India Faces it's own Arab Spring

(Reuters)- "An anti-corruption movement led by a feisty 74-year-old social activist is snowballing into one of the biggest challenges in decades for the ruling Congress party and if not contained risks sparking India's own version of an Arab Spring revolt.

While no one is expecting an Egypt-like overthrow in the world's biggest democracy, a galvanized and frustrated middle class and the mushrooming of social networking sites combined with an aggressive private media may be transforming India's political landscape.

Anna Hazare has quickly become a 21st century Mahatma Gandhi inspiration for millions of Indians fed up with rampant corruption, red tape and inadequate services provided by the state despite the country posting near-double digit economic growth for almost a decade.

"Democracy means no voice, however small, must go unheard. The anti-corruption sentiment is not a whisper-it's a scream. Grave error to ignore it," Anand Mahindra, one of India's leading businessmen and managing director of conglomerate Mahindra Group, wrote on Twitter.

Hazare's arrest on Tuesday, only hours ahead of a planned fast until death against graft was the last straw and sparked spontaneous protest across the country of 1.2 billion people.

The young and old, rich and poor, without apparent political affiliations, took to the streets in a rare voice of solidarity- a potential lethal cocktail for any party in power in India.

Politicians are increasingly being judged on governance rather than old caste and regional ties- as has already happened in states like Bihar- and the new social shift will push national parties to be more responsive to voters' needs.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Congress party of the Gandhi-Nehru dynasty and the police stood isolated over the decision to arrest a man for planning a peaceful fast.

The Congress has for the past year reeled from mounting corruption scandals, including allegations of millions of dollars in kickbacks in the sale of mobile phone licenses in what is emerging as India's biggest-ever graft."

Data for the proclamation of the Republic of India:
Jan. 26, 1950
10.15 AM INT (-05.30)
New Delhi
077E13'00"; 28N36'00"
Asc: 04 Ai 48; Mc: 03 Cp 05

Source: "A second horoscope for India is set for the proclamation of the republic at a time which was very likely elected astrologically [...] 26 January was chosen as the twentieth anniversary of the call for independence by the Congress in 1930." Nicholas Campion, "Book of World Horoscopes," p. 201.

From Asia & Mideast

This is the national horoscope of India that best reflects current events. Transiting Mars just triggered the July 1 solar eclipse (9 Cancer) that squared the potentially angry/violent Mars-Node conjunction. Uranus and Pluto that inform the profound changes of our times, are aspecting the important angles of this national chart. And the citizens are fed up with government corruption (Pluto in Capricorn)- seeking to actively reform the state and their circumstances (Tr. Uranus -0- Ascendant and -90- Midheaven). Looking ahead, the Sept. 27 New Moon that powerfully activates the national chart is a flashpoint for major events in India- with Mars (anger-violence) opposing the radix Sun (leadership).