Anna Hazare facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anna Hazare
Hazare in 2011
Born	Kisan Baburao Hazare (1937-06-15) 15 June 1937 (age 88) Bhingar, Bombay Presidency, British India
Nationality	Indian
Other names	Kisan Baburao Hazare
Citizenship	Indian
Known for	Indian anti-corruption movement – 2012, Indian anti-corruption movement – 2011, Watershed development programmes, Right to Information
Movement	Indian anti-corruption movement, Peace movement
Parents	Baburao Hazare (father) Laxmibai Hazare (mother)
Awards	Padma Shri (1990) Padma Bhushan (1992)
Military career
Allegiance	India
Service/branch	Indian Army
Years of service	1960–1975
Rank	Sepoy
Battles/wars	Indo-Pakistani War of 1965

Kisan Baburao "Anna" Hazare (born 15 June 1937) is an Indian social activist. He has led important movements to help villages grow and to make the government more open. He also worked to stop corruption, which is when people in power use their position for dishonest gain.

In 1992, the Government of India gave him the Padma Bhushan. This is the third-highest award a civilian can receive in India.

In April 2011, Hazare began a hunger strike. He wanted the Indian government to create a strong law against corruption. This law was called the Jan Lokpal Bill. It aimed to create an ombudsman, which is like a public watchdog, to deal with corruption. Many people across India supported his fast.

The fast ended on 9 April 2011, after the government agreed to his requests. A special committee was formed with government officials and regular citizens to write the new law.

Foreign Policy magazine recognized him as one of the top 100 global thinkers in 2011. A newspaper in Mumbai also named him the most influential person in the city that year.

Early Life of Anna Hazare

Kisan Baburao Hazare was born on 15 June 1937, in Bhingar, near Ahmednagar. He was the oldest of seven children. He had two sisters and four brothers. Later, he became known as Anna, which means "elder person" or "father" in the Marathi language.

His father worked hard but earned very little money. Because of this, his family struggled financially. They later moved to their family village, Ralegan Siddhi, where they owned a small piece of farm land.

A relative helped Anna go to school in Mumbai, as there was no primary school in his village. However, his relative could not afford to support him for long. Anna's schooling stopped after the seventh grade, and his siblings never went to school. He started selling flowers at the Dadar railway station in Mumbai. Eventually, he owned two flower shops. He also joined groups that helped prevent landlords' bullies from scaring poor people out of their homes.

Anna Hazare's Military Service

Anna Hazare joined the Indian Army in April 1960. He first worked as a truck driver and later became a soldier. He received his army training in Aurangabad.

During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Hazare was stationed near the border in the Khem Karan area. He was driving a truck when his unit was attacked by the enemy. He was the only one who survived. This experience, along with his past poverty, deeply affected him. He felt that God had saved him for a special reason. He decided to dedicate his life to helping others.

He found inspiration in books by Swami Vivekananda, Gandhi, and Vinoba Bhave. He spent fifteen years in the army, from 1960 to 1975. He was stationed in places like Punjab, Nagaland, Bombay, and Jammu.

Official records show that he left the army with honor in 1975.

Making Ralegan Siddhi Better

After leaving the army, Hazare returned to his village, Ralegan Siddhi. At that time, it was a very poor village with many problems. The land was rocky, making farming difficult, and there was not enough water. Trees had been cut down, leading to erosion. The village also faced droughts. A lack of clean water caused diseases. Many people borrowed money from moneylenders at very high interest rates. Crime was common, and there were few chances for education or jobs.

Anna with a Mahatma Gandhi statue in Ralegan Siddhi

Anna Hazare used the money he received from his army service to help his village. He started by fixing up an old, damaged village temple. This temple became a meeting place for the community. Many villagers, especially the elderly, helped by donating their time and effort, a practice called shramdaan. Young people also joined in, and Anna organized them into a Tarun Mandal (Youth Association).

Grain Bank

In 1980, Hazare started the Grain Bank at the temple. Its goal was to make sure no one in the village went hungry, especially during droughts or when crops failed. Farmers who had extra grain could donate some to the bank. If a farmer needed grain, they could borrow from the bank. They had to return the same amount plus a little extra as interest. This system helped everyone have enough food and stopped farmers from having to sell their grain cheaply when they needed money.

Watershed Development Programme

Ralegan Siddhi is located in the foothills. Anna Hazare convinced the villagers to build a watershed embankment. This helped to collect and store rainwater, allowing it to soak into the ground. This raised the groundwater level and improved irrigation for farming. These efforts solved the problem of water scarcity in the village.

They also stopped growing crops that needed a lot of water, like sugarcane. Instead, they grew crops like pulses, oilseeds, and other crops that needed less water. Farmers started using better seeds and changed their farming methods. Since 1975, Hazare has helped farmers in over 70 villages in Maharashtra state. When he came to Ralegan Siddhi in 1975, only about 70 acres of land were irrigated. Thanks to his efforts, about 2,500 acres became irrigated.

Education

In 1932, Ralegan Siddhi got its first school, a single classroom. In 1962, villagers added more classrooms by working together. By 1971, only a small number of people in the village could read and write. Boys could go to nearby towns for higher education, but girls usually only had primary schooling. Anna Hazare and the village youth worked to improve education. They started a pre-school in 1976 and a high school in 1979. The villagers also created a charitable trust called the Sant Yadavbaba Shikshan Prasarak Mandal in 1979.

Ending Untouchability

The caste system in India had created social barriers and discrimination. However, the villagers of Ralegan Siddhi largely removed these divisions. Anna Hazare's strong leadership inspired them to stop untouchability and caste discrimination. Marriages of Dalits are now held alongside those of other castes in community marriage programs. Dalits have become fully part of the village's social and economic life. Villagers from higher castes even built houses for lower-caste Dalits and helped them pay off their loans.

Gram Sabha

Gandhi believed that the Gram Sabha was important for villages to make decisions together. A Gram Sabha is a meeting of all adult villagers, not just elected leaders. Between 1998 and 2006, Hazare campaigned to change the Gram Sabha Act. He wanted villagers to have a direct say in their village's development. The state government first refused, but later agreed due to public pressure. It became required to get approval from the Gram Sabha for spending money on village development projects.

Anna Hazare's Activism

Fighting Corruption in Maharashtra

Anna Hazare's supporter's cap which reads "I am Anna Hazare"

In 1991, Hazare started the Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andolan (BVJA), which means "People's Movement against Corruption." This movement aimed to fight corruption in Ralegaon Siddhi. That same year, he protested against 40 forest officials and timber merchants who were working together illegally. As a result, these officials were moved or suspended from their jobs.

In 2003, Hazare accused four ministers from the Congress-NCP government of corruption. He began a fast unto death on 9 August 2003. He ended his fast on 17 August 2003, after the chief minister agreed to form a special committee to investigate his claims. This committee found some ministers guilty, and they resigned from their positions.

Right to Information Movement

In the early 2000s, Hazare led a movement in Maharashtra state. This movement pushed the state government to pass a new law called the Maharashtra Right to Information Act. This law later became the basis for the national Right to Information Act 2005 (RTI). This important law allows citizens to ask for information from the government.

In 2006, the government tried to change the RTI Act to hide some official notes. Hazare started another fast unto death on 9 August 2006, to protest this change. He ended his fast on 19 August 2006, after the government agreed to keep the law as it was.

Law for Timely Official Duties and Transfers

Before 2006, in Maharashtra, honest government officers were often moved to other places if ministers didn't like them. Corrupt officials, however, could stay in their jobs for many years. Anna Hazare fought for a law that would require government workers to finish their tasks within a set time. It also said that officials should only be transferred after three years, unless there was an emergency.

After many years of Hazare's efforts, Maharashtra passed the Prevention of Delay in Discharge of Official Duties Act 2006. This law meant that officials who worked slowly could face action. It also helped to monitor officials who stayed in one job for too long. Maharashtra was the first state to have such a law.

Lokpal Bill Movement

Anna Hazare's hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

In 2011, Hazare took part in a satyagraha movement. This movement pushed for a stronger anti-corruption law called the Lokpal (ombudsman) bill in the Indian parliament. This bill, known as the Jan Lokpal Bill (People's Ombudsman Bill), was written by legal experts and social activists. It aimed to give the Lokpal more power to fight corruption, even including the Prime Minister.

Hunger Strike

Hazare began an "indefinite fast" on 5 April 2011, at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. He wanted a special committee of government and citizen representatives to write a bill with tougher rules against corruption. He also wanted the Lokpal and Lokayukta (state-level ombudsmen) to be more independent. He started the fast after the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, rejected his demands. Hazare said, "I will fast until Jan Lokpal Bill is passed."

The movement gained a lot of attention from the media and thousands of supporters. Many social activists, including Medha Patkar, Arvind Kejriwal, and Kiran Bedi, supported him. People also showed support on social media. Spiritual leaders and celebrities like Kapil Dev also backed the movement. Hazare decided that no politicians would be allowed to sit with him during the protest.

Protests spread to many cities across India. On 8 April 2011, the government agreed to the movement's demands. On 9 April, it announced the formation of a joint committee. This committee would have five government ministers and five citizen representatives. Anna Hazare was one of the citizen representatives.

On the morning of 9 April 2011, Hazare ended his 98-hour hunger strike. He told the public that the "real fight begins now" and set a deadline of 15 August 2011, for the bill to be passed. He called his movement a "second struggle for independence."

Draft Bill

People on road in support of Anna Hazare near Ramlila maidan.

During a meeting on 30 May 2011, the government members of the committee did not want the Prime Minister, top judges, and Members of Parliament to be under the Lokpal's power. Hazare and other citizen members believed that leaving them out would go against international anti-corruption agreements.

Hazare and the citizen members decided to skip a meeting on 6 June 2011. This was to protest against the police forcing Swami Ramdev and his followers to leave Ramlila Maidan. Swami Ramdev was also on a hunger strike against corruption.

On 8 June, Hazare criticized the government for trying to make the drafting committee look bad. He threatened to start another indefinite fast on 16 August 2011, if the Lokpal Bill was not passed.

Indefinite Fast

India Against Corruption campaign in Whitefield, Bangalore.

On 28 July 2011, the government approved its own version of the Lokpal Bill. This version did not include the Prime Minister, judges, or lower government workers under the Lokpal's power. Hazare called this a "cruel joke." He wrote a letter to the Prime Minister, saying he would start an indefinite fast on 16 August 2011, if the government did not include suggestions from citizen members.

Hazare questioned why the government was sending a "wrong draft" and said he no longer trusted the government. Many people across the country supported Hazare. Taxi drivers in Mumbai, lawyers, and other groups pledged their support.

Arrest and Aftermath

On 16 August 2011, Hazare was arrested just before his planned hunger strike. Police said he was arrested for gathering illegally and refusing to follow their conditions for the protest. Hazare refused bail and was sent to Tihar jail for seven days. After news of his arrest spread, thousands of people marched in support in Delhi and other cities.

About 1,300 supporters were also detained in Delhi. Opposition parties criticized the arrest, comparing it to a past emergency in India. Both houses of Parliament stopped their work to discuss the issue.

After a few hours, Hazare was released unconditionally, but he refused to leave Tihar Jail. He demanded permission to fast at Ramlila Maidan without conditions. He continued his fast inside the jail.

Because of the millions of protesters nationwide, the government allowed him to hold a public hunger strike for fifteen days. After discussions with authorities, Hazare agreed to hold his protest at Ramlila Maidan, New Delhi. On 20 August, Hazare left Tihar Jail for Ramlila Grounds. He promised to fight until his team's Jan Lokpal Bill was passed in Parliament.

Fast at Ramlila Maidan

Anna Hazare on fast unto death protest.

On 20 August 2011, thousands of people came to support Hazare. His advisors appeared on television to gather public support. The National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) said that Hazare's deadline for passing the bill was undermining democracy.

On 21 August, tens of thousands watched Hazare as he sat on a raised platform. He had lost weight but stated, "I will not withdraw my hunger strike until the Jan Lokpal bill is passed in the Parliament. I can die but I will not bend." Hazare ended his fast on 28 August, after the Lokpal Bill was passed unanimously.

He was taken to a hospital in Gurgaon for care after his 288-hour fast. He had lost 7.5 kg and was very dehydrated.

I Am Anna Campaign

People wear I AM ANNA topi Gathered at Ramlila maidan on Anna Hazare's Fast

During Anna Hazare's first fast in April 2011, his supporters started a campaign called "I Am Anna Hazare." This was similar to a campaign from the Egyptian uprising. During his second fast, his topi, a cap that became linked with Anna Hazare, became very popular. Sales of these caps went very high. Kiran Bedi suggested that people wear the "I am Anna" topi whenever someone asked for a bribe.

Fast on MMRDA Ground

On 27 December 2011, Hazare began a three-day hunger strike at MMRDA grounds in Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai. He wanted a stronger Lokpal bill. However, he ended the fast on 28 December because his doctors warned that his kidneys might fail if he continued.

Before reaching the protest site, Anna paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Juhu Beach. He traveled through several areas of Mumbai to reach the ground, which took him two and a half hours.

Electoral Reform Movement

In 2011, Hazare asked for a change in election law. He wanted to add a "None of the above" (NOTA) option to electronic voting machines. This option would allow voters to say they don't approve of any of the candidates. The Chief Election Commissioner of India supported Hazare's idea for this election reform.

On 31 March 2013, Hazare started the Jantantra Yatra (Democracy Journey) from Amritsar. He aimed to discuss various issues, including election reforms like the right to reject a candidate.

2015 Land Acquisition Ordinance Protest

In February 2015, Anna Hazare protested for two days at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. He was protesting against a new law about land acquisition, which is when the government takes private land for public use.

Honours, Awards, and International Recognition

Film

• The Marathi film Mala Anna Vhaychay (I want to become Anna) is based on Hazare's work.
• Anna – a 2016 Indian Hindi-language biographical film based on the life of Anna Hazare.
• Andolan Ek Suruvat Ek Shevat is a 2014 Indian Marathi-language film inspired by Hazare, who also appears in the film.

Personal Life

Anna Hazare is not married. Since 1975, he has lived in a small room connected to the Sant Yadavbaba temple in Ralegan Siddhi. In April 2011, he shared that he had about 67,183 Indian Rupees in his bank account and 1,500 Rupees in cash. He owns a small piece of family land in Ralegan Siddhi, which his brothers use. He also donated two other pieces of land given to him (one by the Indian Army and one by a villager) for the village's use.

See also

In Spanish: Anna Hazare para niños