THE FASTING BRIGADE

BHARAT IN RAMAYAN 

Hunger strikes are quite familiar to the world. This has been a best practice by national leaders and social activists to protest against their governments. Hunger strikes have roots in ancient Hindu mythology from Ramayana. Bharat went on a fast to get Sri Ram back to Ajodhya. Fasting had shown greatest impact several times in Indian freedom struggle. Gandhi used it several times to put pressures on the British government. In 1924 Gandhi went on fast considering the penance of the Hindu Muslim violence continued for 21 days.

After independence the same trend was adopted in south India by Sri Potti Sriramulu against the congress government fast on 19 October 1952 at Chennai to form a separate Telugu speaking state. Sriramulu continued his fast until he died on 15 December 1952. 

 This lead to the formation of language based states in India. The same scenario repeated in 20089 by telangana rastra samiti head Chandrasekhar rao to form a separate state of telangana. He went on fast for 11 days and the government agreed to form a separate state of telangana but the    formation is still pending at central and state levels and is pending at consultations.

Thileepan on 15 September 1987 at 9.30 a.m at the Nallur Murugan Temple, Thileepan began his fast. His main objective was to bring awareness and action to a list of public demands made by himself and the Tamil Tigers, considered to be a terrorist group.

IROM SHARMILA

In the northeast part of India Irom sharmila The 'Iron Lady of Manipur' has been on hunger strike from November 2000 demanding the Indian government to repeal the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

Swami Nigamanand went on a fast unto death to protest against illegal mining on the bank of the Ganga in Haridwar. He started his fast on February 19 from Haridwar.and died after 115 days of continuous fast. His cause and hunger strike was quite and far from the 24/7 media. 

ANNA HAZARE

Anna Hazare fasted for about 12 days against corruption in forest management in Maharashtra which put pressures on the government to take action against 42 officers.

Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev's recent fasts are well known to all Indians as they have got prime time media attention at all levels. It’s been 12 days Mr. Hazare fasting for janlokapal.

There has been a humongous criticism over hunger strikes, some say its arrogance and some say it is blackmailing tactics but many times this method convinced or compromised the governments to give assurances and many times issues which have seen hunger strikes are still on their way for solutions.