The anti-corruption movement was the sequence of protests in India in 2011. The movement called for a regulation mechanism against corruption from the political parties in India. On 5 April 2011, the protest gained momentum when Anna Hazare went on a hunger strike at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The movement was also called the Anna Hazare anti-corruption movement.

In this article, we will learn about Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement and its impact on people and political parties. The endorsement of the Lokpal bill by Anna Hazare and his supporters was the spark that took the movement to the national level.

A brief glimpse of Anna Hazare

Anna Hazare is an Indian man who was deeply involved in social work. He led a campaign against corruption to expose black money hurting the economy. He worked to establish a bill against corruption. Anna Hazare was awarded the Padma Bhushan for his efforts in establishing his village as a model for others. Later, he went on a hunger strike to defeat corruption, increase the transparency of governance, develop rural areas, and ensure the punishment of corrupt politicians. Previously, he had also worked as an army driver and soldier.

India against corruption, led by Anna Hazare

Anti-corruption struggles  were initiated in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005, and 2008. But none could make a dent in changing the policies surrounding the implementation of strict anti-corruption measures. 

Anna Hazare’s call for the Lokpal bill and his anti-corruption movement was a bright star against the rising tide of corruption. 

Here is a brief timeline of the movement.  

• Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement started in April 2011.
• Hazare started the hunger strike on 5 April, which drew support and protesters taking to the streets.
• Anna’s movement was named the Jan Lokpal Andolan.
• After 12 days of hunger strike, the government agreed to compose the Lokpal bill.
• Hazare was still unhappy with the government’s decision and announced his decision to begin another fast on 16 August.
• When Anna refused to stop his strike, he was arrested. Afterwards, the team behind Anna Hazare split due to internal differences. 

Splitting of Team Anna

Team Anna and its members fail to convince the Indian government to pass the Lokpal bill. Cracks appeared in team Anna due to political perspectives. Hazare was against getting involved in politics. On the other hand, one of the team’s core members, Arvind Kejriwal, agreed to join politics with his Aam Aadmi Party. Many joined Kejriwal’s party, and in this way, Team Anna split.

Anna again came to the limelight in 2013 to convince the government to pass the Lokpal bill again. This time, Anna Hazare’s movement went along under the banner of his new community, Jantantra Morcha. Finally, the Lokpal bill was passed on 17 December in Rajya Sabha, and he broke his 12-day fast in the Lok Sabha. 

What did Anna’s anti-corruption movement change?

In India, corruption goes beyond an individual level and can be found in almost every institution. Hence, it needs to be curbed under the law for the smooth functioning of the system. Due to Anna’s anti-corruption movement, few things changed for the better.

• Many firms involved in corruption came to light in the 2G scam.
• Companies will find it tough to benefit from corruption due to the Lokpal bill.
• In Karnataka, one of the country’s fastest-developing states, a Lokpal inquiry revealed a corrupt nexus between politicians and corporations, causing a Chief Minister to resign. 

The great news is that Anna’s movement has brought corruption to the forefront of the political conversation in the country.

Conclusion

This article was about Anna Hazare and the role he played in the anti-corruption movement. Even though Team Anna split due to political differences, Anna continued his fight against corruption and for the implementation of Lokpal bills. Arvind Kejriwal was one of the main members of Team Anna, who established the Aam Aadmi Party and became the Chief Minister of New Delhi.