1

!"#$%&'(()*#$'" ,'-./."# $" 0"1$23

4' 4./'5(25$.6 "..1 (.$"-."#$'"7

8$926 :;2< ='5$.#> ?'( @2(#$5$*2#'(> A.6.2(5; $" !6$2 B@A0!C< D.E 4.F;$< 0"1$2

0"#('1)5#$'"

WlLh slxLy years of democracy and conslsLenL economlc growLh ln lasL decade, lndla ls looked
upon as Lhe model for developlng democracles. uesplLe Lhese poslLlve achlevemenLs, lndla
conLlnues Lo suffer from democraLlc deflclLs e.g. poor Lransparency and accounLablllLy of
governmenL lnsLlLuLlons, lack of auLonomy of local bodles, non-avallablllLy of avenues of
parLlclpaLlon of clLlzens ln pollcy maklng and pollcy lmplemenLaLlon eLc. whlch brlngs Lo
aLLenLlon Lhe need for relnvenLlng or reformlng democracy, so LhaL clLlzens have more space for
parLlclpaLlng ln declslon maklng process. WhaL ls requlred ln Lhls conLexL ls clvlc acLlon for
pressurlzlng Lhe governmenL for underLaklng reforms for deepenlng democracy. Cne such clvlc
acLlon (mass proLesLs) was seen ln 2011, when clLlzens demanded for sLrong lnsLlLuLlons Lo
check corrupLlon ln lndla. lL would be perLlnenL Lo look aL Lhe moblllzaLlons of Lhe mass
proLesLs, naLure of parLlclpaLlon and lessons LhaL can be drawn for democracles ln Asla, LaLln
Amerlca and Afrlca.

G;> /266 *('#.6#6 2H2$"6# 5'(()*#$'"7

lndla has been rocked by corrupLlon scandals ln lasL year. 1he lrregularlLy ln dlsLrlbuLlon of
Lelecom llcenses was esLlmaLed Lo be of $40 bllllon, revenue loss due Lo CommonwealLh
Cames was $38 mllllon and lllegal selllng of mlnes ln karnaLaka provlnce cosL nearly $3
bllllon. CorrupLlon ls noL a new lssue ln lndla. lL ls lmporLanL Lo menLlon here LhaL Lhese
scandals are noL new ln lndla buL such a huge dlverslon of publlc funds has never been seen ln
lndlan hlsLory. WhaL has shocked Lhe clLlzens ls LoleraLlon of corrupLlon by Lhe governmenL and
lLs fallure Lo creaLe lnsLlLuLlons for checklng corrupLlon effecLlvely.

1he recenL exposed corrupLlon has prompLed publlc upsurge whlch has been led by 74 year-old
Candhlan soclal acLlvlsL, Anna Pazare (8ox no. 1). 1he meLhod he adopLed for launchlng clvlc
acLlon agalnsL corrupLlon was 'Candhlan lasL unLo ueaLh'. lasLlng ls one of Lhe ways of proLesLs
ln lndla, whlch has been used by MahaLma Candhl ln Lhe lndependence sLruggle (1913 - 47)
agalnsL Lhe 8rlLlsh. Anna Pazare, followlng fooLsLeps of Candhl, called upon Lhe exlsLlng
governmenL Lo enacL an effecLlve Cmbudsman, oLherwlse he would sLarL 'lasL unLo ueaLh' ln
8amllla Crounds (publlc place) on AugusL 13, 2011. 1he proLesLs led by Anna were called lndla
AgalnsL CorrupLlon MovemenL (lAC) or Anna MovemenL.

CovernmenL movlng fasL declded Lo arresL hlm before he could begln fasL unLo deaLh. lollowlng
huge uproar, he was released from prlson and allowed Lo conLlnue Lhe proLesL. Pls arresL and
proLesLs were beamed llve across several 1v channels ln lndla whlch led Lo splrallng of proLesLs
ln several clLles across lndla. Soclal medla (lacebook, 1wlLLer) also helped ln moblllslng clLlzens
on Lhe lssue. Puge parLlclpaLlon of clLlzens ln uelhl, nearly 100000 everyday, (AugusL 13 -
AugusL 26: perlod of fasL) surprlsed many ln lnLelllgenLsla and pollLlcal parLles as clvll socleLy had
never been able, ln Lhe recenL pasL, Lo organlze huge proLesLs. WhaL was more surprlslng Lo

2

many was Lhe ablllLy of Anna Pazare, a leader of a provlnce unLll now, Lo moblllse people of
lndla around Lhe anLl-corrupLlon lssue.

8ox no 1

G;' $6 !""2 I2J2(.7

Anna Pazare enllsLed ln lndlan army ln Lhe 1962 lndo-Chlna war when Lhe governmenL exhorLed
young men Lo [oln Lhe Army. Pe spenL 13 years ln Lhe lndlan Army and Look volunLary
reLlremenL ln 1978. Pe reLurned home Lo 8alegaon Slddhl, a vlllage ln MaharashLra's droughL-
prone Ahmadnagar dlsLrlcL where he found farmers sLruggllng for survlval and Lhelr sufferlng
prompLed hlm Lo ploneer ralnwaLer conservaLlon LhaL puL hls llLLle hamleL on Lhe lnLernaLlonal
map as a model vlllage. 1he vlllagers revere hlm. 1hakaram 8auL, a school Leacher ln 8alegaon
Slddhl says, "1hanks Lo Anna's aglLaLlons, we goL a school, we goL elecLrlclLy, we goL
developmenL schemes for farmers.''

Anna Pazare's flghL agalnsL corrupLlon began here. Pe foughL flrsL agalnsL corrupLlon LhaL was
blocklng growLh ln rural lndla. Pls organlzaLlon - Lhe 8hrashLachar vlrodhl !an Andolan (eople's
movemenL agalnsL CorrupLlon). Pls Lool of proLesL - hunger sLrlkes. And hls prlme LargeL -
pollLlclans and bureaucracy. 1hereafLer, he sLarLed launchlng sLruggle aL Lhe provlnclal level. ln
1993-96, he forced Lhe provlnclal governmenL ln MaharashLra Lo drop Lwo corrupL CablneL
MlnlsLers. ln 2003, he forced Lhe provlnclal governmenL Lo seL up an lnvesLlgaLlon agalnsL four
mlnlsLers. Pe even sLarLed hunger sLrlke ln Lhe provlnce for enacLmenL of Lhe 8lghL Lo
lnformaLlon AcL.

Anna Pazare has become an all lndla mass leader from a provlnclal leader ln 2011 when he
launched all lndla sLruggle agalnsL corrupLlon. 1he 74-year-old year old crusader who has spenL
nearly 33 years ln flghLlng for clLlzen's cause has a long llsL for reformlng democracy ln lndla.

Source:hLLp://www.ndLv.com/arLlcle/lndla/who-ls-anna-hazare-96883




G;' *2(#$5$*2#.1 $" 0"1$2 2H2$"6# &'(()*#$'" ,'-./."#7

1he numbers relaLed Lo Lhe exposed corrupLlon lasL year have made 230 mllllon sLrong mlddle
class ln lndla angry and Lhey wanLed some opporLunlLy Lo venL Lhelr anger. lAC came aL Lhe rlghL
momenL and as soon as Lhe call for proLesL was made, Lhey came ouL Lo proLesL ln large number
ln clLles. ln uelhl, caplLal of lndla, on one hand were Lhe unemployed youLh and college sLudenLs
who were presenL day ln and day ouL and on Lhe oLher hand were well Lo do professlonals -
docLors, englneers, lawyers and LechnocraLs. Pyderabad, an emerglng sofLware hub saw Lhe
parLlclpaLlon of youLh, mlddle class, women assoclaLlons, soclal acLlvlsLs and elderly MahaLma
Candhl followers. Azad Cround, hearL of Mumbal, flnanclal cenLer of lndla swelled wlLh supporL
of old and young, men and women, professlonal and sLudenLs. lnLelllgenLsla, soclal movemenL
leaders and fllm acLors also shed Lhelr ldeologlcal moorlngs and made Lhelr presence felL ln Lhe
movemenL.

3


lAC beamed llve 24 x 7 across lndla on news channels ln Lelevlslon gradually spread Lhe
movemenL Lo small clLles and Lowns. eople sLarLed gaLherlng ln vlllages and small Lowns ln
supporL of lAC whlch was promlnenLly seen ln provlnces of uLLar radesh, Madhya radesh,
8lhar, Cu[araL and MaharashLra. As Lhe fasL unLo deaLh of Anna Pazare moved on, more and
more people from vlllages and small Lowns sLarLed congregaLlng ln uelhl. 1he huge gaLherlng of
nearly 100000 people conLlnued Llll Anna Pazare conLlnued hls fasL whlch lasLed for 13 days.
uelhl belng Lhe nerve cenLer of Lhe movemenL drew huge supporL wlLh smaller gaLherlng ln
vlllages and small Lowns.

1o any ouLslder, Lhe movemenL was sponLaneous buL whaL remalned lnvlslble were Lhe efforLs
whlch wenL behlnd Lhe scenes Lo moblllse clLlzens. 1he movemenL had drawn leadershlp from
movemenLs of soclal and pollLlcal rlghLs ln lndla llke 1he 8lghL Lo lnformaLlon MovemenL,
naLlonal Alllance for eople's MovemenL (roLecLlon of rlvers), WaLer MovemenLs, roLecLlon of
loresL 8lghLs of lndlgenous people eLc. 1he neLworks whlch Lhese movemenLs had creaLed ln
lndla over Lhe years moblllzed clLlzens ln clLles and small Lowns. 1hese neLworks proved Lo be
bulldlng block of Lhe movemenL. lurLher, lAC was lnnovaLlve enough Lo uLlllze new medla and
Lechnology ln maklng people aware and dlssemlnaLlon lnformaLlon abouL Lhe movemenL. (8ox
1). Comblned LacLlcs of LradlLlonal (neLworks, meeLlngs eLc.) and new medla broughL people on
Lhe sLreeLs whlch ls slowly becomlng Lhe only way Lhrough whlch democraLlc sLaLes llsLen.


8ox no 2
0"1$2 !H2$"6# &'(()*#$'" ,'-./."# B0!&C K L6$"H M.5;"'F'H> ?'( ,'N$F$J2#$'"

ClLlzen's parLlclpaLlon ln lndla AgalnsL CorrupLlon MovemenL (lAC) or Anna movemenL ln AugusL
2011 across clLles and Lowns surprlsed many. MoblllzaLlon of Lhls klnd was noL seen ln recenL
pasL as hundreds of Lhousands congregaLed aL 8amllla Crounds, new uelhl and oLher common
places across lndla. 1he demand was leglslaLlon of sLrong anLl-corrupLlon law ln Lhe counLry.

Puge moblllzaLlon can be aLLrlbuLed Lo Anna Pazare, 74 year old crusader who had launched
several sLruggles agalnsL corrupLlon ln provlnce of MaharashLra, acLlvlsLs around Lhe counLry,
medla especlally 1v channels whlch hlghllghLed Lhe lssue and new Lechnologles llke neLworklng
slLes, LexL messages and onllne campalgns. lor Lhe flrsL Llme ln lndla, a soclal movemenL had
used Lhese Lechnologles for moblllzlng people. neLworklng slLes and LexL messages vla moblles
were used Lo provlde day-Lo- day updaLes on Lhe movemenL and places of proLesL.

lAC movemenL used all Lhe key medla Lools ranglng from elecLronlc medla, soclal medla, web
slLes Lo moblle phones. 16 member Leam of lAC based ln Mumbal had Lhe Lask of sendlng Lhe
messages abouL Lhe movemenL Lo one mllllon cell phone users across lndla who had reglsLered
on a Lelephone number adverLlsed on newspapers and neLworklng slLes. Cne mllllon cell phone
users recelved 2 SMS every day from lAC. ln Lhe 'Mlssed Call Campalgn', clLlzens were asked Lo
glve a mlssed call Lo Lhe number 022 61330789 for supporLlng lAC. nearly 23 mllllon people
have glven mlssed call Lo Lhe number Llll now. 1he webslLe www.lndlaagalnsLcorrupLlon.org
also provlded conLacL deLalls of volunLeers and evenL schedule ln all clLles. lAC also used Lhls
medla Lo counLer mlsleadlng clalms of governmenL and oLher acLors. new medla had Lhe quallLy
of speed, auLhenLlclLy and reach Lo be Lhe key lnformaLlon dlssemlnaLor of Lhe movemenL.

4


A naLlonal dally 1he 1lmes of lndla had also launched an onllne campalgn - AC1 (AgalnsL
CorrupLlon 1ogeLher) where voLers zoomed from 0.4 mllllon Lo 1.2 mllllon ln [usL Lhree days wlLh
almosL 14000 voLes belng added every hour. no soclal movemenL ln lasL Lhree decades ln lndla
has wlLnessed such huge moblllzaLlon for a common cause. new Lools llke LexL messages,
neLworklng slLes and onllne campalgns have Lremendous poLenLlal for moblllzlng clLlzens. lL ls
relevanL for lndla as lL has 730 mllllon cell phone users, 60 mllllon neL users and 10 mllllon
lacebook users.

Source: 1he 1lmes of lndla, AugusL 21, 2011, Covernance now ,Aprll 16-30, 2011.

G;2# 1$1 $# 25;$.-.7

WhaL lAC has done ls Lo geL message across Lhe pollLlcal class ln lndla LhaL clLlzens are no longer
saLlsfled ln elecLlng Lhe governmenL every flve years. 1hey wanL represenLaLlve democracy Lo
relnvenL lLself and provlde space Lo clLlzens ln formulaLlng laws, pollcles and lmplemenLaLlon of
developmenL programmes. 1he proLesLs seemed Lo be prompLed by corrupLlon scandals ln lndla
buL lL ls ulLlmaLely almlng for flxlng accounLablllLy mechanlsms ln represenLaLlve democracy. lL ls
demandlng for Lhe seLLlng up of dlrecL accounLablllLy mechanlsms ln Lhe counLry, and seLLlng ln
Lhe process of deepenlng democracy ln Lhe counLry. lL has challenged Lhe noLlon LhaL
democracy ls self-conLalned and self-explanaLory concepL noL sub[ecL Lo challenge
lnLerpreLaLlon, evoluLlon or challenge" (SanLosh uesal). 1hls noLlon of democracy ls belng
challenged across Lhe world due Lo rlslng asplraLlons of clLlzens and need noL Lo be lnLranslgenL
buL Lo search for new ways of engagemenL beLween governmenL and clLlzens.

8esldes, lAC also goL lndlan arllamenL Lo pass Lhe resoluLlon of maklng sLrong laws for checklng
corrupLlon ln Lhe comlng sesslon of arllamenL.
O$/$#2#$'"6 '? /'-./."#:
CrlLlcs called lL evenL raLher Lhan movemenL because lL lasLed for 3 days ln Aprll and 13 days ln
AugusL. uld lAC have Lhe characLerlsLlcs of movemenL? 1hls ls sLlll Lo be analysed buL nobody
can doubL LhaL lL has reopened debaLe on effecLlve measures for checklng corrupLlon ln lndla
and puL pressure on elecLed represenLaLlves for Lackllng lL.
CrlLlclsms have been made: llnks wlLh rlghL wlng pollLlcal ouLflLs have been uslng fasL as
emoLlonal blackmall ln place of consLlLuLlonal meLhods LhaL have also been leveled agalnsL lL.
Some have gone Lo Lhe exLenL of saylng LhaL 'clvll socleLy cannoL be allowed Lo hl[ack democracy
and undermlne parllamenLary democracy. lL ls noL ofLen reallzed LhaL ln all forms of non-vlolenL
proLesLs are leglLlmaLe ln democracles and Lhere have been several fasLs across lndla on number
of lssues buL Lhe governmenL has noL pald aLLenLlon Lo lL. WhaL has made Anna fasL speclal ls
LhaL lL has drawn supporL of mllllons of lndlans whlch when seen wlLh publlc proLesLs for
democraLlc change ln Arab world has made Lhe pollLlcal class nervous. lL has also been
forgoLLen LhaL clvll socleLy -lnformed and acLlve clLlzens-are Lhe only vehlcle Lo ensure
accounLablllLy of Lhe rullng classes, even ln a democracy' (8a[esh 1andon).

ln represenLaLlve democracy, lL ls ofLen sald LhaL arllamenL ls supreme and clLlzens have no
role ln law maklng once Lhey have elecLed Lhelr represenLaLlves Lo parllamenL. lL ls qulLe

5

unreasonable Lo suggesL LhaL ln developlng socleLles llke lndla LhaL all grlevances should be
addressed only by adopLlng consLlLuLlonal and parllamenLary meLhods (raLap 8hanu MehLa). ls
Lhere a slngle parllamenLary pollLlcal formaLlon ln lndla ln Lhe presenL LhaL can represenL Lhe
asplraLlons of Lhe mosL marglnallzed secLlons of Lhe populaLlon? 1he mosL slgnlflcanL sLruggles
for democraLlzaLlon ln Lhe lasL Lwo decades (llke ecology, rlghL Lo lnformaLlon, and Lhe rlghL Lo
employmenL and food movemenLs) ln lndlan have arlsen ouLslde Lhe formal and consLlLuLlonal
pollLlcal process. SLruggle for reform ln governance, Lhus, can also occur ln open democraLlc
spaces where clLlzens reLaln Lhe lngenulLy of launchlng such sLruggles.

O.66'"6 ?'( 4.-.F'*$"H &')"#($.6

lAC movemenL ls especlally relevanL for democracles ln Asla, LaLln Amerlcan and Afrlca whlch
are also grappllng wlLh corrupLlon ln Lhelr governance. lL underllnes Lhe need for esLabllshlng
democracles where clLlzens are noL merely 'onlookers' buL key and acLlve parLlclpanLs ln
governance. WhaL lAC ls asklng for ls esLabllshmenL of soclal accounLablllLy mechanlsms aL local
level and sLrong lnsLlLuLlon aL Lhe naLlonal level Lo check corrupLlon. LaLln Amerlcan counLrles
llke 8razll and Mexlco have already demonsLraLed Lhe soclal accounLablllLy Lools llke
parLlclpaLory budgeL whlch shows how clLlzen's parLlclpaLlon ln governance can make
governmenL accounLable. uemocracles need Lo be lnnovaLlve enough Lo develop more of such
Lools across Lhe world. Cne of rare lnsLances of democraLlsaLlon can also been found ln Lhe
Chengdu munlclpallLy, Chlna, where arLlclpaLory 8udgeL and Local ubllc Servlces" ls belng
used Lo monlLor servlce dellvery by local governmenL. ln Lhls provlnce, flscal budgeL seL aL leasL
30 Lhousand uSu each year for each vlllage Lo Lackle rural -urban polarlzaLlon and Lhls budgeL
wlll be monlLored and evaluaLed by local people. ln addlLlon, people wlll also have Lhe rlghL Lo
monlLor some servlce dellvery aL local level. 1he lnlLlaLlve wlll have greaL relevance as Chengdu
munlclpallLy has 2000 vlllages wlLh annual budgeL of more Lhan 120 mllllon uSu (lnformaLlon
provlded by Mlng Zhuang, by e-mall). 1hese examples ln Lhe Lhree conLlnenLs need Lo be shared,
so LhaL clLlzens can learn from each oLher and conLlnue Lo puL pressure on Lhelr governmenLs
for relnvenLlng democracy.
A.?.(."5.6

CuLlook, Weekly Magazlne, AugusL 29 and Sep 3 lssue, new uelhl, lndla
Covernance now, lorLnlghLly Magazlne, AugusL and SepLember lssue, new uelhl, lndla.
SanLosh uesal, '8enegoLlaLlng uemocracy', !"# !%&#' () *+,%-. AugusL 12, new uelhl,
lndla.
8a[esh 1andon, 8log on Anna MovemenL, www,prla.org
nlsslm MannaLhukkaren , romlses Cf lndla's '1wo MlnuLe 8evoluLlon' ,
CounLercurrenLs.org, 23 May, 2011.
raLap 8hanu MehLa, 'Cf Lhe lew, by Lhe lew', *+,%-+ /012#'' , Aprll 7, 2011.
www.ndLv.com
hLLp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-souLh-asla-12769214