Indian students and
workers protesting widespread corruption have forced the government
of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to promise action against
graft. The country has been rocked by scandals of crony capitalism,
including the granting of licenses to telecommunications companies
that are estimated to have cost the country $39 billion. The five-day
protest included a hunger strike by 73-year-old activist Anna
Hazare, who
swore he would fast to the death if necessary.
When thousands of demonstrators gathered at Jantar Mantar,
an 18th-century observatory in the capital city of New Delhi, the
administration, well aware of the militancy and anger, quickly
relented. It agreed to form a panel, including significant
representation by activists, to investigate corruption and develop
stricter laws and penalties
Although blatant corruption may have triggered the protest, press accounts also
noted widespread anger against globalization and economic policies
that have led to extreme inequality, with ever more wealth going to
the rich while the poor continue to suffer.
