Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
to create the Lok Pal, which had been on successive governments' legislative agendas since
the late 1960s but had been continually delayed by objections from MPs and others who
did not want their businesses and connections to be liable to investigations.
The government initially reacted dismissively and clumsily to the protests, but even-
tually caved in when it realized their strength and half-heartedly agreed to set up a joint
opposition politicians were scared of what might emerge and were anxious to undermine
Hazare's authority and popularity. They assumed that, if they stalled for long enough dur-
ing the summer months, they would eventually be able to ignore most of his demands. The
assumption was that he would not be able to rebuild nationwide support five or six months
later because, judging by previous experience, protestors' enthusiasm and energy would be
dissipated and would not easily be revived. This seriously underestimated the strength of
middle-class opinion driving the protests. This was not a frenetic rabble, brought onto the
streets by vested interests but a young middle-class revolt that had a life of its own, separ-
ate from the ambitions of attention seekers who thronged around Hazare, including Baba
Ramdev, a colourful black-bearded, saffron-robed and politically ambitious guru of dubi-
ous respectability.
The drafters failed to reach an agreement and Hazare revived his movement in June
2011, threatening a new hunger strike. In a panic, the government stupidly put him in jail
when he failed to agree to terms for the length of his fast and accompanying mass protests.
It then quickly reversed that decision and tried to release him, but he mocked the authorities
by continuing to refuse food in jail until terms were agreed for a 15-day public fast. (Sonia
Gandhi was ill in the US at this time, having had, it was widely assumed, an operation for
cancer, and her absence contributed to the government's ineptitude).
The government was understandably resisting some of the demands that would have al-
lowed the Lok Pal to cover the prime minister and the CBI and other investigative agencies.
These powers would have been far stronger than was sensible in a parliamentary demo-
cracy, and there were also understandable public concerns that the Lok Pal could become
another overstaffed and cumbersome part of a basically corrupt bureaucracy, thus prevent-
ing it from having any great impact on corruption. Ministerial and other spokesmen and
negotiators, however, failed to capitalize on these reservations about the idea and infuri-
ated public opinion through their arrogance, which strengthened the Lok Pal campaigners'
voice.
20
Eventually, a Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill covering both national and state-level ombuds-
men was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 22 December 2011. It was quickly passed in five
tially caused by the creation of a select committee to suggest changes, which led to amend-
ments to the bill being tabled in January 2013.
22
Then there appeared to be filibustering
