..:: History, Life, Biography and Times of Anna Hazare alias Kishan Baburao Hazare ::..
Growing up in Poverty -
- Kishan Baburao Hazare alias Anna Hazare born on 15th January 1937 at Bhingar Village in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district. Poverty forced the son of an unskilled labourer to shift to the ancestral Ralegan Sidhi village in 1952.
- His childless aunt paid for his education, he sold flowers in Mumbai and struggled to study till class VII.
- 1963, joined the Indian army as a driver after the India-China war of 1962. Took voluntary retirement after 12 years and returned to his native village Ralegan Sidhi where agriculture output had dropped owing to a draught.
- Anna Hazare got Rs. 20,000/- on retirement from army in 1975 and that amount was spent to renovate the Yadavbaba temple at Ralegan Siddhi village, 80 km from Pune. He lives in a single room, attached to this Yadavbaba temple.
- That was the first of a series of constructive deeds that would change the barren, despondent village, now of 2500 people, into green, prosperous and happy.
How Kisan Baburao Hazare becomes Anna Hazare -
There is a more romantic version. "Government of India had appealed to young Indians to join the Indian army. Being passionate about patriotism, he promptly responded to the appeal," says a website authorised by him. During his 12 years as a truck driver, Hazare narrowly escaped death twice — once in action and once in an accident — and served on borders with Pakistan and China.
War broke and in September 1965, two Pakistani jets bombed Hazare convoy. Later, Hazare wriggled out his mangled truck. He was the only on to come out alive, amid the numerous dead bodies strewed around. Hazare reportedly asked God. "You saved me but why." He resolved the existential ist question by deciding to quit the arm] and serve the people of his village. Bu then he decided to wait until he becanw eligible for pension.
Returning to Ralegan Siddhi, Hazare became 'Anna' as he began to organise villagers for watershed development and to fight against alcoholism and untouchability. Anna's volunteers beat up liquor vendors who refused to shut shop and those who were caught drunk. In one instance, three drunken men were tied to a pole and Anna flogged them with his army belt. The villagers mobilised money for a school and a boarding that houses students who were repeatedly failing. "So that they can improve," says Jaisingh Mapori, panchayat president. Anna encouraged children to learn English and to join the army - there are more than 200 of them today.
Along with his reputation as a village reformer, Anna's proximity to the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) also grew.
ANNA AS GANDHI -
Winning an election is no indication His first national foray came in late 2009, when Kejriwal anointed Hazare as the face of a campaign to appoint ex-IPS officer Kiran Bedi as Central Information Commissioner. larger campaign against corruption. SD Sharma, an 85-year-old Gandhian and some comrades began a relay hunger strike at Jantar Mantar early this year and planned to go on an indefinite fast from January 30.
The role ascribed to Anna, that of a new-age Gandhi, is not easy for the 74-year-old. At some times, like Natha in Peepli Live, he is trying to act the role; at others, he comes across as a caricature of Sunny Deol in Ma Tujhe Salam: 'I am willing to face bullets for the nation.' Gandhi wrote: "Reform is one-legged, and so proceeds haltingly. Anyone who loses patience can never become a pure Satyagrahi.... The thing is that a reformer should be free from egotism. Why should we assume responsibility for ending all evils? ....to think "I do this, I do that" is ignorance."
AWARDS AND CONTRIBUTIONS - RISE OF THE CRUSADER -
- Hazare began implementing his watershed management plan in his village. He used all his savings and inspired people to provide free labour propagating Gandhian philosophy. The ground water levels rose and irrigation was available for 1,500 acres. Food-grain yield, too, rose and the villagers became self-sufficient.
- In 1980, with an increase in agriculture production, launched a grain bank for people who did not have enough food and spearheaded a campaign against alcohol in his village.
- In 1990 the government awarded him with the Padma Shri honour.
- Unleashed his first battle against corruption in 1991 when he launched the Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andolan with a campaign against the collusion of 40 forest officials and contractors. All officials were later suspended. The next year, in 1992, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan.
NO MINISTER -
- In May 1997 Hazare protested against alleged malpractices in the purchase of power-looms by the Vasantrao Naik Bhathya Vimukt Jamati Vikas Manch and the Mahatma Phule Magasvargiya Vikas Mandal, under control of hen Maharashtra Social Welfare minister Babanrao Gholap of the Shiv Sena and his wife. Gholap filed a suit against him. Hazare was arrested in April 1998 and later released after spending three months in jail, Gholap quit the cabinet on April 27 1999.
- In 2003 Hazare raised corruption charges against 4 NCP ministers and started a fast unto death. He ended his fast after then CM Sushil Kumar Shinde formed a one-man probe team to look into the charges. The commission found some charges to be true resulting in resignations of two ministers. The same year, he won the Integrity award instituted by Transparency International for his efforts to end corruption in the government and forestry sector.
THE INFORMATION ACTIVIST -
In 2000 Hazare started a campaign that forced the Maharashtra government to enact the RTI Act. When the Centre enacted the RTI Act in 2005 he walked 10,000 km to create awareness about the law.
FEISTY AND FASTING -
- In November 2010, Team Anna decided to launch a campaign for the Lokpal Bill.
- In January 2011, Anna announced he would start a hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.
- On April 5, he went on a fast and four days later, ended his protest after the government notified a joint drafting committee for the Lokpal Bill.
- On June 16, after seven meetings, the joint drafting committee failed to reach a consensus and Hazare announced he'd fast again from August 16.
Please support Anna Hazare for their glorious work towards Public Awareness to prevent corruption from Indian Economy in a path of non violence (Ahimsa) and make India Corruption Free.
Article Source : HT Media
Anna Hazare Hand Painting Photo, Anna Hazare Historical Village Photo, Anna Hazare Gandhi Cap - Topi, Anna Hazare Army Photo, War against Pakistan and China Photo, Pic, Picture
