| by N.S.Venkataraman
( November 12, 2012, Chennai, Sri Lanka
Guardian) With the image of being a Gandhian and using the Gandhian tool of
fasting ,when Anna Hazare launched a nationwide anti corruption movement ,there was genuine support and appreciation
from all quarters However, when Anna Hazare
said that Lokpal Bill would be the ultimate tool to root out corruption
in India ,many people disagreed with
him while still having faith in Anna
Hazare’s commitment.to the cause. It is
a tragedy that the Anna Hazare’s movement got diluted with all and sundry
getting into the bandwagon and thus the
sense of direction was lost.
 |
Kejriwal has derailed the anti corruption movement by trying to step into the shoes of Anna Hazare by playing to the gallery. The anti corruption movement in the country is back to square one now.
When Anna Hazare’s movement inevitably
collapsed due to the use of vituperative language and sort of
coercive tactics ( with people like Ramdev facing tax evasion charges also
being associated in some way),
Anna Hazare has to withdraw the movement for all practical purposes.
Now, Anna Hazare has announced that he
would revive the anti corruption movement and has formed a new team. It remains
to be seen as to whether Anna Hazare’s move to provide second birth to anti
corruption movement would take off. Of
course, his movement and pronouncement would be covered in the sensation hungry media.
But, what is important is not the media coverage but creating faith
amongst the people that the revived anti corruption movement would do good to
the country. Considering the fact that Anna Hazare would continue to adopt the
same strategies of whipping up mass hysteria, it is more than likely that his
movement would remain only as the movement of sensation.
Today, in India, corruption exists at
all levels and in every field of activity.
One cannot even cremate a human body in India today without paying bribe
money. Therefore, the battle against
corruption should be fought in the minds and
hearts of people if it were to provide the intended results,where individuals
in large number would be willing to sacrifice the personal benefits
and comforts for the sake of anti corruption cause. Whether the new team formed
by Anna Hazare would aim at such level of micro level campaign against
corruption without politicalising it remains to be seen and in all probability
, it is unlikely.
While the large section of country
men feeling sad about the petering
of Anna Hazare’s movement , Kejriwal and
his friends tried to fill the vacuum, giving an entirely new colour to the anti
corruption movement. The dignity associated with Anna Hazare movement is not
evident in the antics of Kejriwal and he has virtually brought the movement
into ridicule by leveling allegations from public platforms
and through media and without adopting the due process of law to expose the
corrupt people. His method is one of provoking hatred about people whom
he selects for targeting at his whims and fancies.
Further, Kejriwal’s source of funding
are being openly questioned by several well meaning people and lack of transparency is obvious. Kejriwal and his associates do not have the
wisdom and maturity to understand
that violent accusations and use of abusive language will have only
short term gains and will not sustain any movement.
The average Indian can see through the
game of the politicians and activists
,as has been repeatedly revealed by the defeat of several political parties
being removed from power during the elections.
Certainly, people do not approve such antics and do not trust the media
beyond a level.
Kejriwal has derailed the anti
corruption movement by trying to step into the shoes of Anna Hazare by playing to the gallery. The anti corruption movement in the country
is back to square one now.
While Kejriwal and his associates will
go into oblivion after the next parliament elections with people rejecting
their methods and outlook, the forces of corruption will remain undefeated. The
country will continue to search for new messiah.With the
damage done now by Kejriwal and
the anti corruption movement now becoming a matter f of stage shows , it
appears that the country has to look
beyond people like Anna Hazare and Kejriwal.
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