Keen to initiate anti-corruption peace march

Mohinish,

Thanks for the detailed & highlighted clarifications.

I've always been convinced that not only are the civil society members extremely well-equipped to handle this very difficult task, but also they're dead serious. Regardless of whether some of the charges against some of the civil society members are true or not, no one can question the point they are raising; and they can't personally benefit from Lokpal Bill. So, the charges are just diversionary in the context (even if true; I' taking no sides here).

I know I'm ill-equipped to advise them, but I can't resist mentioning one thing, though: I think it will be great if Anna and the members of the civil society (and those around them) show more circumspection in commenting about the Government and the ministers, sticking to facts, and avoiding what could be termed opinions, in public. In my view, having got the opportunity to draft the Lokpal bill, public quarrel with the Government and politicians won't do any good; on the other hand, it could harm. In sales, they say, "Once you've got the order, SHUT UP!"

Ganesan.

Dear members,

I am a citizen of India and I reside at Kolkata. I am following the developments regarding Lokpal bill for quite some time.

According to my view, we should do the following:

1. Take out rallies in all cities of India. Preferable on Sat and Sunday. By this approach, we all will be working in weekdays for the growth of our nation and shall be fighting against corruption on Saturdays and Sundays. Our march will further attract common people to join our common motive.
2. Voting right: Considering the statements from our corrupt politicians, we can declare surrender of our voting rights. Ultimately our politicians should understand the true meaning of democracy and should realise that each and every Indians have their right to say. Moreover, when the complete nation is fighting to get rid of corruption and the government is not willing to listen to us, then fine, let them not hear us completely.
3. Peace March: I believe, MOUN RALLY without any slogan or shouting will be the best option. When the government don't want to listen to us, lets not even talk or even utter a sound or word.
4. Marching: To avoid any approval from the government and to avoid any mishap like Baba Ramdev's rally, lets march throughout the city, with a pre-decided rout to follow.

My motive for the above said points are:

1. Expressing our interest to make our country a better place to live.
2. Being responsible for the growth/progress of our nation.
3. Expressing our support to Lokpal bill.

I am now awaiting for your comments regarding the same.

Regards
DP Chaudhuri

Hi
I very much like the idea of Moun Rally and i think if implemented, it would make a considerable impact on Indian polity as well as on the thinking of common people.

Below listed are the points which needs to be further discussed or analysed in order to start such movements.
1.Firstly,we need to come up with an detailed and objective mission(ambition) which we want to see get accomplised with this movement.
2.We need to mobilize mass for such movements ,preferably using social media e.g. Facebook

The most important step is to identify an objective and then motivate people to see them through your vision their benefit and the benefit of the country.

Feel free to write,lets have an healthy discussion.
I would also like to invite other members to openly present their views.

Regards
Anurag Nandan

Hello,

Thanks for the quick response.

We have a very firm objective "TO MAKE OUR NATION CORRUPTION FREE".

Anna ji is leading us. Drafted Lokpal Bill is going to be tabled in the parliament. The initial impression/perception that I get from the media reports are:

1. The govt. side drafting members don't have a focused mind towards Lokpal. They are more interested to make the bill, which can be an eyewash to common people and so that politicians can continue discussing and avoid further mass movement. Even if the bill is passed, it will be more of a diluted bill, hence again Lokpal will not have any firm power.
2. Anna ji has declared that he will go for fasting again form 16th August, if govt. don't listen to civil society.
3. Mr. Kapil Sikbal and Mr. Digvijay Singh has more or less made it clear that the government is not going to listen to the nations cry in favour of Lokpal

So, our main objective will be to SUPPORT ANNA JI for his fight against corruption.

If by 14th August, there is no positive sign from the govt's side, we can start our fight from 15th August. When we will demand for INDEPENDENCE AGAINST CORRUPTION.

This will further give a big boost to Anna ji towards his fight from 16th August. The government will understand that ANNA HAZARE JI is not alone, however, there are thousends and lakhs of Anna Hazare throughout the country to whom the govt. will have to answer.

How to make it possible:

1. We will pick/identify people from different cities/town who can lead for the movement. The same can be done through this forum, facebook, twitter, etc.
2. After that we will discuss among selected members through phone/e-mail/discussion forums to make a peaceful march and how to guide the entire mass to be non-violent and speechless (even in front of the media).
3. Name & contact e-mail ID/Phone nos. of the identified members will be given in the social websites, inviting people to join our movement.
4. The individuals from different city/town will select meeting/start point and the rout map by themselves. The same shall be further uploaded in the social web-sites.
5. Fund required will be collected by donations and the same shall also be arranged by the individuals selected. Extra fund (if any) can can forwarded to Civil Society.
6. The details of the processing will be announced in the media by press conference, ahead of the scheduled MOUN MARCH day.
7. It will only be banners, sign-boards, etc., that will speak on behalf of us.
8. Not to hamper any body/people/traffic during the procession.

Looking for your comments/suggestion regarding the same. Hope, we will be able to make our dream a success.

Regards
DP Chaudhuri

I've been noticing this thread from last few posts. Everybody is busy posting ideas but no one has mentioned when or from where to start this march. Lets go to the first post of this thread, it says keen to intiate a peace march but no one's seem to be.
Please get to the point. When goal is set methods itself start originating.
And please don't get me wrong i'm not against planning.

Hello Sachin.

Thank you for the post and I sincerely appreciate your concern.

Yes, we should start now. In my previous thread I have suggested a date, that is 15th August 2011.

But before that, I would like to know a bit more about you and the place you belong to.

If this concept is to be materialized, we will have to get volunteers from across the country, from max. possible cities and towns.

However, I am just waiting to see, if my idea is accepted by common people. I am posting my thoughts through social web-sites to get a feel, how, it is accepted among the common people. Within another 1-2 weeks, I would like to take an initiative in the same.

I would like to receive all you thoughts/suggestion/comments and support regarding the same.

Regards
DP Chaudhuri

Dear DP Chaudhuri
Your post was very enlightening and I see a perfect plan.
LET'S DO IT.It's time that we convert our words into action.
INDEPENDENCE AGAINST CORRUPTION would be the name of our movement whereby we would extend our full support to Anna ji.
15th Aug would be our date!

Next Step,since we have already identified our motto, is to mobilize people.
I suggest, that
1. we gather on facebook,
2. create an open event,
3. Write an honest ,heart wrenching, patriotic description of the INDEPENDENCE AGAINST CORRUPTION movement, clearly defining our motive and ambitions
4.send invitation to as many people as possible

I am favoring facebook, as I have seen many movement being started there and being successfully implemented.

let me know your suggestions

Thanks
Anurag Nandan

Hi Sachinn
your concern is justified.
Right now I would just say 'join us and contribute'.
Spread the word and lets get into action!

Thanks
Anurag Nandan

Hi friends,

I agree that it's better to start with some action.

In order to demonstrate that a large number of people are behind this, we should make it easy to propagate and implement the idea very easily, at least to start with. Once we and the others realize the following we have for the movement, it will become easier to go in for more difficult actions.

Towards this end, I have already given a suggestion elsewhere in this forum, which I reproduce here for info:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Given the diversity of the backgrounds of the civil society, and given that we are up against the wall (read, "the Government"), we need to discover a simple yet effective way to demonstrate to the Government, the media and ourselves that we are gaining strength every day.

I have a suggestion for Anna's team. Shall we start wearing 'BLACK' badges/ bands in our top dress (shirt/ tops/ kameez/ saree) every day till we get the kind of Lokpal Bill we want? If they agree, they need to promote this idea strongly.

It is easy for all of us to influence others in our families and in our friend's circles to wear the same too. Black badges are easy to get anywhere in India, they can be in any shape or size, they won't cost much, they need not be designed and dispatched to other places, and this could come to symbolize our protest against CORRUPTION.

Also, expecting people cross India to actively do something else to show our solidarity, which can also be noticed, will be difficult. Black badges/ bands will make it easy for people to show their solidarity with the Lokpal Bill movement.

And seeing this, even those who are not aware would enquire what it is all about, and we'll get a chance to explain.

The Press will also find a symbol of this movement to focus on.

We can explain that this black badge/ band signifies that we're in darkness, and till we see light, we'll wear black badges.

Typically, gathering critical mass is difficult, and even as we gather critical mass, it is difficult to demonstrate that we have, in deed, done so.

And when everyone realizes that we have gathered critical mass, this could help us step up our efforts to the next stage, if need be.

If you agree, can you please draw the attention of your friends and relatives to this suggestion?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If we agree, can someone take this up with Anna's team and get it propagated as Anna's message to the people supporting this cause?

Thanks,

Ganesan. :~)

Hi Ganesan
Though your ideas are noble but i somehow believe that the call of the moment is to do something more than what you have suggested.
We are looking for nation's second independence i.e. 'freedom from corruption'.
Just imagine if angrez were ruling us and we showed our dissatisfaction by merely wearing a black band, what difference would it had made to them?
The corrupt politicians of our nation should be seen under the same light, who are thick skinned like angrez!

lets show our dissatisfaction with full might,lets get out of our comfort zone for once and do something meaningful for the nation!


Thanks
Anurag Nandan