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Wave of corruption protests hit India
* From: AFP
* January 30, 2011 11:45PM
THOUSANDS of people marched through New Delhi and several other
Indian cities overnight to protest against corruption in the
country's government and state bodies.
Public anger has grown over the long-standing issue of graft in
India after a series of high-profile scandals and revelations of
financial mismanagement that have damaged Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh's administration.
The rallies in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and other cities called
for an effective anti-corruption agency to be set up to counter
the culture of bribes and scams that affect the everyday lives of
many Indians.
"This campaign is neither aligned to nor against any political
party," the umbrella group organising the protests said in a
statement.
"We feel that every political party has misused its position
whenever they have been in power or otherwise.
Therefore, it is extremely important that the citizens of this
country unite to demand systemic changes."
Recent corruptions scandals include the cut-price sale of mobile
phone licences, which may have cost the treasury as much as $US40
billion ($A40.39 billion), and allegations of widespread
corruption related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games.
About 5000 people attended the rally in central Delhi with other
similar gatherings in cities across India on the anniversary of
the death of independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, who was shot dead
in 1948.
Demonstrators carried placards reading "Sack and jail the corrupt"
and "Enough is enough".
Politicians and business leaders have said corruption in India is
slowing development and threatening the country's future economic
prosperity.