Lord Krisnna at Radha Raman temple on the occasion of Sri Krishna Janamshtami in Vrindavan, Mathura on Monday

 

Thousands of devotees in the UK on Monday attended a two-day Janmashtami festival, celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna, at the Bhaktivedanta Manor in Watford town.
Believed to be the world's largest Hindu festival outside India, up to 72,000 people took part in the Janmashtami festival, which featured hundreds of children dressed up like Lord Krishna, with their faces painted blue, many carrying flutes and wearing peacock feathers in their hair.
Another highlight included a flowered walkway through the spiritual gardens and woodland.
The site was donated to the Hare Krishna movement by former Beatle George Harrison in 1973.
The entire festival was run by 1,500 volunteers from the community.
Srutidharma Das, President of the manor, said celebrations of faith were important.
"The Janmashtami festival is a festival of peace in what are troubled times...Ahimsa is a very important belief in Hinduism and the cow symbolises peace and prosperity in society. When the relationship between humans and cattle is correct everything in the world is in harmony," he saidMathura: Priest performing 'abhishek' of Lord Krisnna at Radha Raman temple on the occasion of Sri Krishna Janamshtami in Vrindavan, Mathura on Monday. (PTI Photo)

Indian Booker prize-winning author Arundhati Roy launched a scathing attack on Monday on the “aggressive nationalism” behind the anti-corruption drive led by hunger-striking campaigner Anna Hazare

New Delhi, 22 August 2011. Indian Booker prize-winning author Arundhati Roy launched a scathing attack on Monday on the “aggressive nationalism” behind the anti-corruption drive led by hunger-striking campaigner Anna Hazare.
In a column entitled “I’d rather not be Anna” published in The Hindu newspaper, the novelist, essayist and rights activist condemned both the style and substance of Hazare’s campaign that has mobilised public opinion in India.
In particular she questioned Hazare’s use of the hunger strike and other tactics and symbols co-opted from his hero — India’s independence icon Mahatma Gandhi.
“While his means may be Gandhian, Anna Hazare’s demands are certainly not,” Roy said.
The focus of Hazare’s protest is a new anti-corruption bill.
The 74-year-old activist says the current draft is too weak and wants parliament to pass his own version which gives more scope and power to an ombudsman who would monitor politicians, bureaucrats and the judiciary.

While agreeing that the government bill was so flawed “that it was impossible to take seriously”, Roy said Gandhi would have been dismayed by Hazare’s vision of an all-powerful, centralised ombudsman.

“It will function as an independent administration, meant to counter the bloated, unaccountable, corrupt one that we already have. Two oligarchies instead of one,” Roy said.
Hazare, who has not eaten for six days and took his fast public on Friday, has drawn huge crowds to the open air venue where he is staging his hunger strike in central Delhi.
The atmosphere is one of celebratory protest, with the crowds singing along to patriotic songs and waving the Indian national flag.
But Roy, a vocal government critic, said she was dismayed by “the props and the choreography, the aggressive nationalism” of the Hazare movement.
“They signal to us that if we do not support the fast, we are not ‘true Indians’,” she said.
“Who is he really, this new saint, this Voice of the People?” she asked, accusing Hazare of remaining silent on other issues like farmers’ suicides in his home state of Maharashtra. (AFP)

Bharat Bandh against corruption,At a time when backroom talks were on for a united protest, the so-called ‘Third Front’ on Friday unilaterally went ahead and announced its plan to organise an ‘All India Protest Day’ on Augusts 23

NEW DELHI: This could have  made the Congress and the UPA Government happy. Even Anna and his Lokpal agitation, swaying the entire country, have failed to glue the Opposition together as the Left parties refused to join the BJP-led NDA in its plan for a united Bharat Bandh against corruption.At a time when backroom talks were on for a united protest, the so-called ‘Third Front’ on Friday unilaterally went ahead and announced its plan to organise an ‘All India Protest Day’ on Augusts 23. The decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of leaders of nine political parties - the CPM, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the CPI, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIDMK), Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Janata Dal(S), Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), All India Forward Bloc and Revolutionary Socialist Party(RSP) here on Friday.  “We were planning a joint ‘Bharat Bandh’, but the Left and other parties went ahead and announced their agitation. So there will be no joint Bharat Bandh,” JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav, who was mediating between the NDA and the Third Front parties, told Express.Left leaders also agreed that the NDA leaders were in touch with them, but said that a joint agitation is not on the cards.“The BJP or any other NDA ally will not be part of our agitation on August 23. Only the non-UPA , non-NDA parties will be there,” RSP leader Abani Roy said after the meeting. When asked whether there were any feelers from the NDA for a joint agitation, he said in positive. “We are organising the protest demanding effective measures against corruption including a strong Lokpal. The countrywide protests will also demand protection of democratic rights and the right to conduct peaceful protests. There will be demonstrations and dharnas in all state capitals and district headquarters,” Abani Roy said. When asked whether a joint agitation would  have been more effective, Abani Roy said, “there are certain political realities which one cannot ignore.”Today’s meeting was attended by H D Deve Gowda, Chandrababu Naidu, Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, A B Bardhan, D Raja, Ajit Singh, Thambidurai, Debabrata Biswas, Bhartruhari Mahtab, Abani Roy, S Sudhakar Reddy,  and Nama Nageshwar Rao. The leaders condemned the arrest of Anna Hazare and his colleagues saying that it was an attempt on the part of the government to prevent his hunger strike. “This is an attack on the democratic rights of citizens to conduct peaceful protests. There are increasing restrictions on the right to assemble and the right to conduct protests in Delhi and other parts of the country,” it said