"We will fast unto death until the government enacts the Jan Lokpal Bill which is most necessary to fight corruption in our country. There is no faith left in politicians and bureaucrats and it is time that people be allowed to decide what they want."
Anna Hazare, social activist, during his 97-hour fast demanding a Jan Lokpal Bill (April 6)
"Not a single industry has been set up by the CPI (M)-led Left Front government. There’s a complete collapse of law and order, finance and industry."
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee addressing an election rally in West Bengal (April 15)
"Now they don’t need to kill people, but by detaining people…they think they can snuff out criticism."
Ai Xiaoming, academic and filmmaker, comparing China’s present day stance on dissent — Chinese artist and government critic Ai Weiwei was detained on April 3 — with the violent suppression of the Tiananmen Square protests (Time, April 18)
"When will young people stop taking exams and do something worthwhile? It is important to cast a fresh look at the entire examination system including the system of final examinations, qualifying examination, selection examination and so on."
Prof. C.N.R. Rao, chairman of the Science Advisory Council, suggesting a single entrance test for admission into higher education institutes countrywide (April 23)
"We target politicians not because we are morally superior to them but because politicians are in charge of the system."
Pratap Bhanu Mehta, director Centre for Policy Research, Delhi on the malaise of corruption (Outlook, April 25)
"Thirty years after freedom came the Emergency and the fall of Indira Gandhi and now more than 30 years after that has come an equally momentous occasion, the Jan Lokpal Bill."
N. Santosh Hedge, Lokayukta of Karnataka, on the anti-corruption Jan Lokpal Bill (India Today, April 25)
"Forty years after I studied, nothing has changed in classrooms. Obsolete knowledge must be removed and teachers must become tech-savvy."
N. Prabhu Dev, Bangalore University vice chancellor, addressing a seminar in Bangalore (April 30)