What is the main reason Anna Hazare has started his agitation against the Government?
If you read various news reports or talk to people, you will get different answers.
- Personal agenda or Social Cause: Government ignored the draft of Lokpal Bill put forward by the Civil Society Team led by Anna Hazare (Government created an illusion of working with the Civil Society Team but tabled its own version in the Parliament)
- Ego and hogging limelight: Do Anna and his colleagues want a truly stronger Lokpal Bill (which actually serves the purpose it is intended to) or do they want their own version to go through and get accepted as The Bill. Are they getting carried away by the over-enthusiastic support of the masses and getting caught in the facade of ‘Second Freedom Struggle’
- Demeaning Parliamentary System, setting wrong precedence: Isn’t Anna challenging the basis of Parliamentary System and trying to set a wrong precedence, by holding Government at ransom? Will it not set wrong precedence if Anna finally has his way?
I feel that it was a matter of prestige for the Civil Society Team members to have got opportunity to work directly with the Government. Finally Government ditched their version, which was a major blow to the Team. Was it the real reason why Anna Hazare decided to take on the Government? Is Lokpal Bill becoming his personal agenda?
There is another reason why I feel that Ego could be a factor. In all the glorious and high-pitched support that Anna is getting, not many have thought if Anna’s version of Lokpal Bill is the best draft on the matter. General sentiment is that everybody wants a “strong” Lokpal Bill (which will actually create fear in the mind of corrupt people), and that Government’s Bill is not strong enough to achieve this (mainly because they don’t want such bill).
But does this mean that Anna’s version is the best? (It could be better than the Government’s version, but not necessarily the best).
Aruna Roy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aruna_Roy) is a former civil servant and now an Indian political and social activist. She is also known as senior colleague/ mentor of Arwind Kejriwal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arvind_Kejriwal) who is a key member of The Civil Society team led by Anna Hazare. (Aruna Roy and Arvind Kejriwal together won Policy Change Agent of the Year 2010 award).
Very few people would know that Aruna Roy has also come up with her own version of Lokpal Bill and some well-informed and respectable people on this matter mentioned on national television (in one of the panel discussion) that Aruna Roy’s version of Lokpal Bill is better than that of Team Anna’s.
Aruna herself has said that Lok Pal Bill needs wider consultation (http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-04-07/jaipur/29391716_1_grievance-redressal-lok-pal-bill-consultation); meaning that it is a matter of exerts to debate and refine the bill, and not just a bunch of people claiming themselves to be representatives of ‘Civil Society’ at large.
Then why Team Anna is intentionally ignoring the reference to ‘need for a stronger bill after a wider consensus’ and is shouting over the top only about ‘their bill not getting accepted’? Nobody seems to care…
Today (17th Aug 2011), L K Advani made an important point in the Lok Sabha which (as expected) could not make any headline (since it was beyond the public euphoria).
He said that in his last 5 decades of political journey government had formed many ‘All-party’ parliamentary committees to address various issues. This is the first time ever that government has completely sidelines all political parties (except the ruling party) and taken matter outside the boundary of Parliament, formed an agreement with a few people from so-called civil society (chosen on some unknown criteria). To this Kapil Sibbal replied: ‘Yes, but we have set a new precedence. And it’s not unconstitutional’
Advani had a valid point. Anna and Government both have insulted the constitutional framework by entering into a mutual pact (no matter for how good or noble cause). This must not become a trend. In last 10 years or so, the Candle March by the educated middle class, social activism through electronic media (Facebook, Twitter etc) has become a rage. Similarly such a step by Anna would just set a wrong precedence – that anything can be achieved (without proper discussion/ debate) if you create herds of people, manipulate notion of public opinion though surveys, petitions and if nothing works, can fast unto death (that too in all public glory) and have your own way!
Mahatma Gandhi tried this in 2 ways - many times against the British Raj, and towards the end f his life, against his own government. The public opinion changed dramatically between the two ways: He got tremendous support during his fasts against the British Raj; but the support dwindled when he tried the same against his own people (to give away agreed amount of money to Pakistan). In fact it turned into hatred in no time. It was perceived that Gandhi was black mailing the government for his own demands.
The same could be said about Anna Hazare (maybe later, if not now), if he has his own way, and that sets a wrong precedence.
Another observation related to this is – Gandhi always carried out his fasts/ protests from where he was based; be it Ashrams at Vardha or Sabarmati, or from his stay in Mumbai, Delhi etc. He did not travel all the way to Delhi and proceeded with his Satyagraha, fast in public glare and attention.
Anna (or Ramdev Baba et al) appears to be an exhibitionist and attention-seeker rather than sincere activist.
I am all for a strong Lokpal Bill, but not supporting Anna Hazare.
