Tag Archives: Ramlila

Is This Really a Proper Way to Spend Public Money?

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A recent news states that Team Anna had collected donations of Rs 2.94 crore in the past six months out of which

 1.14 crore came during Anna Hazare‘s 12-day hunger strike in Ramlila Maidan. They have already spent a huge chunk of it and have provided the expenses in approximate figures. The fact is that a lot of people have donated money and it has been heart warming to note that 23,138 contributions were of 1,000 or less. It has really been humbling and moving to note that people with very limited resources contributed with sums like Rs 1, Rs 2 and Rs 5 of their hard earned money, hoping that it is spent for a good cause and will help in developing a new India. But the expenses mentioned, are no match to it and seems just like a waste of resources.”

According to Team Anna, a total of 27,505 people, including 25,023 during Ramlila agitation, contributed financially to the anti-corruption movement with Rs 25 lakh being the highest donation and over 400 donating more than Rs 10,000. Out of the Rs 2.94 crore it collected during the six months, they have decided to return Rs 42.55 lakh to donors who “did not provide their complete details and their sources of funding”(Which indeed is a good thought), leaving Rs 2.51 crore with them.

The Public Cause Research Foundation (PCRF), the Secretariat for the movement, made public its audit report for six months starting April one following allegations of financial misconduct by activist Arvind Kejriwal. 

by Arvind SawantA former Team Anna member Swami Agnivesh was sidelined by the Team when he questioned the depositing of donations in PCRF, saying none of the prominent Team members like Justice Santosh Hegde were trustees of PCRF run and controlled only by Arvind Kejriwal.

Of the Rs 2.51 crore, Team Anna has spent Rs 1.5 crore in the past six months with Rs 52.27 lakh being spent for public meeting expenses, mainly for Ramlila Maidan agitation which is quite acceptable. But the real doubts creating expenses follows.

Team Anna spent Rs 9.83 lakh on travel (Who’s travel? Only Team Anna or all the people at Ramlila Maidan? Did Team Anna go on a world tour? Or did they hire a Helicopter?) while another Rs 2.68 lakh was spent on communication expenses (Really shocking, what type of communication was that, which costs RS. 2.68 Lakhs in six months). Under public awareness expenses, the Team spent Rs 45.50 lakh (What kind of awareness? Did they advertise somewhere? or did they pay the media for their news to be shown???) Their printing charges are shown to be Rs 26.55 lakh.(No Comments!)

It also spent Rs 9,711 under the head RTI and also paid Rs 9.29 lakh as salary and stipend to the staff of PCRF besides a lowly Rs 36 as interest on government dues.

All this while, the people who donated their hard earned money would have expected their donations to the Public Cause Research Foundation be used for real Public Cause. They would have lived in a state of satisfaction that they helped in a good and noble cause. But seeing the expenses which almost seems to be worthless would really dishearten the donators..

by Arvind Sawant – SI

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Anna’s Next Obsession: Electoral Reform

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Hailing Parliament’s nod on key elements of Jan Lokpal Bill as “people’s victory”, Anna Hazare on Sunday broke his 12-day-old fast declaring that electoral reforms will be on top of his agenda next so that corruption can come down.

The 74-year-old Gandhian accepted a glass of tender coconut water mixed with honey from a Dalit and a Muslim girl, Simran and Ikrah at 10:20 am on the dais at the Ramlila Grounds ending over 288 hours of fast that began on August 16.

After a brief address, Hazare was driven straight to Medanta Medicity in neighbouring Gurgaon run by eminent cardiologist Dr Naresh Trehan who was attending to him along with his team during his entire period of fast.

He was admitted to the hospital and is under strict observation of a team of doctors who have begun administering liquid diet to him. Hazare will be there for a couple of days.

“I have only deferred my fast, not given it up. Only when these reforms are complete will I really end my fast. I will not rest until all the changes that I look to are achieved,” he said to a thunderous applause from thousands of his supporters waving tricolour and shouting slogans like ‘Anna Hazare Zindabad’.

Dismissing the charge that his campaign was against Parliament and Constitution, he said the change has to be through constitutional means.

Flanked by his team members, including Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan, Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and Manish Sisodia, Hazare said what has been achieved in Parliament on Saturday is a victory of the people of India, democracy and those assembled in Ramlila Ground.

Team Anna hoped that the Government will convene a special session of Parliament to pass the Lokpal Bill in a month’s time.

Minutes after Hazare ended his fast, Bhushan said, “We hope that the government convenes a special session of Parliament within a month’s time to pass Lokpal Bill.” Hazare said his fight would now be for Right to Recall and Right to Reject as part of electoral reforms so that corruption can be reduced.

“While Right to Recall would be for those elected, the Right to Reject will be a column in the ballot paper which would ensure the voter has a right to say that he does not like the listed candidates.

“We have to reform electoral system. (we need) Right to Reject. You should be able to reject your candidate in the ballot paper. We have to do that.”

“If the majority in a constituency says that they reject a candidate, even then the election should be cancelled. How much money they (candidates) will distribute? Once the candidate spends Rs 10 crore for one election and if the election is cancelled, then right sense will dawn upon them,” he said.

Maintaining that people’s parliament is bigger than “Parliament in Delhi”, Hazare said that is why Parliament had to listen to people’s parliament.

“This movement has created a faith that the country can be rid of corruption and we can go ahead with implementing laws and the Constitution made by Dr BR Ambedkar,” he said.

Referring to Parliament’s decision to refer three of his demands, citizen’s charter, inclusion of lower bureaucracy and creation of Lokayuktas through Lokpal bill for Standing Committee’s consideration, he said, the country can be proud of this moment. Thirteen days of agitation has yielded fruits.

Source – PTI

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