and JLN Marg.

Concern and unity are growing in the south over the Modi government’s proposal to divide Central funds on the basis of 2011 census.

A certain unity in opinion is developing among the politicians of the southern states of the country. On Friday, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah tweeted a simple call to action to the Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Puducherry: We need to resist.
The point of concern was the Narendra Modi government’s recommendation to the 15th Finance Commission to use the 2011 census to determine how much money the Centre will devolve to different state governments. So far, this has been done on the basis of the 1971 census.
“Center asks 15th FC to use 2011 census data instead of 1971 census used so far to determine devolution of taxes. This will further affect the interests of the south:we need to resist,” read a tweet from Siddaramaiah on Friday morning. He had tagged the Twitter handles of the six other Chief Ministers in his post. He also tagged DMK leader MK Stalin and Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on it.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi today said the BJP’s “lying factory” was at work again, stymieing a media story on Cambridge Analytica allegedly being paid to sabotage the Congress by spinning “fake news” of the party working with the data firm instead.
Picking up from where he left off yesterday, Gandhi today again accused the BJP of making the real news “vanish” by accusing the Congress of working with the controversial firm charged with stealing data from Facebook.

BJP lying factory at work: Journalist set to break big story on how Cambridge Analytica (CA) was paid to infiltrate and sabotage the Congress in 2012. BJP rushes Cabinet Minister to lie and spin fake news: Congress worked with CA! Real story vanishes, Gandhi said on Twitter.

He also tagged a media report headlined, ” ‘Whistleblower’ Reveals Cambridge Analytica’s India Link”. The Congress and the BJP are engaged in a slinging match with each accusing the other of using the services of the controversial data analytics firm in previous elections.
Yesterday, Gandhi alleged that the government was managing headlines to deflect attention from issues such as the death of 39 Indians in captivity in Iraq and said the government was baiting the media. “Problem: 39 Indians dead; Government on the mat, caught lying. Solution: Invent story on Congress and Data Theft. Result: Media networks bite bait; 39 Indians vanish from radar. Problem solved,” Gandhi had tweeted.

As Parliament remained paralyzed for the 14th consecutive day, the government on Thursday decided to reach out to the opposition parties to ensure smooth functioning so that the pending bills get passed in both the Houses.

New Delhi: A View of Parliament house during the ongoing Winter Session in New Delhi on Wednesday. PTI Photo by Kamal Kishore (PTI12_9_2015_000201B)

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel, who has been assigned the task to talking to opposition leaders, met Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad for a brief discussion. He will again meet him to discuss the issues in detail.

The Minister said he would also meet leaders of the TDP, AIADMK, TRS and other parties.

Ever since the second phase of Parliament’s Budget session began on March 5, disruptions have crippled both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on a number of issues including demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh, Punjab National Bank fraud case and setting up of Cauvery Management Board.

The Congress, the Trinamool and some other opposition parties have been protesting against the banking fraud blamed on absconding jeweller Nirav Modi and his associates, while the TDP and the YSR Congress have been demonstrating for special status to Andhra Pradesh.

The AIADMK wants a board for the management of the disputed Cauvery river water. The TRS is demanding an increase in the reservation quota for jobs in Telangana.

“Only nine working days are left now after 14 wasted days. I request the opposition parties to ensure passage of important bills in both Houses. I am hopeful the opposition will cooperate,” Goel said.

“The government is in regular touch with the opposition leaders and I will meet them personally to ensure the smooth functioning of the Parliament,” he told reporters.

The Minister said the government was ready to discuss each and every issue concerning the political parties including no-confidence motion against the government.

“In fact the opposition is running away from discussion. We are ready to discuss even the no-confidence motion. We have adequate numbers in the House.”

Earlier, Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu met the leaders of different parties in his chamber and sought their support to get The Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill passed.

The Bill was passed by the Upper House before being adjourned for the day, however, without discussion and despite order in the House.

The Lok Sabha was also adjourned for the day, amid protests as opposition members trooped near the Speaker’s podium, raising slogans and displaying placards.

(IANS)

Delhi Police on Thursday gave permission to social activist Anna Hazare to start a protest campaign at Ramlila Maidan here from Friday, police said.

“We have granted permission after checking all security aspects and making adequate arrangements,” said a police officer.

Hazare and his supporters will first visit Rajghat from Maharastra Sadan to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.

He will also visit Shahidi Park to pay tribute to martyrs and then proceed to Ramlila Maidan where he held a massive protest and hunger strike against corruption in 2011.

Hazare has said that farm issues would be among those taken up during the current agitation.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the Modi government had for years lied about the fate of 39 Indians killed in Iraq and was now diverting public attention from it by alleging that his party had links with a firm accused of misusing personal data of Facebook users.

“Problem: 39 Indians dead; Government on the mat, caught lying. Solution: Invent story on Congress and data theft. Result: Media networks bite bait; 39 Indians vanish from radar. Problem solved,” Gandhi said in a tweet.

Gandhi’s remarks came a day after Information and Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad accused the Congress of compromising national security by roping in political data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica to run its 2019 election campaign.

The Minister alleged that the firm had been found involved in data manipulation and warned that any attempt to misuse social media to influence India’s electoral process would not be tolerated.

PTI