A forgotten social worker that hardly anyone knows about!!
Many people lives for own but, some people lives for country, not for themselves. One of the leaders of such kind is “Anna Hazare”. He says that “a man who lives for himself dies but a man who lives for others never dies” which is the eternal truth.
Anna Hazare gets to known after the movement of Lok pall Bill in 2011. Here are some personal details of Anna Hazare.
Personal Details
Full Name: – Kishan Baburao Hazare
Mother: – Lakshmibai
Father: – Baburao Hazare
Born: – 15 June, 19 (some sources say 15 January 1940)
Anna Hazare was born in Bhingar, Maharashtra but lived in Ralegan Siddhi. He belongs to lower middle class family. He was doing labor work for food. Sometime He didn’t even have money for studies. However with the help of his friends and families, He started his studies in Mumbai. But After 7th standard he stopped studying as his supporting families and funding source trapped in the financial crisis
Anna in Army: –
Anna Hazare always thought for the people, he always shielded the poor fighting against wrong doing people. Anna joined the army as a truck driver when the government urges the youth to join the army when many soldiers were killed in the 1965 Indo-Pak war. He always wanted to do something for the country and society. He believed that a man who lives for himself dies but a man who lives for society never dies. He served in the army for about fifteen years. But, as a truck driver he has to travel different states from time to time where he had many bad experiences. So, once he got tired, felt very sad with his life and he even thought of committing suicide once.
Anna was deputed at Khemkaran post on the border when Pakistan invaded India in the 1965. All his comrades were killed in this Pakistani air strike. Only he survived. These circumstances made him very depressing. It was the worst time of his life.
Inspiration from books: –
Pakistan’s attack on India and poverty were the two things that shook Anna.
He then started reading the books of Swami Vivekananda, Gandhiji and Vinoba Bhave. He has deep impact of these books which led him to adopt a Gandhian policy in his life.
Development of the village:
In 1975, he retired from the Army and returned to his village Ralegan Siddhi. Then he saw that the atmosphere of his village had changed a lot. There was a lot of poverty and hunger taken places in the village. People were not farming and it was not raining. People became addicted of bad things. But Anna wants to make this village an Ideal village and made it for sure. Inspired by Swami Vivekananda, he started giving speeches to the youth. He first closed down marijuana shops. The village did not have good roads and sewerage system but Anna took over the village. Also, all the villagers believed in everything that he has said. He planned a canal in the village and also gave his land for a children’s hostel and spent all his income for the society.
Activism of Anna Hazare: –
Anna Hazare has done a lot of anti-corruption work in Maharashtra.
– Opposed corruption in 1991, Between 40 forest officials and timber traders. This resulted in a change of officers.
– Protested against shiv sena lok sabha candidate Gholap in 1997 in which Anna was accused of causing death. He was arrested for not providing proper evidence. He was jailed for three months. He was sentenced to three months in Yerawada Jail. After this event, there was public opposition and he were spared. This let Gholap to resign.
-He opposed corruption in the power house in 1999.
– In 2000, Anna started the Right to Information movement. That the government had accepted
– In 2003, four ministers in the NCP government were charged with corruption in which Anna was prosecuted, convicting Nawab Malik, Sardeda Jain and Padmasingh Patil.
Jan Lokpal Bill: –
Anna fought the biggest battle to pass this Lokpal Bill that made him popular in the country and in the world as well. The movement received a great response.
On April 9, 2011, Anna Hazare launched an anti-corruption Lokpal Bill in which retired Supreme Court Judge Santosh Hegde and advocate Prashant Bhushan drafted the Lokpal Bill, which was rejected by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Anna Hazare then started her fast-until-death on April 5, 2011 at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
Anna Hazare announced, “I will fast until the Lokpal Bill is passed.”
Rallies in his support took place all over the country. In which millions joined. Many social workers like Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Baba Ramdev, Kapildev Jayaprakash Narayan joined.
On April 8, 2011, the Government of India has accepted all the demands of the movement and issued a declaration listing who would hold which position. On the morning of 9th April, Anna Hazare broke his fast by drinking lemon water.
Finally, the Lokpal Bill was passed in the Indian Parliament on 15 August 2011.
Anna Hazare has also received the Gint Gill Memorial Award, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri for his social work.
Thus, Anna Hazare has done much such kind of social works for Maharashtra and the country as well. Even though, the respect for such deeds of his seems very low. We should feel blessed for having such a great man who has give us the good deeds and fought for the public rights and interest.
