Gandhi Inspires Hunger Strike in India

What’s the Latest Development?

Three days after being arrested for planning a hunger strike, Indian activist Anna Hazare has been released. The move has galvanized his supporters as they move to Delhi to begin the fast. “Smiling and waving, he led the ecstatic crowds in chants of ‘Hail Mother India’ and vowed to pursue his hunger strike protest ‘until India is corruption-free’. ‘Long live the revolution,’ he said as he briefly addressed the crowd before climbing onto the back of a truck.” Promptly following his arrest, protests in support of Hazare swelled across India. 

What’s the Big Idea?

Hazare has styled his dress and approach to protest after Mahatma Gandhi, the Indian national who worked tirelessly to liberate the country from Britain’s colonial rule. In the modern era, the Indian economy has expanded rapidly, facing the government with new responsibilities which it has not always responded to gracefully. The current government has been criticized for awarding business contracts to its political allies and corruption of government officials, whether a police officer or civil servant, is reportedly a daily reality on the streets.