2012 Indian anti-corruption movement

The 2012 Indian anti-corruption movement was a series of demonstrations and protests across India intended to establish strong legislation and enforcement against perceived endemic political corruption.^[5] It was a revival of the 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement, which had ended on the last day of the winter session of the Rajya Sabha. The movement restarted with an initial mass gathering at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on 25 March 2012.^[6][7]

Background

The Indian anti-corruption movement is the successor to similar activities that happened in 2011. The figurehead was Anna Hazare, a social activist. Popularly known as Team Anna, one of the movement's main demands was the passing of legislation enabling an anti-corruption and enforcement body. On 27 December 2011, the Lok Sabha - the lower house of the Indian parliament - passed the controversial Jan Lokpal Bill, which Team Anna said was weaker than they had been demanding. The Government Lokpal bill, which could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha during the Winter session of the parliament last year due to the minority issue, was passed in Lok Sabha but The Rajya Sabha witnessed a mid-night(12:00 midnight) drama on last day of winter session after the expiry of the extended time period of the Winter session that there was no time left for voting and passage of the Gand year of 2011 ended in a sad mood. After that day, 2012 started but until February 0122 no movement had been witnessed. But Anna Hazare decided to start the movement again and decided to its on a hunger strike on 25 March 2012.^[8] The bill suffered delays in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament and could not get passed during the winter session.^[9] The government reintroduced the bill in the Rajya Sabha in February 2012 but the bill was not timetabled for debate and the session ended without this bill being passed.

Protests

In March 2012, Kiran Bedi alleged that the Congress party had cheated them by introducing a watered-down anti-corruption bill.^[10] Hazare declared that the protest movement would recommence and a mark of protest he sat on hunger strike on 25 March 2012 for one day.^[8] A month later, Hazare sat a token one-day fast focussed on remembrance of whistle-blowers such as Narendra Kumar and Satyendra Dubey who had died as a result of their support for the anti-corruption cause.^[11] On 3 June, Hazare undertook another one-day fast at Jantar Mantar, where he was joined by Ramdev, a yoga guru.^[12]

Hazare and Bedi reformed Team Anna, while Kejriwal and some others split from the erstwhile apolitical movement with the intention of forming what was to become the Aam Aadmi Party.^[13]

Jantar Mantar was the scene of an "indefinite" fast that began on 25 July and involved various members of Team Anna,^[14] although Hazare was not involved until four days later. The focus on this occasion was a protest against the government's refusal of an inquiry against the prime minister and 14 cabinet ministers, whom they had accused of corruption. The fast ended on 3 August.^[15] Three days later, Hazare announced that since the government seemed to be unready to enact the Jan Lokpal Bill, he and his fellow activists had decided to end their fast, to discontinue talks with the government and to cease any protests under the Team Anna name.^[16]

Aftermath

After failing to press government to pass The Lokpal Bill, 2011, the Team Anna split on issue of formation of political party. Anna Hazare and some others did not want to enter mainstream politics while Arvind Kejriwal led India Against Corruption opined to join politics.^[17][18] Arvind Kejriwal and others finally formed new political party, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on 26 November 2012.^[19][20][21] A year later, the party made its electoral debut in the 2013 Delhi legislative assembly election held in December 2013.^[22] It emerged as the second-largest party, winning 28 of the 70 seats.^[23] With no party obtaining an overall majority, the AAP formed a minority government with conditional support from the Indian National Congress.^[24] The AAP failed to pass Jan Lokpal Bill in Delhi assembly and resigned from the government after rule of 49 days.^[25] The President's rule imposed in the state for a year.^[26]

The Parliament of India enacted The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 few days after the Delhi election in December 2013.^[27]

See also

• The Lokpal Bill, 2011
• List of scandals in India
• Licence Raj
• Mafia Raj
• The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013

Anti-corruption:

• Right to Public Services legislation
• Lok Ayukta

General:

• Corruption Perceptions Index
• Rent seeking
• Socio-economic issues in India

References