Anna Fast: Wrong Means to Right End

India having 125 crore of population is the largest democracy in the world and the second largest population. It’s quite common in India to be unconstitutional, undemocratic, self-centered and least bothered of common good. Looking back at the history, it is also common in India to rebel, to protest and to seek for change. India is yet again on move; on move against corruption. India is on move to build a clean and a just society.

Recently we celebrated the 65th Independence of India. It was under English regime there emerged a leader like Gandhi, who mobilized the nation through his Ahimsa and Satyagraha. Gandhi, definitely taking the nation with him, succeeded in freeing the tri-colours to fly-high. Gandhi was a person of noble values, spiritual vibrance and above all a man who constantly self introspected or critiqued his going abouts.
Sixty-five years down the lane and it’s a much different scenario today. Among the several other social evils, corruption takes the top priority in this country. It’s spread all around, everywhere and in everyone. Possibly every Indian today, is corrupt, either as subject or as an object. In today’s context we can’t think of getting any of our works done without bribing the concerned authorities. We are forced to. I believe, that the psyche of the common Indian is fed up to say, ‘ Enough is enough.’. It’s time to do something different.
Looking back at the history again, Indians, have in themselves, the mob mentality. May it be the freedom struggle or the communal violence happening around every other day. Given the psyche of Indians we wait for a leader and are ready to put everything behind them.
Today, Anna is turning is turning out to be the voice of people. The broken and torn spirits under corrupt structures of the society are coming out in protest under the name of Anna. Isn’t this an miracle in itself to see thousands of people, marching against corruption forgetting their caste, creed and colour. Anna definitely deserves credit for uniting India for a cause; for the renewal of the society.
Though I am an admirer of Anna for his entire struggle against corruption, I will not support him for the way he is moving ahead. Arundathi Roy, in one of her recent articles said, “ While his means are Gandhian, his demands are not”. Reading through the demands of Lokpal andJan Lokpal, it indeed looks totally right to support Anna, at the first sight. It’s true that Anna with his team is trying to build a corruption free society beginning at the top and at the powerful level. The problem crops in a the practicalities of this bill!
Amidst the vast sea of population in India, we may be able to find 11 members with clean chit for Lokpal, but will we be able to find thousands of staff with a clean chit and totally committed to the country? Giving total authority to the hands of Jan Lokpal, will possibly, sooner or later lead us to another movement to ban this Jan Lokpal. Like many others, I do have the basic question of, ‘Who chose this team Anna ? or citizen against corruption? Who gave them the powers to blackmail the parliament, which is chosen by the people?
It was indeed sad to hear Kiran Bedi saying, ‘ India is Anna; Anna is India’. We the common people of India are neither interested in another emergency nor in dictatorship. In my opinion, it’s an arrogant move from the part of Anna, saying, ‘Either pass the bill by 30th of August or leave(Quit)’. I believe, giving total powers to Jan Lokpal, will definitely be a threat to democracy in the country.
It is also the time in India where several political parties are trying to use this opportunity to pull down the government. On his speech at Ramleela Maidan, on 20th August, Anna spoke of an ‘Andolan’, if the bill is not passed by the 30th of August. My question is that, what is alternative Anna has if the government quits tomorrow? Reports do tell us that at least 60% of those who are part of Anna’s rally do not know the difference between Lokpal and Jan-Lokpal. The point here is that people are fed up with corruption and are looking for a change.
India has a long way to go in renewing the society of corruption. Gandhi’s dream of wiping every tear from every eye, still stands. Let us know for sure that, ‘Vande Mataram’, ‘Jai Hind’, ‘Bharath Maathaa Ki Jai’ are not the answers for everything. To change, to re-build and to renew India, we need an India and Indians who are thinking. Anna definitely deserves respect for uniting India for a cause. India is on move again. Like many other common people of this country, I too wish, let this move help us to build a renewed and corruption free nation, which we can offer to the generations to come.