Anna's stir grows more off-shoots

War against graft: Medha, Agnivesh to lead save democracy campaign

A section of social activists led by Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar and rights activist Swami Agnivesh will gather in Delhi on June 27 to launch a “save democracy” movement.

“This is an effort to take the anti-graft movement beyond the demand of a strong Lokpal. The agitation for a strong Lokpal bill will go on as usual. But at the same time, we will mobilise people to save democracy which is under threat from corporate and other vested interests,” says Madhuresh, the spokesperson of the save democracy convention.

“This convention is a follow up to the convention attended and addressed by Anna Hazare, Kuldip Nayar, Prashant Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal on May 8 in Delhi,” he said. While Anna Hazare is going ahead with his programme for indefinite fast from August 16 to press for a Lokpal bill envisioned by him and his colleagues, the save democracy movement is going to take up the issues of dalits, adivasis, farmers, women and other oppressed classes.

“The struggle against Reliance, Jindal, Tata, Adani, Jaypee, Mittals, etc. and the collaborating State power is not only to protect their (oppressed classes) livelihood but central to defending the basic tenets of our democracy. The overall struggle is for deepening of democracy in the country – to establish the rule of law, to ensure right to life and livelihood with dignity, to ensure democratic control over natural resources – jal, jangal, jameen and Khaniz (land, water, forest and minerals),” says the letter sent to the activists.

The public convention in the name of “Desh Bachao, Desh Banao” is being attended by activists across the country. “Social activists and intellectuals like Yogendra Yadav, Kavita Krishnan, Justice Rajinder Sachar and Kuldip Nayar are also attending this public convention,” said the spokesperson.