Team Anna to fast, demand protection for whistleblowers

While demanding a strong protection system for whistleblowers, Team Anna is set to storm Jantar Mantar on March 25 again for a day-long agitation to express solidarity with and stand for the protection of people fighting against corruption.

While demanding a strong protection system for whistleblowers, Team Anna is set to storm Jantar Mantar on March 25 again for a day-long agitation to express solidarity with and stand for the protection of people fighting against corruption.

HT Image

Apart from anti-graft activist Anna Hazare, all core members of the India Against Corruption (IAC) campaign and scores of activists would fast for a day at Jantar Mantar starting 11am.

At least 15 people, who tried to blow the lid off scams, have been killed since 2010. “These gory killings have brought to fore the need for a strong whistleblowers’ protection system, that too under the control of Jan Lokpal and Jan Lokayukta,” IAC said in a statement.

“While the Jan Lokpal ensures adequate security to the whistleblowers, the proposed bill brought in by the UPA government gives responsibilities without powers to the CVC. Neither the commission has provided with enforcement powers nor has it been made mandatory for the administrative authorities to comply with the CVC directives to protect whistleblowers’ victimisation,” said Manish Sisodia, IAC core team member.

The IAC campaigners have invited families of whistleblowers for the day-long agitation to demand for a stronger whistleblower protection mechanism under Jan Lokpal.

The family members of slain whistleblowers and also those who are fighting professional victimisation would narrate their experiences.

These would include people not just from Delhi but also from across the country.