Freedom-of-Expression
Riot footage demands put journalists at risk
The Chartered Institute of Journalists, London
Riot footage demands put journalists at risk
The Chartered Institute of Journalists, London
Riot footage demands put journalists at risk
The Chartered Institute of Journalists, London
Anna Hazare, his demands for ending fast, media-sponsored-movement and celebration of victory on the parliament

“SAMAJIK YAYAVAR”
a very layman who cannot see the big things in this media based movement
(About the photo- Vivek Umrao Glendenning is talking with the mass for decentralization of powers and economy with the around 100,000 villagers in a mass meeting organized by his organization.)
Just because I had/have different views on Anna Hazare’s media sponsored movement, I was abused by flag-bearers, photo-badge-bearers and email/sms forwarders of Anna Hazare. I was asked that did I ever do anything for society, I was called as anti-nation and pro-corruption. Now when Anna has finished his fast, I have few questions in my mind.
I am not very high intellectual also not highly dedicated as the Anna Hazare’s badge/flag/email/sms bearers. Many of the followers of Anna Hazare’s movement are highly dedicated, as they did not stop to take bribes though they were participating in evening candle-marches and marched with the flag of Anna Hazare in favour of Anna Hazare. It was matter of their dedication for anti-corruption movement that they called me many times for hot discussions though they never forgot to take bribes in last 15 days.
Because of their depth of dedication, honesty and objective observation capacity I do believe that they have a tolerance to listen opposite side.
I do not want to say anything for Anna Hazare as an individual, his works in Ralegao and out of Ralegao (if he really did works outside his own native villages except fasts for few days as pressure tactics) and his entire life-span of more than 70 years.
Anna Hazare knows better than I do about his honesty, his commitments, his vision and his interests thus I prefer to leave these matters.
But some important points on Anna’s Jan Lokpal Bill, civilian society and his latest fast, I would like to raise.
Jan Lokpal Bill:
No they did not.
Then who made it and why is it called Jan Lokpal?
Civil Society:
How was civil society formed?
How were members of civil society decided? (I do not want to use word ‘selected’)
Anna Hazare’s fast started from 16th of August 2011:
Anna started fast on 16th August demanding PM & Judiciary under Lokpal and enact the Jan Lokpal Bill. However, before leaving Tihar Jail, Anna team had removed demand for Judiciary under Jan Lokpal.
The demands by Anna to end his fast during his fast and the results:
Result- Government did not take back
Result- Government did not make any promise and did not write anything regarding this in the letter to Anna Hazare
Result- Government did not make any promise and did not write anything regarding this in the letter to Anna Hazare
Result- There is not time limit, it can be held for decades
Result- Jan Lokpal Bill has been sent to Standing Committee with 4 more Lokpal Bills
Result- Government did not make any promise and did not write anything regarding this in the letter to Anna Hazare
Result- it did not happen, discussion was done under 193 without voting
· Anna’s demand that after introducing their bill it should be debated and passed as law was not even given consideration.
I am not very intelligent to understand that why did Anna Hazare do fast and why did he end his fast.
I do not know why and what should I celebrate? I cannot understand the meaning of achieved second freedom by Anna Hazare.
The revolutions always change the systems, not the power bearers; So, with whom, you are with in the history? :: an open letter to Anna Hazare
Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi
Gwangju Human Rights Award (2007)
ACHA Star Peace award (2008)
International Human Rights Prize of the city of Weimar (2010)
Ashoka Fellow (2001)
(Lives in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh)
Respected Anna Ji
Regards!
I am full time worker and now work for the Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR). To make changes in Indian system I became a full-time activist leaving medical profession. My grandfather Late Sh. Shanti Kumar motivated me very much. He was freedom fighter also was follower of Gandhi. He explained how in the freedom struggle of 1857 the British hanged the people of our family and village. Grandfather used to say that “The next freedom struggle will start from the bottom, changes in system can come only from the bottom of social pyramid”. He said that I must always remember the teachings of Gandhiji that the effects in the life of the last person speak for your actions that what is done?
Following the teachings of my grandfather I started to understand villages and towns then I got opportunity to study and understand the thoughts of Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. I realised I am born in corrupt mobster race who robbed everything from the Dalits.
The people of these mobster races known as upper castes people had been using the products of Dalits as parasites, the habit of parasitism killed the importance of labour. Here, corruption started in our society and we the people of upper castes became a greedy race.
When the British came, from the upper castes so many became Raibahadur and Jamindars and became pets and squires of the British government. By these means the upper caste people gathered enough resources.
If we discuss about the social caste system, which was/is the most corrupt and ruthless system; opens things up even more.
India suffered the worst slavery for centuries then what did the people of KSHATRIYA caste (caste of warriors) do?
India has very high illiteracy in the world then what did the people of BRAHMIN caste (caste of intellectuals) do?
India has very high percentages of poor in the world then what did the people of VAISHYA caste (caste of businesspersons) do?
But SHUDRAs and ATI-SHUDRAs (untouchables) always worked hard to produce food, cloth and the products of needs.
The failures of top three castes to act according to their castes; their mentality to not accept untouchables as human beings; to kill importance of labour was/is not corruption?
India Against Corruption who is the leading organization for anti-corruption and supports you; writes in Facebook that the voices come from the streets of Patna “the people who should look after buffaloes they run government – by Kumar Viswas”. Anna Ji what is this? Is this not corruption? Is this Gandhian ideology?
There are posters and banners of “Kshatriya Mahasabha”, “Revolutionary Manuwadi Front” and “Remove Reservation and bring Jan Lokpal Bill”; what is this, Anna Ji?
Arvind Kejriwal himself attended anti-reservation meeting organized by the anti-reservation group “Youth for the Equality“.
This means the assets, powers and influences captured and made in five thousand years by the upper castes people by suppressing Dalit people are being used with the most corrupt forms in your movement.
Buddha said, “You make the world as you think”. Because you did not oppose supports of Khap Panchayats (caste-based councils) and RSS (Rashtriya Swyamsewak Sangh) while Khap Panchayats do ‘Honour Killings’ fully based on caste-sytems and Guru Golwalkar the second head of RSS opposed the Constitution and Tiranga(tricolour-Indian national flag) in his autobiography.
Why cann’t you and your team resist them to support? So, I need to know what you want to make. With whom, you are in the history?
Here the historical event of 22 to 29 October 1922 is very relevant to introduce. About thirty thousand people of Italy’s civil society surrounded the streets of Rome and the parliament. These people and civil society was supported by corporates of Italy. Then the king replaced the elected government and handed power to Mussolini. This was the first step towards Europe’s expansion, which was ended with the Second World War in which 60 million people were killed.
If you are in favour of this in India? It is not the way of Mahatma Gandhi. It would be betrayal of Mahatma Gandhi and his values.
When you were sent to prison, we opposed government actions. We know very well that the government based on caste system and markets can never be a government of the people.
However, your statement from prison came to the media as a video clipping while you were in jail; it was also a corruption and the risk for the law.
You said on 23th August 2011 morning that you made Dalit’s land free by paying 60000 Rs debt in your village. Maybe it was a great charity. But what percentage of lands are owned by the Dalits in India? Lands were captured by upper castes following betrayals to the nation supporting the British rule in India to become landowners and JAMINDARs.
In Uttar Pradesh, we are being rich by using natural resources of tribal communities. We are generating electricity by capturing their water resources but do not share electricity with tribals and the cities are using the most of the electricity power. It is same way as G-7 country people (the world’ 20 percentages) use the 80 percentages of resources of the world. The same in a village 20 percentages use 80 percentages of the resources. Is this not corruption? Resources always decide the hold in real political power.
Your team and media project you as second Gandhi but Mahatma Gandhi always focused on inner values.
How many people in your movement are against social corruption, dowry menace and caste system?
How many people do not kill babies in the womb? How their families do oppose baby killings?
Media which is run on advertisements; where still ruling class belong to upper castes have played the game in the name of anti-corruption movement to divert attention from many scams. Media’s Radia is stuck in 2G-spectrum scam. Speaking of all scams, but no talk on the coffin scam though the coffin of the martyrs for the nation?
You are associated with Kiran Bedi, his daughter was illegally got admission by misusing Mizoram quota into the All India Institute of Medical Studies (AIIMS) New Delhi by using influence of Kiran Bedi.
Is this not corruption? Or a discount by you for your associate?
We want a strong people Lokpal and for this, we gave a model “Independent Commission Against Corruption“ which is the very successful model of Hong Kong towards ending corruption. We had sent appeal giving this model to the government and are fighting for last two years.
New liberation economic policies increased unemployment, inflation and corruption in India. When will it be opposed?
The revolutions always change the systems, not the power bearers. Does this phenomenon not in your revolution?
World Bank opposes corruption, but never opposes ne
w liberation economy policies, while new liberation economic policies are lobbying to sell all the national and social resources.
Due to new liberation economy, most of the works will go to the corporate and NGO’s sectors. Why were they kept out of Jan Lokpal bill?
Is your movement playing a role of middleman for new liberal economic systems?
My NGO does social audit for last three years. Do NGOs associated with your movement do social audit?
Lenders in village market buy grains from farmers at cheap rates but sells very expensive. Your Jan Lokpal Bill cannot stop this corruption because private businessperson, organizations and non-government funded NGOs does not come under this bill.
How will your Jan Lokpal Bill stop corruption to protect farmers?
To fight capitalism and communal fascism, we must fight together. Our movements are democratic, secular and for the people.
Do you know a person affected by Hinduism in Norway killed many people there? It symbolizes capitalism and communal alliance of neo-fascism.
We have to integrate with most supressed people (also called Dalits) against to neo-fascism alliance.
You should unite Dalits, secular people and progressive people battling against communal fascism also you should maintain the unity of poor people struggling against new liberal economic policies.
We do not oppose a person born into any religion or caste. Similarly, the opposition of new liberal economic systems is not mean to oppose democratic capitalism. We are calling it New Dalit movement because it is the Dalit community, which suffers the most, is tortured most, and is always synonymous for the political struggle.
Please come forward to build a new India, which will lead towards a democratic and social justice system in the world.
The revolutions always change the systems, not the power bearers; So, with whom, you are with in the history? :: an open letter to Anna Hazare
Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi
Gwangju Human Rights Award (2007)
ACHA Star Peace award (2008)
International Human Rights Prize of the city of Weimar (2010)
Ashoka Fellow (2001)
(Lives in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh)
Respected Anna Ji
Regards!
I am full time worker and now work for the Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR). To make changes in Indian system I became a full-time activist leaving medical profession. My grandfather Late Sh. Shanti Kumar motivated me very much. He was freedom fighter also was follower of Gandhi. He explained how in the freedom struggle of 1857 the British hanged the people of our family and village. Grandfather used to say that “The next freedom struggle will start from the bottom, changes in system can come only from the bottom of social pyramid”. He said that I must always remember the teachings of Gandhiji that the effects in the life of the last person speak for your actions that what is done?
Following the teachings of my grandfather I started to understand villages and towns then I got opportunity to study and understand the thoughts of Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. I realised I am born in corrupt mobster race who robbed everything from the Dalits.
The people of these mobster races known as upper castes people had been using the products of Dalits as parasites, the habit of parasitism killed the importance of labour. Here, corruption started in our society and we the people of upper castes became a greedy race.
When the British came, from the upper castes so many became Raibahadur and Jamindars and became pets and squires of the British government. By these means the upper caste people gathered enough resources.
If we discuss about the social caste system, which was/is the most corrupt and ruthless system; opens things up even more.
India suffered the worst slavery for centuries then what did the people of KSHATRIYA caste (caste of warriors) do?
India has very high illiteracy in the world then what did the people of BRAHMIN caste (caste of intellectuals) do?
India has very high percentages of poor in the world then what did the people of VAISHYA caste (caste of businesspersons) do?
But SHUDRAs and ATI-SHUDRAs (untouchables) always worked hard to produce food, cloth and the products of needs.
The failures of top three castes to act according to their castes; their mentality to not accept untouchables as human beings; to kill importance of labour was/is not corruption?
India Against Corruption who is the leading organization for anti-corruption and supports you; writes in Facebook that the voices come from the streets of Patna “the people who should look after buffaloes they run government – by Kumar Viswas”. Anna Ji what is this? Is this not corruption? Is this Gandhian ideology?
There are posters and banners of “Kshatriya Mahasabha”, “Revolutionary Manuwadi Front” and “Remove Reservation and bring Jan Lokpal Bill”; what is this, Anna Ji?
Arvind Kejriwal himself attended anti-reservation meeting organized by the anti-reservation group “Youth for the Equality“.
This means the assets, powers and influences captured and made in five thousand years by the upper castes people by suppressing Dalit people are being used with the most corrupt forms in your movement.
Buddha said, “You make the world as you think”. Because you did not oppose supports of Khap Panchayats (caste-based councils) and RSS (Rashtriya Swyamsewak Sangh) while Khap Panchayats do ‘Honour Killings’ fully based on caste-sytems and Guru Golwalkar the second head of RSS opposed the Constitution and Tiranga(tricolour-Indian national flag) in his autobiography.
Why cann’t you and your team resist them to support? So, I need to know what you want to make. With whom, you are in the history?
Here the historical event of 22 to 29 October 1922 is very relevant to introduce. About thirty thousand people of Italy’s civil society surrounded the streets of Rome and the parliament. These people and civil society was supported by corporates of Italy. Then the king replaced the elected government and handed power to Mussolini. This was the first step towards Europe’s expansion, which was ended with the Second World War in which 60 million people were killed.
If you are in favour of this in India? It is not the way of Mahatma Gandhi. It would be betrayal of Mahatma Gandhi and his values.
When you were sent to prison, we opposed government actions. We know very well that the government based on caste system and markets can never be a government of the people.
However, your statement from prison came to the media as a video clipping while you were in jail; it was also a corruption and the risk for the law.
You said on 23th August 2011 morning that you made Dalit’s land free by paying 60000 Rs debt in your village. Maybe it was a great charity. But what percentage of lands are owned by the Dalits in India? Lands were captured by upper castes following betrayals to the nation supporting the British rule in India to become landowners and JAMINDARs.
In Uttar Pradesh, we are being rich by using natural resources of tribal communities. We are generating electricity by capturing their water resources but do not share electricity with tribals and the cities are using the most of the electricity power. It is same way as G-7 country people (the world’ 20 percentages) use the 80 percentages of resources of the world. The same in a village 20 percentages use 80 percentages of the resources. Is this not corruption? Resources always decide the hold in real political power.
Your team and media project you as second Gandhi but Mahatma Gandhi always focused on inner values.
How many people in your movement are against social corruption, dowry menace and caste system?
How many people do not kill babies in the womb? How their families do oppose baby killings?
Media which is run on advertisements; where still ruling class belong to upper castes have played the game in the name of anti-corruption movement to divert attention from many scams. Media’s Radia is stuck in 2G-spectrum scam. Speaking of all scams, but no talk on the coffin scam though the coffin of the martyrs for the nation?
You are associated with Kiran Bedi, his daughter was illegally got admission by misusing Mizoram quota into the All India Institute of Medical Studies (AIIMS) New Delhi by using influence of Kiran Bedi.
Is this not corruption? Or a discount by you for your associate?
We want a strong people Lokpal and for this, we gave a model “Independent Commission Against Corruption“ which is the very successful model of Hong Kong towards ending corruption. We had sent appeal giving this model to the government and are fighting for last two years.
New liberation economic policies increased unemployment, inflation and corruption in India. When will it be opposed?
The revolutions always change the systems, not the power bearers. Does this phenomenon not in your revolution?
World Bank opposes corruption, but never opposes ne
w liberation economy policies, while new liberation economic policies are lobbying to sell all the national and social resources.
Due to new liberation economy, most of the works will go to the corporate and NGO’s sectors. Why were they kept out of Jan Lokpal bill?
Is your movement playing a role of middleman for new liberal economic systems?
My NGO does social audit for last three years. Do NGOs associated with your movement do social audit?
Lenders in village market buy grains from farmers at cheap rates but sells very expensive. Your Jan Lokpal Bill cannot stop this corruption because private businessperson, organizations and non-government funded NGOs does not come under this bill.
How will your Jan Lokpal Bill stop corruption to protect farmers?
To fight capitalism and communal fascism, we must fight together. Our movements are democratic, secular and for the people.
Do you know a person affected by Hinduism in Norway killed many people there? It symbolizes capitalism and communal alliance of neo-fascism.
We have to integrate with most supressed people (also called Dalits) against to neo-fascism alliance.
You should unite Dalits, secular people and progressive people battling against communal fascism also you should maintain the unity of poor people struggling against new liberal economic policies.
We do not oppose a person born into any religion or caste. Similarly, the opposition of new liberal economic systems is not mean to oppose democratic capitalism. We are calling it New Dalit movement because it is the Dalit community, which suffers the most, is tortured most, and is always synonymous for the political struggle.
Please come forward to build a new India, which will lead towards a democratic and social justice system in the world.
The revolutions always change the systems, not the power bearers; So, with whom, you are with in the history? :: an open letter to Anna Hazare
Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi
Gwangju Human Rights Award (2007)
ACHA Star Peace award (2008)
International Human Rights Prize of the city of Weimar (2010)
Ashoka Fellow (2001)
(Lives in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh)
Respected Anna Ji
Regards!
I am full time worker and now work for the Peoples’ Vigilance Committee on Human Rights (PVCHR). To make changes in Indian system I became a full-time activist leaving medical profession. My grandfather Late Sh. Shanti Kumar motivated me very much. He was freedom fighter also was follower of Gandhi. He explained how in the freedom struggle of 1857 the British hanged the people of our family and village. Grandfather used to say that “The next freedom struggle will start from the bottom, changes in system can come only from the bottom of social pyramid”. He said that I must always remember the teachings of Gandhiji that the effects in the life of the last person speak for your actions that what is done?
Following the teachings of my grandfather I started to understand villages and towns then I got opportunity to study and understand the thoughts of Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. I realised I am born in corrupt mobster race who robbed everything from the Dalits.
The people of these mobster races known as upper castes people had been using the products of Dalits as parasites, the habit of parasitism killed the importance of labour. Here, corruption started in our society and we the people of upper castes became a greedy race.
When the British came, from the upper castes so many became Raibahadur and Jamindars and became pets and squires of the British government. By these means the upper caste people gathered enough resources.
If we discuss about the social caste system, which was/is the most corrupt and ruthless system; opens things up even more.
India suffered the worst slavery for centuries then what did the people of KSHATRIYA caste (caste of warriors) do?
India has very high illiteracy in the world then what did the people of BRAHMIN caste (caste of intellectuals) do?
India has very high percentages of poor in the world then what did the people of VAISHYA caste (caste of businesspersons) do?
But SHUDRAs and ATI-SHUDRAs (untouchables) always worked hard to produce food, cloth and the products of needs.
The failures of top three castes to act according to their castes; their mentality to not accept untouchables as human beings; to kill importance of labour was/is not corruption?
India Against Corruption who is the leading organization for anti-corruption and supports you; writes in Facebook that the voices come from the streets of Patna “the people who should look after buffaloes they run government – by Kumar Viswas”. Anna Ji what is this? Is this not corruption? Is this Gandhian ideology?
There are posters and banners of “Kshatriya Mahasabha”, “Revolutionary Manuwadi Front” and “Remove Reservation and bring Jan Lokpal Bill”; what is this, Anna Ji?
Arvind Kejriwal himself attended anti-reservation meeting organized by the anti-reservation group “Youth for the Equality“.
This means the assets, powers and influences captured and made in five thousand years by the upper castes people by suppressing Dalit people are being used with the most corrupt forms in your movement.
Buddha said, “You make the world as you think”. Because you did not oppose supports of Khap Panchayats (caste-based councils) and RSS (Rashtriya Swyamsewak Sangh) while Khap Panchayats do ‘Honour Killings’ fully based on caste-sytems and Guru Golwalkar the second head of RSS opposed the Constitution and Tiranga(tricolour-Indian national flag) in his autobiography.
Why cann’t you and your team resist them to support? So, I need to know what you want to make. With whom, you are in the history?
Here the historical event of 22 to 29 October 1922 is very relevant to introduce. About thirty thousand people of Italy’s civil society surrounded the streets of Rome and the parliament. These people and civil society was supported by corporates of Italy. Then the king replaced the elected government and handed power to Mussolini. This was the first step towards Europe’s expansion, which was ended with the Second World War in which 60 million people were killed.
If you are in favour of this in India? It is not the way of Mahatma Gandhi. It would be betrayal of Mahatma Gandhi and his values.
When you were sent to prison, we opposed government actions. We know very well that the government based on caste system and markets can never be a government of the people.
However, your statement from prison came to the media as a video clipping while you were in jail; it was also a corruption and the risk for the law.
You said on 23th August 2011 morning that you made Dalit’s land free by paying 60000 Rs debt in your village. Maybe it was a great charity. But what percentage of lands are owned by the Dalits in India? Lands were captured by upper castes following betrayals to the nation supporting the British rule in India to become landowners and JAMINDARs.
In Uttar Pradesh, we are being rich by using natural resources of tribal communities. We are generating electricity by capturing their water resources but do not share electricity with tribals and the cities are using the most of the electricity power. It is same way as G-7 country people (the world’ 20 percentages) use the 80 percentages of resources of the world. The same in a village 20 percentages use 80 percentages of the resources. Is this not corruption? Resources always decide the hold in real political power.
Your team and media project you as second Gandhi but Mahatma Gandhi always focused on inner values.
How many people in your movement are against social corruption, dowry menace and caste system?
How many people do not kill babies in the womb? How their families do oppose baby killings?
Media which is run on advertisements; where still ruling class belong to upper castes have played the game in the name of anti-corruption movement to divert attention from many scams. Media’s Radia is stuck in 2G-spectrum scam. Speaking of all scams, but no talk on the coffin scam though the coffin of the martyrs for the nation?
You are associated with Kiran Bedi, his daughter was illegally got admission by misusing Mizoram quota into the All India Institute of Medical Studies (AIIMS) New Delhi by using influence of Kiran Bedi.
Is this not corruption? Or a discount by you for your associate?
We want a strong people Lokpal and for this, we gave a model “Independent Commission Against Corruption“ which is the very successful model of Hong Kong towards ending corruption. We had sent appeal giving this model to the government and are fighting for last two years.
New liberation economic policies increased unemployment, inflation and corruption in India. When will it be opposed?
The revolutions always change the systems, not the power bearers. Does this phenomenon not in your revolution?
World Bank opposes corruption, but never opposes ne
w liberation economy policies, while new liberation economic policies are lobbying to sell all the national and social resources.
Due to new liberation economy, most of the works will go to the corporate and NGO’s sectors. Why were they kept out of Jan Lokpal bill?
Is your movement playing a role of middleman for new liberal economic systems?
My NGO does social audit for last three years. Do NGOs associated with your movement do social audit?
Lenders in village market buy grains from farmers at cheap rates but sells very expensive. Your Jan Lokpal Bill cannot stop this corruption because private businessperson, organizations and non-government funded NGOs does not come under this bill.
How will your Jan Lokpal Bill stop corruption to protect farmers?
To fight capitalism and communal fascism, we must fight together. Our movements are democratic, secular and for the people.
Do you know a person affected by Hinduism in Norway killed many people there? It symbolizes capitalism and communal alliance of neo-fascism.
We have to integrate with most supressed people (also called Dalits) against to neo-fascism alliance.
You should unite Dalits, secular people and progressive people battling against communal fascism also you should maintain the unity of poor people struggling against new liberal economic policies.
We do not oppose a person born into any religion or caste. Similarly, the opposition of new liberal economic systems is not mean to oppose democratic capitalism. We are calling it New Dalit movement because it is the Dalit community, which suffers the most, is tortured most, and is always synonymous for the political struggle.
Please come forward to build a new India, which will lead towards a democratic and social justice system in the world.
IMPENDING AFTER SHOCKS OF ANNA HAZARE’S FAST
Director of Nandini Consultancy Centre Pvt. Ltd
The Founder Trustee of Nandini Voice For The Deprived
It appears that while ending his fast, Anna Hazare exaggerated the success level by stating that the battle against corruption has been half won. The fact is that the battle against corruption has only just begun and has to be fine tuned to a substantial extent without generating bitterness and animosities and providing dignity to the campaign. The movement still has a long way to go .
While considerable section of the country men have given unstinted support to Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption, the bitter truth is that during the twelve days of fast , Anna Hazare and his small team of hand picked persons have not been able to elevate the quality of the campaign to lofty level, which is required to sustain it in the long run. Anna Hazare and his team are still to learn lessons from Mahatma Gandhi’s experiments and methods.
Certainly, Anna Hazare should have avoided the ill advised call to his followers to gherao the Prime Minister, MPs and MLAs. He and some of his spokes persons called MPs as dacoits. These utterances amount to spreading hatred and have lowered the dignity of the movment. It is true that sections of politicians and MPs are dishonest. But, all the NGOs to which category Anna Hazare and his team belong are not corruption free. Quite a number of them have been accused of swindling large amount of money and misusing the NGO portfolio for ulterior purposes. Anna Hazare has missed to point out this disturbing fact for whatever reasons.
Now, that the damage has been done by such undesirable utterances , Anna Hazare should express his regrets to the nation in general and to all his followers in particular about these unsavoury remarks and assure them that he would be more careful in future, while striving to sustain the movement. Anna Hazare should remember that the congress spokes person tendered his apology to Anna Hazare for calling him corrupt earlier.
Another matter of extreme concern is the source of funds for sustaining the movement , particularly during the twelve days of fast and earlier. Anna Hazare and his team were flying everywhere and there have been huge shows which need money to organize. Many people visiting Ram Lila grounds are reported to have been fed with snacks and food and all these would not have come without spending money. It is quite possible that such money has been spent by the followers of Anna Hazare but the country need to know as to who are these people who funded them. Transparency is a very important aspect of quality movements.
Anna Hazare should remember Mahatma Gandhi’s saying that the man of truth should also be a man of care. Without losing time, Anna Hazare and his team should publicise clearly about the income and expenses relating to anti corruption crusade in a transparent manner and put it in public domain. Anna Hazare and his team should not imitate politicians like Mayawati to say that all the income were from public donations and from admirers. If he would say that expenses are from unknown people, then it would sound like the claims of the politicians and leave an element of deep suspicion.
In the interest of sustaining this important and necessary movement against corruption , Anna Hazare should exhibit the quality of statesmanship by revealing the source of money for organizing this campaign.
It is also necessary for Anna Hazare to do his homework and delete the negatives and add the positives to this movement in the coming days. His practice of giving a free hand to his hand picked people should be stopped forthwith . Certainly, there are many knowledgeable people in the country with great credentials and character and Anna should be able to spot them and utilize their commitment and expertise for the larger good of the nation.
IMPENDING AFTER SHOCKS OF ANNA HAZARE’S FAST
Director of Nandini Consultancy Centre Pvt. Ltd
The Founder Trustee of Nandini Voice For The Deprived
It appears that while ending his fast, Anna Hazare exaggerated the success level by stating that the battle against corruption has been half won. The fact is that the battle against corruption has only just begun and has to be fine tuned to a substantial extent without generating bitterness and animosities and providing dignity to the campaign. The movement still has a long way to go .
While considerable section of the country men have given unstinted support to Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption, the bitter truth is that during the twelve days of fast , Anna Hazare and his small team of hand picked persons have not been able to elevate the quality of the campaign to lofty level, which is required to sustain it in the long run. Anna Hazare and his team are still to learn lessons from Mahatma Gandhi’s experiments and methods.
Certainly, Anna Hazare should have avoided the ill advised call to his followers to gherao the Prime Minister, MPs and MLAs. He and some of his spokes persons called MPs as dacoits. These utterances amount to spreading hatred and have lowered the dignity of the movment. It is true that sections of politicians and MPs are dishonest. But, all the NGOs to which category Anna Hazare and his team belong are not corruption free. Quite a number of them have been accused of swindling large amount of money and misusing the NGO portfolio for ulterior purposes. Anna Hazare has missed to point out this disturbing fact for whatever reasons.
Now, that the damage has been done by such undesirable utterances , Anna Hazare should express his regrets to the nation in general and to all his followers in particular about these unsavoury remarks and assure them that he would be more careful in future, while striving to sustain the movement. Anna Hazare should remember that the congress spokes person tendered his apology to Anna Hazare for calling him corrupt earlier.
Another matter of extreme concern is the source of funds for sustaining the movement , particularly during the twelve days of fast and earlier. Anna Hazare and his team were flying everywhere and there have been huge shows which need money to organize. Many people visiting Ram Lila grounds are reported to have been fed with snacks and food and all these would not have come without spending money. It is quite possible that such money has been spent by the followers of Anna Hazare but the country need to know as to who are these people who funded them. Transparency is a very important aspect of quality movements.
Anna Hazare should remember Mahatma Gandhi’s saying that the man of truth should also be a man of care. Without losing time, Anna Hazare and his team should publicise clearly about the income and expenses relating to anti corruption crusade in a transparent manner and put it in public domain. Anna Hazare and his team should not imitate politicians like Mayawati to say that all the income were from public donations and from admirers. If he would say that expenses are from unknown people, then it would sound like the claims of the politicians and leave an element of deep suspicion.
In the interest of sustaining this important and necessary movement against corruption , Anna Hazare should exhibit the quality of statesmanship by revealing the source of money for organizing this campaign.
It is also necessary for Anna Hazare to do his homework and delete the negatives and add the positives to this movement in the coming days. His practice of giving a free hand to his hand picked people should be stopped forthwith . Certainly, there are many knowledgeable people in the country with great credentials and character and Anna should be able to spot them and utilize their commitment and expertise for the larger good of the nation.
Videos on National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) version of Lokpal Bill (English & Hindi)
Video 01: An Alternate View
Video 02: NCPRI’s Lokpal
Video 03: NCPRI Lokpal
In Hindi:
Video 04: Aruna Roy (Right to Information came into existence in India because of her initiatives)
Video 05: Anjali Bharadwaj is talking about NCPRI version Lokpal
Source: Youtube
Videos on National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) version of Lokpal Bill (English & Hindi)
Video 01: An Alternate View
Video 02: NCPRI’s Lokpal
Video 03: NCPRI Lokpal
In Hindi:
Video 04: Aruna Roy (Right to Information came into existence in India because of her initiatives)
Video 05: Anjali Bharadwaj is talking about NCPRI version Lokpal
Source: Youtube
ANNA HAZARE’S CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION – WILL IT BE A RIPPLE IN THE OCEAN?
Director of Nandini Consultancy Centre Pvt. Ltd
The Founder Trustee of Nandini Voice For The Deprived
While the media gives an impression that there is huge public support for Anna Hazare’s fast and his methods of coercing the government to accede to his demand, the fact is that large section of the country men remain only as curious spectators. While the media shows photographs of thick crowd protesting and fasting in support of Anna Hazare, the fact is that in most places on most of the days during his fast , hardly a few thousands in Delhi and in several other places like Chennai only a few hundred persons were present. This gives an impression as to whether the image of massive support for Anna Hazare’s movement is a media creation.
This is not to belittle the need and importance of Anna Hazare’s anti corruption crusade. Thousands of Indians feel that this crusade is absolutely necessary and timely and hail Anna Hazare for his initiative. At the same time, one cannot be sure as to whether thousands of Indians who support Anna Hazare’s anti corruption stance would approve in equal measure his coercive utterances such as asking his followers to gherao Prime Minister, MPs and MLAs .
Many people think that Anna Hazare asking his followers to gherao the Prime Minister MPs and MLAs sound like the call of violent revolutionary. Even the pledged admirer of Anna Hazare now finds it difficult to agree that Anna Hazare’s methods are Gandhian in spirit.
There is big difference between the approach of Anna Hazare to the present corruption issue and the approach adopted by Mahatma Gandhi in the pre independent days. Mahatma Gandhi while asking the British to quit never adopted such methods that would create hatred. Even while asking the British to quit , Mahatma Gandhi was involving himself in movements to reform Indians by fighting against untouchability, liquor habit , casteism etc. In contrast, Anna Hazare while leading the movement against corruption has not thought it necessary to ask his followers to take a pledge in the name of Bharat Mata that they would not take or give even one rupee of bribe in their life time. Under the circumstances, it is incorrect to compare Gandhian movement and approach to that of Anna Hazare.
While Anna Hazare has certainly brought the corruption issue into the fore and the nation should be grateful to him for this, the question is whether corruption will now be eradicated in India once and for all, even if the Lokpal Bill advocated by Anna Hazare were to be implemented. This looks unlikely and his present agitation may end up as ripple in the ocean.
What Anna Hazare needs to do is to fight corruption in the minds and hearts of Indians and create a revulsion against the corrupt persons and dishonest dealings in the minds of the average Indian.
The fact is that while selected educated and middle class people are vociferously supporting Anna Hazare , millions of Indians belonging to lower income group (who constitute 35% of Indian population of around 1200 million) have not been brought into the picture since the movement has been made to look like an urban phenomenon. One gets an impression that the poor and rural population may not even be aware of this crusade. Amongst the Anna Hazare’s anti corruption gatherings, poor people are seen only as vendors of sweets and ice creams or Gandhi caps and national flags. They remain as curious spectators in the gathering.
On the other hand, the people most affected by corruption in India are the poor people who are vulnerable and there is no occasion when they have been brought into the forefront and given an opportunity to express their feelings at the state of affairs during Anna Hazare’s fast.
Immediately after the suspension of the fast , Anna Hazare should introspect about these eleven days of agitation and assess the extent of work ahead. Unfortunately, he has given an impression that he is represented and influenced by four or five persons handpicked by him in an arbitrary manner for this important crusade but such strength is not adequate for the tasks ahead.
ANNA HAZARE’S CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION – WILL IT BE A RIPPLE IN THE OCEAN?
Director of Nandini Consultancy Centre Pvt. Ltd
The Founder Trustee of Nandini Voice For The Deprived
While the media gives an impression that there is huge public support for Anna Hazare’s fast and his methods of coercing the government to accede to his demand, the fact is that large section of the country men remain only as curious spectators. While the media shows photographs of thick crowd protesting and fasting in support of Anna Hazare, the fact is that in most places on most of the days during his fast , hardly a few thousands in Delhi and in several other places like Chennai only a few hundred persons were present. This gives an impression as to whether the image of massive support for Anna Hazare’s movement is a media creation.
This is not to belittle the need and importance of Anna Hazare’s anti corruption crusade. Thousands of Indians feel that this crusade is absolutely necessary and timely and hail Anna Hazare for his initiative. At the same time, one cannot be sure as to whether thousands of Indians who support Anna Hazare’s anti corruption stance would approve in equal measure his coercive utterances such as asking his followers to gherao Prime Minister, MPs and MLAs .
Many people think that Anna Hazare asking his followers to gherao the Prime Minister MPs and MLAs sound like the call of violent revolutionary. Even the pledged admirer of Anna Hazare now finds it difficult to agree that Anna Hazare’s methods are Gandhian in spirit.
There is big difference between the approach of Anna Hazare to the present corruption issue and the approach adopted by Mahatma Gandhi in the pre independent days. Mahatma Gandhi while asking the British to quit never adopted such methods that would create hatred. Even while asking the British to quit , Mahatma Gandhi was involving himself in movements to reform Indians by fighting against untouchability, liquor habit , casteism etc. In contrast, Anna Hazare while leading the movement against corruption has not thought it necessary to ask his followers to take a pledge in the name of Bharat Mata that they would not take or give even one rupee of bribe in their life time. Under the circumstances, it is incorrect to compare Gandhian movement and approach to that of Anna Hazare.
While Anna Hazare has certainly brought the corruption issue into the fore and the nation should be grateful to him for this, the question is whether corruption will now be eradicated in India once and for all, even if the Lokpal Bill advocated by Anna Hazare were to be implemented. This looks unlikely and his present agitation may end up as ripple in the ocean.
What Anna Hazare needs to do is to fight corruption in the minds and hearts of Indians and create a revulsion against the corrupt persons and dishonest dealings in the minds of the average Indian.
The fact is that while selected educated and middle class people are vociferously supporting Anna Hazare , millions of Indians belonging to lower income group (who constitute 35% of Indian population of around 1200 million) have not been brought into the picture since the movement has been made to look like an urban phenomenon. One gets an impression that the poor and rural population may not even be aware of this crusade. Amongst the Anna Hazare’s anti corruption gatherings, poor people are seen only as vendors of sweets and ice creams or Gandhi caps and national flags. They remain as curious spectators in the gathering.
On the other hand, the people most affected by corruption in India are the poor people who are vulnerable and there is no occasion when they have been brought into the forefront and given an opportunity to express their feelings at the state of affairs during Anna Hazare’s fast.
Immediately after the suspension of the fast , Anna Hazare should introspect about these eleven days of agitation and assess the extent of work ahead. Unfortunately, he has given an impression that he is represented and influenced by four or five persons handpicked by him in an arbitrary manner for this important crusade but such strength is not adequate for the tasks ahead.
Why Dalits are not enthusiastic about Anna Hazare's movement?
Anna Hazare’s ‘anti-corruption’ movement has received considerable support across the country. The ‘mainstream’ media is awash with stories about Anna and his fast. It is as if there is nothing else happening in India [ Images ] that is worth reporting on.
But, at the same time as the media is busy projecting Anna and his movement, a vast section of India’s population — the country’s Dalits, Adivasis and religious minorities, who are at the bottom of India’s social pyramid and who suffer the most at the hands of the corrupt system that Anna and his supporters are supposedly denouncing — have maintained a studied distance from this movement.
Not a single well-known and respected Dalit or Adivasi intellectual, social activist or public leader has come out in support of the movement. Nor, too, have ordinary Dalits and Adivasis.
Likewise, workers and peasants are hardly involved in the movement. Yet, despite this, the movement and the men leading it claim to represent the entire country!
India Against Corruption, the outfit behind Anna’s movement, claims that it is the voice of the 120 crore people of India. But, when the tens of crores of Dalits, Adivasis and religious minorities have evinced little interest in the movement, how can such erroneous claims be made on their behalf and on behalf of this movement, too?
One of the reasons that Dalits, Adivasis and religious minorities feel ignored by the movement is precisely this sort of behaviour on the part of the men behind this movement, self-proclaimed ‘people’s leaders’ who are projecting themselves as the messiahs of the masses.
To understand why the oppressed castes have shown little or no interest in what is being projected by the media as independent India’s supposedly largest mass movement, the movement needs to be analysed from a caste perspective. It is striking to note that when Anna went on a fast at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi [ Images ], the banners that his supporters put up depicted a whole range of icons, from Bharat Mata to Gandhi, Shivaji and Lakshmi Bai. But Babasaheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, the true liberators of the oppressed castes, were conspicuous by their absence.
At the venue of the fast, slogans like ‘Scrap Reservations, End Corruption!’ rent the air. Dalits who visited the venue came back thoroughly disheartened on being confronted with the fact that the movement was distinctly opposed to reservations for the oppressed castes.
But that was not all. When the joint drafting committee for the Lokpal was formed and five members from ‘civil society’ were nominated for this purpose, not a single one of them was found to be from among the Dalits, Adivasis or religious minorities! Moreover, not one of them was a woman! When Dalit leaders from across the country raised their voice against this, Arvind Kejriwal, the man who heads India Against Corruption, replied that one needs specialists in order to devise laws.
Is it the case, Dalits demand to know, that more than 60 years ago, a Dalit, in the form of Babasaheb Ambedkar, was available to take up the task of presiding over the drafting committee of the Indian Constitution, but that today not a single Dalit can be found who is thought ‘capable’ enough to sit on a panel to draft a single law? True to form, here, too, questions are raised as to the supposed merit or capabilities of Dalits.
When Dalits protested against this insinuation, Kejriwal simply replied that the government could appoint a Dalit. In other words, reservations may be followed in the rapidly-shrinking government sector but certainly not in the burgeoning private sector, nor in the so-called ‘civil society’ that falsely claims to represent the whole of Indian society. Is it at all surprising, then, that Dalits and other oppressed castes consider this ‘anti-corruption movement’ to be a cover for an ‘anti-reservation movement’ and, hence, have distanced themselves from it?
Can Anna’s team, that presides over a movement that is reportedly funded by certain corporate houses, tell us what the movement’s stand is on reservations for the oppressed castes in the private sector? What is the condition of Dalits in Anna’s own so-called model-village of Ralegan Siddhi? Is Anna himself a supporter of the varna system in the name of ‘gram swaraj’? What message is being sent out to the millions of Dalits and other oppressed communities through slogans such as ‘Anna is India!’, ‘Those who are not with Anna are thieves!’ and ‘Reservations are the Root of Corruption!’?
Dalit, Adivasi and religious minorities are curious to know why Anna Hazare and his followers did not care to go on a fast when heinous atrocities were committed against their people. Why not when Dalits were brutally massacred in Hazare’s own state of Maharashtra [ Images ], in the remote village of Khairlanji, which set off mass protests by Dalits across Maharashtra and beyond? Why not when, under the guise of Salwa Judum, the government was seeking to crush Adivasis protesting against oppression by branding them as Naxalites [ Images ]?
Might this indicate that Anna and his team have no interest at all in the injustice and oppression that millions of Dalits, Adivasis and religious minorities have to suffer on a daily basis? By praising Narendra Modi [ Images ], who permitted the brutal murder of several thousand innocent Muslims, Anna has clearly shown that communalism and fascism, too, are not issues that he is interested in struggling against. Anna did not sit on a fast to protest against the suicides of tens of thousands of impoverished peasants in his own Maharashtra.
Given all this, is it surprising that Dalits, Adivasis and religious minorities are, by and large, simply not interested in joining his movement?
The oppressed castes are wary of Anna’s team and its demands for another reason. The Lokpal that Anna’s team is demanding will be so powerful that it will possess all sorts of powers — to hear complaints, to investigate allegations, to arrest, tap phones, snoop in on emails and SMSes and even to impose punishment. This enormously powerful body will be even superior to the country’s legislature, executive and judiciary. The Constitution speaks of the separation of powers of these three wings of governance, but the Lokpal that Anna’s team is demanding would clearly subvert this structure by imposing itself, in an unconstitutional manner, over and above the three wings.
While from a village-level patwari to the prime minister, everyone would be answerable to the Lokpal, the Lokpal itself would be answerable to no one at all. This clearly indicates that under the guise of Anna’s ‘anti-corruption movement’, an uncontrollable mob is seeking to set aside the Constitution of this country and Constitutional provisions and do away with democracy.
Babasaheb Ambedkar was the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution, and so Dalits have an emotional attachment to the Constitution. If a movement sets itself above the Constitution and challenges democracy, a key pillar of the Constitution, Dalits will refuse to support it.
That is why Dalits and other oppressed caste groups remain indifferent to Anna Hazare’s movement. And, because of this, the movement, despite claiming to speak for the whole of India, is nothing of the sort. Rather, it may be considered the voice of just a section of the English-speaking middle-class Savarna Hindu minority.
By:
Bhanwar Megwanshi
A noted social activist from Bhilwara, Rajasthan
Editor, the Hindi monthly Diamond India, a journal that deals with social issues at the grassroots
Associated with the Mazdoor-Kisan Shakti Sangathan
Why Dalits are not enthusiastic about Anna Hazare's movement?
Anna Hazare’s ‘anti-corruption’ movement has received considerable support across the country. The ‘mainstream’ media is awash with stories about Anna and his fast. It is as if there is nothing else happening in India [ Images ] that is worth reporting on.
But, at the same time as the media is busy projecting Anna and his movement, a vast section of India’s population — the country’s Dalits, Adivasis and religious minorities, who are at the bottom of India’s social pyramid and who suffer the most at the hands of the corrupt system that Anna and his supporters are supposedly denouncing — have maintained a studied distance from this movement.
Not a single well-known and respected Dalit or Adivasi intellectual, social activist or public leader has come out in support of the movement. Nor, too, have ordinary Dalits and Adivasis.
Likewise, workers and peasants are hardly involved in the movement. Yet, despite this, the movement and the men leading it claim to represent the entire country!
India Against Corruption, the outfit behind Anna’s movement, claims that it is the voice of the 120 crore people of India. But, when the tens of crores of Dalits, Adivasis and religious minorities have evinced little interest in the movement, how can such erroneous claims be made on their behalf and on behalf of this movement, too?
One of the reasons that Dalits, Adivasis and religious minorities feel ignored by the movement is precisely this sort of behaviour on the part of the men behind this movement, self-proclaimed ‘people’s leaders’ who are projecting themselves as the messiahs of the masses.
To understand why the oppressed castes have shown little or no interest in what is being projected by the media as independent India’s supposedly largest mass movement, the movement needs to be analysed from a caste perspective. It is striking to note that when Anna went on a fast at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi [ Images ], the banners that his supporters put up depicted a whole range of icons, from Bharat Mata to Gandhi, Shivaji and Lakshmi Bai. But Babasaheb Ambedkar and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, the true liberators of the oppressed castes, were conspicuous by their absence.
At the venue of the fast, slogans like ‘Scrap Reservations, End Corruption!’ rent the air. Dalits who visited the venue came back thoroughly disheartened on being confronted with the fact that the movement was distinctly opposed to reservations for the oppressed castes.
But that was not all. When the joint drafting committee for the Lokpal was formed and five members from ‘civil society’ were nominated for this purpose, not a single one of them was found to be from among the Dalits, Adivasis or religious minorities! Moreover, not one of them was a woman! When Dalit leaders from across the country raised their voice against this, Arvind Kejriwal, the man who heads India Against Corruption, replied that one needs specialists in order to devise laws.
Is it the case, Dalits demand to know, that more than 60 years ago, a Dalit, in the form of Babasaheb Ambedkar, was available to take up the task of presiding over the drafting committee of the Indian Constitution, but that today not a single Dalit can be found who is thought ‘capable’ enough to sit on a panel to draft a single law? True to form, here, too, questions are raised as to the supposed merit or capabilities of Dalits.
When Dalits protested against this insinuation, Kejriwal simply replied that the government could appoint a Dalit. In other words, reservations may be followed in the rapidly-shrinking government sector but certainly not in the burgeoning private sector, nor in the so-called ‘civil society’ that falsely claims to represent the whole of Indian society. Is it at all surprising, then, that Dalits and other oppressed castes consider this ‘anti-corruption movement’ to be a cover for an ‘anti-reservation movement’ and, hence, have distanced themselves from it?
Can Anna’s team, that presides over a movement that is reportedly funded by certain corporate houses, tell us what the movement’s stand is on reservations for the oppressed castes in the private sector? What is the condition of Dalits in Anna’s own so-called model-village of Ralegan Siddhi? Is Anna himself a supporter of the varna system in the name of ‘gram swaraj’? What message is being sent out to the millions of Dalits and other oppressed communities through slogans such as ‘Anna is India!’, ‘Those who are not with Anna are thieves!’ and ‘Reservations are the Root of Corruption!’?
Dalit, Adivasi and religious minorities are curious to know why Anna Hazare and his followers did not care to go on a fast when heinous atrocities were committed against their people. Why not when Dalits were brutally massacred in Hazare’s own state of Maharashtra [ Images ], in the remote village of Khairlanji, which set off mass protests by Dalits across Maharashtra and beyond? Why not when, under the guise of Salwa Judum, the government was seeking to crush Adivasis protesting against oppression by branding them as Naxalites [ Images ]?
Might this indicate that Anna and his team have no interest at all in the injustice and oppression that millions of Dalits, Adivasis and religious minorities have to suffer on a daily basis? By praising Narendra Modi [ Images ], who permitted the brutal murder of several thousand innocent Muslims, Anna has clearly shown that communalism and fascism, too, are not issues that he is interested in struggling against. Anna did not sit on a fast to protest against the suicides of tens of thousands of impoverished peasants in his own Maharashtra.
Given all this, is it surprising that Dalits, Adivasis and religious minorities are, by and large, simply not interested in joining his movement?
The oppressed castes are wary of Anna’s team and its demands for another reason. The Lokpal that Anna’s team is demanding will be so powerful that it will possess all sorts of powers — to hear complaints, to investigate allegations, to arrest, tap phones, snoop in on emails and SMSes and even to impose punishment. This enormously powerful body will be even superior to the country’s legislature, executive and judiciary. The Constitution speaks of the separation of powers of these three wings of governance, but the Lokpal that Anna’s team is demanding would clearly subvert this structure by imposing itself, in an unconstitutional manner, over and above the three wings.
While from a village-level patwari to the prime minister, everyone would be answerable to the Lokpal, the Lokpal itself would be answerable to no one at all. This clearly indicates that under the guise of Anna’s ‘anti-corruption movement’, an uncontrollable mob is seeking to set aside the Constitution of this country and Constitutional provisions and do away with democracy.
Babasaheb Ambedkar was the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution, and so Dalits have an emotional attachment to the Constitution. If a movement sets itself above the Constitution and challenges democracy, a key pillar of the Constitution, Dalits will refuse to support it.
That is why Dalits and other oppressed caste groups remain indifferent to Anna Hazare’s movement. And, because of this, the movement, despite claiming to speak for the whole of India, is nothing of the sort. Rather, it may be considered the voice of just a section of the English-speaking middle-class Savarna Hindu minority.
By:
Bhanwar Megwanshi
A noted social activist from Bhilwara, Rajasthan
Editor, the Hindi monthly Diamond India, a journal that deals with social issues at the grassroots
Associated with the Mazdoor-Kisan Shakti Sangathan
Let Anna Stop and Others Take Over
Anna Hazare has done the most important thing: he has belled the cat. That is an accomplishment by itself when nobody has turned even a leaf to do that. The media reports all the fantastic loots of famous people. The political class keeps on doing what they have been doing all along, central ministers are giving each other good conduct certificates and the Prime Minister knows nothing about anything. And the intellectuals and activists air their views and comments and are satisfied with their two minute fame.
“Ordinary citizens” of the country are angry and upset but can hardly do anything. Our options are either watching TV or reading the newspapers with all the commentaries of intellectuals and activists, or joining the Maoists.
However narrow and confined and complicated it may be, Anna Hazare has created a space for the ordinary people to voice their disgust and dissent. There are serious problems with his campaign as Arundhati Roy has eloquently pointed out. We cannot afford to tie down the fate of this vast and complex country to the whims and fancies of one individual messiah as Prabhat Patnaik has convincingly argued. Gail Omvedt has rightly diagnosed the situation as people of India getting tired of democracy.
More importantly, Muslims and Dalits have expressed more serious concerns about the Anna campaign. As the Dalits do not want the Constitution, Parliament and bureaucracy to be shunned or weakened in any way, some Muslim leaders feel that they have not been consulted or included in the current campaign. All of the above are valid issues and concerns. And they need to be addressed openly, honestly and democratically.
Anna Hazare, the individual, who spearheads the campaign has been unacceptable for some. His experiment in his village Ralegana Sindi in Maharashtra has been labeled controversial by others. With all good reasons, it seems!
H. V. Seshadri, the then RSS general secretary, wrote a series of articles on Anna and his mission in the RSS mouthpiece *Organiser* in early 1987. In an article “The Village That Reminds Us of Ramarajya” (February 8, 1987), Seshadri described the various features of Ralegana Sindi and the different activities undertaken by the villages: total prohibition, abolition of untouchability, ban on smoking, conflict resolution by the village committee, and developmental activities such as setting up a school, digging community wells and so forth.
However, reconstruction of the village temple was the “very first project” as it was “the focal point of devotion for the entire village.”
In the next article “Ralegana Sindi: A Name for Social Metamorphosis” (February 15, 1987), Seshadri dwelt long on the importance of the village temple at the backdrop of the Ramjanmabhumi issue that was burning so powerfully at that time. Seshadri highlighted the need for a temple for a community’s identity, morality and organization. He recollected a story he had from Anna Hazare and it merits reproduction in full: “Some time back, an IAS officer who happened to visit the village questioned the propriety of spending such a large sum of Rs. 90,000 for the temple construction, instead of utilizing it for putting up more school buildings. Annasaheb did not reply, but took him to the fruit gardens laden with ripe fruits, adjoining the hostel. There was no fence, no locks, no guards and still not a single fruit was stolen. Annasaheb told the dumb-struck officer that mere schools cannot produce such moral uprightness. It was devotion to God and high values of life that could bring about that miracle.”
In a sequel dated March 1, 1987 with the title “A Karma Yogi in Action,” Seshadri pointed out that this village Ramarajya had two other important characteristics (that resembled the modern national project of the Hindutva forces). According to Seshadri, Anna Hazare told him: “There are Jains, Buddhists and other Hindus but no Muslims or Christians in our village.”
Similarly, the Ralegana Sindi had registered bodies for irrigation, educational development and other areas but “there are no elections for any of these bodies.” Even the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the village were “unanimously selected by the Grama Sabha.”
These testimonies do not help much to be excited about Anna Hazare, or his national Ramarajya project. Obviously, Ralegana Sindi model cannot and should not work at the all India level.
But the people of the country are facing a real problem: the deadly and vehement combination of corruption, communalism (and casteism), capitalism, and colonialism. The present ruling class supports and promotes all of these evils. And there is a dire need to foresee an alternative India here and now.
Anna’s stirring the hornet’s nest is good and a welcome effort. If we do not like one messiah, let us convene 100,000 messiahs and carry the task forward. Transparent, accountable and participatory leadership is crucial for this national reconstruction project. If we rightly shun messianic leadership, we should create a collective leadership.
The intellectuals and activists must go beyond getting their articles published in leading dailies and assume responsibilities in this revolution. And they together could thank Anna Hazare for belling the cat and take the operation from here.
Although Hazare calls himself a Gandhian and emphasizes the nonviolent nature of his campaign, he does refer to the ways of Satrapathi Shivaji and sends out a rather confused message to the people. Let the collective leadership take an unequivocal stand on nonviolence and lead the country towards a serious reformation.
Pushing us back into the hands of Parliamentarians like Manmohan Singh, Sharad Pawar, Raja, Suresh Kalmadi, Kanimozhi and their like will be a horrible and historic mistake.[]
By:
S.P. Udayakumar, Ph.D.
S. P. Udayakumar is an anti-nuclear activist struggling against the Koodankulam nuclear power project.
Let Anna Stop and Others Take Over
Anna Hazare has done the most important thing: he has belled the cat. That is an accomplishment by itself when nobody has turned even a leaf to do that. The media reports all the fantastic loots of famous people. The political class keeps on doing what they have been doing all along, central ministers are giving each other good conduct certificates and the Prime Minister knows nothing about anything. And the intellectuals and activists air their views and comments and are satisfied with their two minute fame.
“Ordinary citizens” of the country are angry and upset but can hardly do anything. Our options are either watching TV or reading the newspapers with all the commentaries of intellectuals and activists, or joining the Maoists.
However narrow and confined and complicated it may be, Anna Hazare has created a space for the ordinary people to voice their disgust and dissent. There are serious problems with his campaign as Arundhati Roy has eloquently pointed out. We cannot afford to tie down the fate of this vast and complex country to the whims and fancies of one individual messiah as Prabhat Patnaik has convincingly argued. Gail Omvedt has rightly diagnosed the situation as people of India getting tired of democracy.
More importantly, Muslims and Dalits have expressed more serious concerns about the Anna campaign. As the Dalits do not want the Constitution, Parliament and bureaucracy to be shunned or weakened in any way, some Muslim leaders feel that they have not been consulted or included in the current campaign. All of the above are valid issues and concerns. And they need to be addressed openly, honestly and democratically.
Anna Hazare, the individual, who spearheads the campaign has been unacceptable for some. His experiment in his village Ralegana Sindi in Maharashtra has been labeled controversial by others. With all good reasons, it seems!
H. V. Seshadri, the then RSS general secretary, wrote a series of articles on Anna and his mission in the RSS mouthpiece *Organiser* in early 1987. In an article “The Village That Reminds Us of Ramarajya” (February 8, 1987), Seshadri described the various features of Ralegana Sindi and the different activities undertaken by the villages: total prohibition, abolition of untouchability, ban on smoking, conflict resolution by the village committee, and developmental activities such as setting up a school, digging community wells and so forth.
However, reconstruction of the village temple was the “very first project” as it was “the focal point of devotion for the entire village.”
In the next article “Ralegana Sindi: A Name for Social Metamorphosis” (February 15, 1987), Seshadri dwelt long on the importance of the village temple at the backdrop of the Ramjanmabhumi issue that was burning so powerfully at that time. Seshadri highlighted the need for a temple for a community’s identity, morality and organization. He recollected a story he had from Anna Hazare and it merits reproduction in full: “Some time back, an IAS officer who happened to visit the village questioned the propriety of spending such a large sum of Rs. 90,000 for the temple construction, instead of utilizing it for putting up more school buildings. Annasaheb did not reply, but took him to the fruit gardens laden with ripe fruits, adjoining the hostel. There was no fence, no locks, no guards and still not a single fruit was stolen. Annasaheb told the dumb-struck officer that mere schools cannot produce such moral uprightness. It was devotion to God and high values of life that could bring about that miracle.”
In a sequel dated March 1, 1987 with the title “A Karma Yogi in Action,” Seshadri pointed out that this village Ramarajya had two other important characteristics (that resembled the modern national project of the Hindutva forces). According to Seshadri, Anna Hazare told him: “There are Jains, Buddhists and other Hindus but no Muslims or Christians in our village.”
Similarly, the Ralegana Sindi had registered bodies for irrigation, educational development and other areas but “there are no elections for any of these bodies.” Even the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the village were “unanimously selected by the Grama Sabha.”
These testimonies do not help much to be excited about Anna Hazare, or his national Ramarajya project. Obviously, Ralegana Sindi model cannot and should not work at the all India level.
But the people of the country are facing a real problem: the deadly and vehement combination of corruption, communalism (and casteism), capitalism, and colonialism. The present ruling class supports and promotes all of these evils. And there is a dire need to foresee an alternative India here and now.
Anna’s stirring the hornet’s nest is good and a welcome effort. If we do not like one messiah, let us convene 100,000 messiahs and carry the task forward. Transparent, accountable and participatory leadership is crucial for this national reconstruction project. If we rightly shun messianic leadership, we should create a collective leadership.
The intellectuals and activists must go beyond getting their articles published in leading dailies and assume responsibilities in this revolution. And they together could thank Anna Hazare for belling the cat and take the operation from here.
Although Hazare calls himself a Gandhian and emphasizes the nonviolent nature of his campaign, he does refer to the ways of Satrapathi Shivaji and sends out a rather confused message to the people. Let the collective leadership take an unequivocal stand on nonviolence and lead the country towards a serious reformation.
Pushing us back into the hands of Parliamentarians like Manmohan Singh, Sharad Pawar, Raja, Suresh Kalmadi, Kanimozhi and their like will be a horrible and historic mistake.[]
By:
S.P. Udayakumar, Ph.D.
S. P. Udayakumar is an anti-nuclear activist struggling against the Koodankulam nuclear power project.
Anna Upsurge and the Social Movements :: Dr Ram Puniyani
Retired Professor of Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IITB)
Social Activist and writer
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Anna Hazare’s second fast (August 2011) in Delhi, demanding the acceptance of his teams’ draft for Janlokpal bill has raised many different debates about the nature of this upsurge and how the social action groups, engaged in the process of struggle for Human rights of different sections of society, should relate to such movements.
Just to recall the first such fast was taken by Hazare was undertaken in April 2011, on the issue of Jan Lokpal Bill. Around that time there was a competing movement by Baba Ramdev for getting back illegitimate money stashed abroad. While Hazare withstood the pressures of state to resurface again, Baba Ramdev collapsed soon enough and tried to run away wearing women’s clothes. Hazare’s, ‘Team Anna’ has diverse people, engaged with different social issues, including reforms in judiciary, bonded labor, communal amity etc.
Many of them have been rubbing shoulders with grass level social activists working for social change. This time around other social activists of repute of Medha Patkar have come forward more openly and joined hands with Hazare upsurge. Lot of sympathy for Hazare movement has also been elicited in amongst other activists seriously committed to the issues of human rights. While others like Shabnam Hashmi, Mahesh Bhatt, Anand Teltumde and the noted writer Arundhati Roy have come out with heavy criticism of this Anna movement. Aruna Roy’s group has come out with alternative draft for Lokpal Bill. The dilemma for activists is what do we do? Do we be part of Anna upsurge and fight for getting his draft of Jan Lokpal Bill accepted or should we stand aloof from this movement. Surely Anna movement has at one level caught the imagination of a large section of people.
The Lokpal Bill idea was floated decades ago and many different parties have come to power during this time, but this bill remained unattended to. Janata Party, VP Singh, BJP led NDA all had put the proposal of a Lokpal bill in the cold storage. Anna’s fast has made it come to the fore. Anna movement came suddenly and soon was converted into a spectacle by the mobilization done by RSS-BJP-VHP combine. The same was hugely overblown by media which pitched in to give it the exalted status. Live coverage, hype reserved for a cricket match, all was on display. Most TV anchors were screaming and exhorting the people to be part of the Anna upsurge. The RSS mechanism, visible- invisible both, which is capable of making the Ganesh idol drink milk, came into action and candle holding middle class, the ‘Shining India’ class was there at Jantar Mantar in good strength. Bharat mata was in the backdrop and cry of Vande Mtram was in the air. RSS functionaries and associated Godmen were around to mix overt faith with a particular type of politics. This politics, which earlier had by a different type of mobilization to demolish the Babri Masjid.
This time around (August), when Anna went on fast again, this ’shining India’ group was joined in by other sections in larger numbers. Many sections who are part of this mobilization are hardly aware of what the real debate is about. Team Anna succeeded in projecting that they are against Corruption and those who are not with them are supporting corruption. The real issue that Anna wants only his draft to be made in to a bill within a stipulated time, went to the background in popular perception.
Some other points related to the issue are worth giving an attention. One of these is as to how come the issue has been raised both by Anna and Ramdev around the time when some corporate executives were arrested for corruption and there was a fear that big honchos may also have to be behind the bars. And secondly, is it a mere coincidence that it is around this time also that many a cases against the crimes of Modi are coming to a stage where he may be pinned down.
The Anna movement has two components. One is the core one, the one which has been called by political scientists as ‘Shining India’ or ‘the MBA type generation’. This class is receiving good packages and is showing its concern about social issues mainly by opposing state affirmative action like NAREGA or reservation for dalits. This is the class, large sections of which called for need to attack Pakistan in the aftermath of July 2010 Mumbai blasts. Second group, smaller and less assertive around this core of middle class is constituted by those deprived sections that are looking for a platform to express their anguish with the rising prices and problems of daily life, which is worsening by the day.
While the ‘Anna protest’ is valid, the pressurizing of state-government to bring in a suitable law for Lokpal, one does not understand why the insistence by Anna, that the Bill must be passed in the stipulated time, and only his draft should be accepted. Anna’s group is not the only civil society group, there are other options also, which have come out with probably better alternatives and have tried to overcome the authoritarian nature of the Governments draft Bill and Team Anna’s draft bill. One means by this the draft by Aruna Roy group, which has been quietly working on it. Why is there this attempt to bypass the parliamentary norms, to rush through them? One knows the bills like RTI, took years to become the law. One knows the necessary bills like those against communal violence and for Right to Food are in the pipeline, and taking good gestation period. The haste can be understood only from the angle that this Anna’s attempt is an attempt to undermine Parliamentary system of democracy.
Many sincere social activists feel that the present system has failed and needs to be replaced. Good enough. There are severe fallacies in the present system. Lots of lacunas, lots of inertia! So what is the solution? To change the government, as Anna is demanding, Lao ya Jao, (bring my Lokpal Bill or Quit)! This is a political call to bring in the party whose affiliates are mobilizing the middle and other classes and is distributing tee Shirts and caps “I am Anna Hazare”, whose volunteers have going door to door to whip up support for Anna. The other interpretation is that the parliamentary system will give way to a revolution, a better system. Many sincere social activists believe this. This is a sign of frustration with present state of things and also the lack of deeper understanding of logic of ‘democratic system in evolution’. Democratic systems can always give way to other systems, but surely those systems coming in place of democratic ones’ can only be authoritarian. Comparing this upsurge with the one in many Muslim countries is misplaced again. In countries like Egypt, Tunisia the authoritarian regimes are being replaced towards democratic ones’, with all their teething troubles. As such every mass movement does not bring in democracy. We have witnessed that in Germany Hitler’s also built up a mass movement, Hitler’s movement crushed democracy. Every mass movement is not for better values, Ramjnambhoomi movement was one such, which created Hate Politics and paved the way for massive violence. One welcomes mass movements as far as they are inclusive and within the democratic norms for the values of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. The one being orchestrated around Anna Hazare, smacks of intolerance for other’s views and has lack of patience. There is a need to nurture the norms of Parliamentary democracy, which should be non-negotiable. The hidden/overt hand of divisive forces and the core composition of ‘shining India’ class raises lots of doubts about the democratic credentials of this current Ram Lila ground upsurge.
Social movements and their campaigns must give direction to the democratic system, the government, the parliament. The space of democratic society is currently being
usurped to do away with parliamentary democracy, it is a danger signal of sorts. In the core of this movement, what dominates is the superficial attitude to the widespread cancer of corruption. Corruption is being seen in isolation. The point to remember is that corruption is a mere symptom of a disease, and not the disease by itself. The deeper disease, which is the system based on inequality lack of transparency and lack of accountability are the issues which need to be addressed by and by, that’s where we need to pay our serious attention to. Creating another unaccountable all powerful institution may be something worse that the disease the society is suffering from.
Anna Upsurge and the Social Movements :: Dr Ram Puniyani
Retired Professor of Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IITB)
Social Activist and writer
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Anna Hazare’s second fast (August 2011) in Delhi, demanding the acceptance of his teams’ draft for Janlokpal bill has raised many different debates about the nature of this upsurge and how the social action groups, engaged in the process of struggle for Human rights of different sections of society, should relate to such movements.
Just to recall the first such fast was taken by Hazare was undertaken in April 2011, on the issue of Jan Lokpal Bill. Around that time there was a competing movement by Baba Ramdev for getting back illegitimate money stashed abroad. While Hazare withstood the pressures of state to resurface again, Baba Ramdev collapsed soon enough and tried to run away wearing women’s clothes. Hazare’s, ‘Team Anna’ has diverse people, engaged with different social issues, including reforms in judiciary, bonded labor, communal amity etc.
Many of them have been rubbing shoulders with grass level social activists working for social change. This time around other social activists of repute of Medha Patkar have come forward more openly and joined hands with Hazare upsurge. Lot of sympathy for Hazare movement has also been elicited in amongst other activists seriously committed to the issues of human rights. While others like Shabnam Hashmi, Mahesh Bhatt, Anand Teltumde and the noted writer Arundhati Roy have come out with heavy criticism of this Anna movement. Aruna Roy’s group has come out with alternative draft for Lokpal Bill. The dilemma for activists is what do we do? Do we be part of Anna upsurge and fight for getting his draft of Jan Lokpal Bill accepted or should we stand aloof from this movement. Surely Anna movement has at one level caught the imagination of a large section of people.
The Lokpal Bill idea was floated decades ago and many different parties have come to power during this time, but this bill remained unattended to. Janata Party, VP Singh, BJP led NDA all had put the proposal of a Lokpal bill in the cold storage. Anna’s fast has made it come to the fore. Anna movement came suddenly and soon was converted into a spectacle by the mobilization done by RSS-BJP-VHP combine. The same was hugely overblown by media which pitched in to give it the exalted status. Live coverage, hype reserved for a cricket match, all was on display. Most TV anchors were screaming and exhorting the people to be part of the Anna upsurge. The RSS mechanism, visible- invisible both, which is capable of making the Ganesh idol drink milk, came into action and candle holding middle class, the ‘Shining India’ class was there at Jantar Mantar in good strength. Bharat mata was in the backdrop and cry of Vande Mtram was in the air. RSS functionaries and associated Godmen were around to mix overt faith with a particular type of politics. This politics, which earlier had by a different type of mobilization to demolish the Babri Masjid.
This time around (August), when Anna went on fast again, this ’shining India’ group was joined in by other sections in larger numbers. Many sections who are part of this mobilization are hardly aware of what the real debate is about. Team Anna succeeded in projecting that they are against Corruption and those who are not with them are supporting corruption. The real issue that Anna wants only his draft to be made in to a bill within a stipulated time, went to the background in popular perception.
Some other points related to the issue are worth giving an attention. One of these is as to how come the issue has been raised both by Anna and Ramdev around the time when some corporate executives were arrested for corruption and there was a fear that big honchos may also have to be behind the bars. And secondly, is it a mere coincidence that it is around this time also that many a cases against the crimes of Modi are coming to a stage where he may be pinned down.
The Anna movement has two components. One is the core one, the one which has been called by political scientists as ‘Shining India’ or ‘the MBA type generation’. This class is receiving good packages and is showing its concern about social issues mainly by opposing state affirmative action like NAREGA or reservation for dalits. This is the class, large sections of which called for need to attack Pakistan in the aftermath of July 2010 Mumbai blasts. Second group, smaller and less assertive around this core of middle class is constituted by those deprived sections that are looking for a platform to express their anguish with the rising prices and problems of daily life, which is worsening by the day.
While the ‘Anna protest’ is valid, the pressurizing of state-government to bring in a suitable law for Lokpal, one does not understand why the insistence by Anna, that the Bill must be passed in the stipulated time, and only his draft should be accepted. Anna’s group is not the only civil society group, there are other options also, which have come out with probably better alternatives and have tried to overcome the authoritarian nature of the Governments draft Bill and Team Anna’s draft bill. One means by this the draft by Aruna Roy group, which has been quietly working on it. Why is there this attempt to bypass the parliamentary norms, to rush through them? One knows the bills like RTI, took years to become the law. One knows the necessary bills like those against communal violence and for Right to Food are in the pipeline, and taking good gestation period. The haste can be understood only from the angle that this Anna’s attempt is an attempt to undermine Parliamentary system of democracy.
Many sincere social activists feel that the present system has failed and needs to be replaced. Good enough. There are severe fallacies in the present system. Lots of lacunas, lots of inertia! So what is the solution? To change the government, as Anna is demanding, Lao ya Jao, (bring my Lokpal Bill or Quit)! This is a political call to bring in the party whose affiliates are mobilizing the middle and other classes and is distributing tee Shirts and caps “I am Anna Hazare”, whose volunteers have going door to door to whip up support for Anna. The other interpretation is that the parliamentary system will give way to a revolution, a better system. Many sincere social activists believe this. This is a sign of frustration with present state of things and also the lack of deeper understanding of logic of ‘democratic system in evolution’. Democratic systems can always give way to other systems, but surely those systems coming in place of democratic ones’ can only be authoritarian. Comparing this upsurge with the one in many Muslim countries is misplaced again. In countries like Egypt, Tunisia the authoritarian regimes are being replaced towards democratic ones’, with all their teething troubles. As such every mass movement does not bring in democracy. We have witnessed that in Germany Hitler’s also built up a mass movement, Hitler’s movement crushed democracy. Every mass movement is not for better values, Ramjnambhoomi movement was one such, which created Hate Politics and paved the way for massive violence. One welcomes mass movements as far as they are inclusive and within the democratic norms for the values of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. The one being orchestrated around Anna Hazare, smacks of intolerance for other’s views and has lack of patience. There is a need to nurture the norms of Parliamentary democracy, which should be non-negotiable. The hidden/overt hand of divisive forces and the core composition of ‘shining India’ class raises lots of doubts about the democratic credentials of this current Ram Lila ground upsurge.
Social movements and their campaigns must give direction to the democratic system, the government, the parliament. The space of democratic society is currently being
usurped to do away with parliamentary democracy, it is a danger signal of sorts. In the core of this movement, what dominates is the superficial attitude to the widespread cancer of corruption. Corruption is being seen in isolation. The point to remember is that corruption is a mere symptom of a disease, and not the disease by itself. The deeper disease, which is the system based on inequality lack of transparency and lack of accountability are the issues which need to be addressed by and by, that’s where we need to pay our serious attention to. Creating another unaccountable all powerful institution may be something worse that the disease the society is suffering from.
Lokpal Bill: Alternate View Point
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Anahd organized a press meet at the Press club to put forward the alternative view point on the lokpal bill. Currently, what is branded as ‘Team Anna’ is insistent that the draft prepared by them should be made into a bill within next few days. This is totally arrogant on the part of any social action group. No group can claim to be the sole representative of different, diverse sections of society. Team Anna’ draft should be regarded as one amongst different suggestions and the final draft should be evolved through a dialogue for which the Government has shown willingness. In these circumstances to carry on with indefinite fast is like a black mail and an attempt to hold the parliamentary system to the ransom.
We do need to go through the parliamentary procedures and undermining them is tantamount to undermining our Constitution. If there is some deficiency in the present functioning, it should be overcome by making the system more effective, not by bypassing it. Also Corruption while a severe malady is a mere symptom of the deeper disease of the social political system. The problems relate to the gross inequality in the social economic levels, lack of transparency of the system and the absence of accountability of our elected representatives and the officials. While dealing with the symptom of corruption we do need to look at the deeper issues, lack of transparency, lack of accountability and gross social-economic inequalities of various shades.
The core of present upsurge around Anna movement is constituted by a privileged middle class, many of whom have been opposed to the concept of social justice and affirmative action. We saw that the whole upsurge has been brought up for political goals, the use of symbols like Bharat mata, Vande Matram and the involvement of RSS-BJP workers acting as the solid support for the spontaneous looking protest is a matter of concern. Anna himself has been appreciative of people like Modi and Raj Thackeray, though he later he retracted it, but it show his mind set. The institution of Jan Lokpal as conceptualized by team Anna gives infinite powers to the Lokpal, and such unchecked powers may itself be a source of severe problems in a democratic society.
Noted Film Maker and activist, Mahesh Bhatt, activist Shabnam Hashmi, Vice Chair of Minority Commission Abraham Mathai, writer activist Prof Ram Puniyani, noted writer Dr. Anand Teltumde, activist Amir Rizvi, activist Waqar Kazi amongst others spoke on the occasion. There was lively question answer seaaion following the talks.
By:
Shabnam Hashmi
Managing Trustee, Anhad
Lokpal Bill: Alternate View Point
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Anahd organized a press meet at the Press club to put forward the alternative view point on the lokpal bill. Currently, what is branded as ‘Team Anna’ is insistent that the draft prepared by them should be made into a bill within next few days. This is totally arrogant on the part of any social action group. No group can claim to be the sole representative of different, diverse sections of society. Team Anna’ draft should be regarded as one amongst different suggestions and the final draft should be evolved through a dialogue for which the Government has shown willingness. In these circumstances to carry on with indefinite fast is like a black mail and an attempt to hold the parliamentary system to the ransom.
We do need to go through the parliamentary procedures and undermining them is tantamount to undermining our Constitution. If there is some deficiency in the present functioning, it should be overcome by making the system more effective, not by bypassing it. Also Corruption while a severe malady is a mere symptom of the deeper disease of the social political system. The problems relate to the gross inequality in the social economic levels, lack of transparency of the system and the absence of accountability of our elected representatives and the officials. While dealing with the symptom of corruption we do need to look at the deeper issues, lack of transparency, lack of accountability and gross social-economic inequalities of various shades.
The core of present upsurge around Anna movement is constituted by a privileged middle class, many of whom have been opposed to the concept of social justice and affirmative action. We saw that the whole upsurge has been brought up for political goals, the use of symbols like Bharat mata, Vande Matram and the involvement of RSS-BJP workers acting as the solid support for the spontaneous looking protest is a matter of concern. Anna himself has been appreciative of people like Modi and Raj Thackeray, though he later he retracted it, but it show his mind set. The institution of Jan Lokpal as conceptualized by team Anna gives infinite powers to the Lokpal, and such unchecked powers may itself be a source of severe problems in a democratic society.
Noted Film Maker and activist, Mahesh Bhatt, activist Shabnam Hashmi, Vice Chair of Minority Commission Abraham Mathai, writer activist Prof Ram Puniyani, noted writer Dr. Anand Teltumde, activist Amir Rizvi, activist Waqar Kazi amongst others spoke on the occasion. There was lively question answer seaaion following the talks.
By:
Shabnam Hashmi
Managing Trustee, Anhad
Lokpal Bill: Alternate View Point
Mumbai, Maharashtra
Anahd organized a press meet at the Press club to put forward the alternative view point on the lokpal bill. Currently, what is branded as ‘Team Anna’ is insistent that the draft prepared by them should be made into a bill within next few days. This is totally arrogant on the part of any social action group. No group can claim to be the sole representative of different, diverse sections of society. Team Anna’ draft should be regarded as one amongst different suggestions and the final draft should be evolved through a dialogue for which the Government has shown willingness. In these circumstances to carry on with indefinite fast is like a black mail and an attempt to hold the parliamentary system to the ransom.
We do need to go through the parliamentary procedures and undermining them is tantamount to undermining our Constitution. If there is some deficiency in the present functioning, it should be overcome by making the system more effective, not by bypassing it. Also Corruption while a severe malady is a mere symptom of the deeper disease of the social political system. The problems relate to the gross inequality in the social economic levels, lack of transparency of the system and the absence of accountability of our elected representatives and the officials. While dealing with the symptom of corruption we do need to look at the deeper issues, lack of transparency, lack of accountability and gross social-economic inequalities of various shades.
The core of present upsurge around Anna movement is constituted by a privileged middle class, many of whom have been opposed to the concept of social justice and affirmative action. We saw that the whole upsurge has been brought up for political goals, the use of symbols like Bharat mata, Vande Matram and the involvement of RSS-BJP workers acting as the solid support for the spontaneous looking protest is a matter of concern. Anna himself has been appreciative of people like Modi and Raj Thackeray, though he later he retracted it, but it show his mind set. The institution of Jan Lokpal as conceptualized by team Anna gives infinite powers to the Lokpal, and such unchecked powers may itself be a source of severe problems in a democratic society.
Noted Film Maker and activist, Mahesh Bhatt, activist Shabnam Hashmi, Vice Chair of Minority Commission Abraham Mathai, writer activist Prof Ram Puniyani, noted writer Dr. Anand Teltumde, activist Amir Rizvi, activist Waqar Kazi amongst others spoke on the occasion. There was lively question answer seaaion following the talks.
By:
Shabnam Hashmi
Managing Trustee, Anhad
Because the Crowds are Right, and our Prime Minister is Wrong
(The article given below is not an article only, it is a deep pain of honest, committed and ground activists, who have been sacrificing their lives for social betterment but they do not see seeds of social transformation in Anna’s movement. If possible please try to read this article otherwise leave it.)
The author is a senior journalist and a very committed Right to Information activist and has done fast in village of Anna Hazare. He is abused and criticized because he does not wear photo badge of Anna, do not wear Anna Cap, do not shout song “I am Anna” and do not forward sms.
Yes, we are a nation OUTRAGED, no doubt about it. But please ask yourself: ARE WE A NATION AWAKENED?
SMS NO. 1
Late last night, someone SMSed me: “Ghar ka kutta kaisa ho, kapil sibbal jaisa ho!! Manmohan jiska tau hai, wo sarkar bikau hai!! Desh ka yuva jag gaya, dekho rahul bhaag gaya.” I get many such SMSes everyday. These slogans are no doubt energizing the crowds at Ramlila Maidan, Azad maidan and dozens of other rallying points around the country.
What I understand is this: 74-year-old Anna Hazare (Peace Be Upon Him, Victory to Him!) is a great man selflessly fasting against corruption. To support him, hundreds of people are fasting and organizing rallies, and thousands are circulating such abusive SMSes. Anna is smiling nobly; every sentence that he speaks and each gesture of his long-fingered hands sends out rays of sanctity on national television networks. Just by watching the crowds and breathless commentators on news channels, we are being cleansed of corruption. He is the messiah, the prophet come to liberate us from
the evils of Corruption, and he has shown us the way… and this is the way!
Finally, after 64 years of Independence, India shall be free of the menace of corruption. (Give thanks! Fall down and prostrate before the Lord!)
Contrast this with 79-year-old Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India and former Governor of Reserve Bank. No, he is NOT a great man; he is just an economist and administrator. He is not fasting against corruption, he is only running the Govt. of India; any fool can do this job. He is a weak-chinned man, a bureaucrat foisted on the country by an “Italian waitress” Sonia Gandhi to protect all the corrupt people of India. (Down with Manmohan, Down with Sonia!)
Manmohan Singh’s sympathizers don’t circulate SMSes abusing Anna Hazare. They are too cowardly to do so. They just stand there silently while Anna Hazare hangs the albatross of our nation’s collective failures around the neck of the Prime Minister. Every word that Manmohan Singh speaks in his own defense is full of cowardliness… and lies.
SMS NO. 2
This morning, I got another SMS: “Anti-corruption menu-card – Anna’s Jan Lok Pal Bill or Govt’s Joke Pal (or rather Danger Pal) Bill. What do you want to be served. You order.”
This one was sent by one of my dear activist colleagues – someone I respect. He’s a thoughtful chap, never swayed by mob sentiments. So presumably, he is doing his bit for spreading awareness and supporting Anna’s noble agitation.
Most of my colleagues have been organizing morchas and wearing caps saying, “I am Anna Hazare”. Some of them are fasting too. And here I am, sitting at home with a tiny minority of Doubting Thomases and cynics who don’t care about the country.
SMS NO. 3
Just now, I got another SMS from an activist friend: “Annaji has given call to continue FIGHT! Govt seems to be Blind and Deaf! Join Historic 1 Lac March, 21st August – 4.30 PM @Bandra W. rly stn”.
Yes, the clarion call for action has been given. But sadly, here I am, refusing to join the forces of good in their battle against evil. This is a time for Unity and Solidarity, and here I am, trying to divide the people of India with clever arguments, instead of uniting them by forwarding SMSes.
So I am not an RTI activist… not even a good citizen. I don’t want corruption to be gone. I am just a government stooge.
Anna Hazare (Peace Be Upon Him, Victory to Him) is endangering his life by fasting at Ramlila Maidan. The people supporting him are wet, hungry and sleepless…
And Manmohan Singh is no doubt sitting in airconditioned comfort at 7 Race Course Road, and exchanging evil ideas with Sonia, Rahul and their kutta Kapil Sibal.
And while India is on the warpath, here I am enjoying my cup of coffee.
Shame on me!
By:
Krishnaraj Rao
Because the Crowds are Right, and our Prime Minister is Wrong
(The article given below is not an article only, it is a deep pain of honest, committed and ground activists, who have been sacrificing their lives for social betterment but they do not see seeds of social transformation in Anna’s movement. If possible please try to read this article otherwise leave it.)
The author is a senior journalist and a very committed Right to Information activist and has done fast in village of Anna Hazare. He is abused and criticized because he does not wear photo badge of Anna, do not wear Anna Cap, do not shout song “I am Anna” and do not forward sms.
Yes, we are a nation OUTRAGED, no doubt about it. But please ask yourself: ARE WE A NATION AWAKENED?
SMS NO. 1
Late last night, someone SMSed me: “Ghar ka kutta kaisa ho, kapil sibbal jaisa ho!! Manmohan jiska tau hai, wo sarkar bikau hai!! Desh ka yuva jag gaya, dekho rahul bhaag gaya.” I get many such SMSes everyday. These slogans are no doubt energizing the crowds at Ramlila Maidan, Azad maidan and dozens of other rallying points around the country.
What I understand is this: 74-year-old Anna Hazare (Peace Be Upon Him, Victory to Him!) is a great man selflessly fasting against corruption. To support him, hundreds of people are fasting and organizing rallies, and thousands are circulating such abusive SMSes. Anna is smiling nobly; every sentence that he speaks and each gesture of his long-fingered hands sends out rays of sanctity on national television networks. Just by watching the crowds and breathless commentators on news channels, we are being cleansed of corruption. He is the messiah, the prophet come to liberate us from
the evils of Corruption, and he has shown us the way… and this is the way!
Finally, after 64 years of Independence, India shall be free of the menace of corruption. (Give thanks! Fall down and prostrate before the Lord!)
Contrast this with 79-year-old Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India and former Governor of Reserve Bank. No, he is NOT a great man; he is just an economist and administrator. He is not fasting against corruption, he is only running the Govt. of India; any fool can do this job. He is a weak-chinned man, a bureaucrat foisted on the country by an “Italian waitress” Sonia Gandhi to protect all the corrupt people of India. (Down with Manmohan, Down with Sonia!)
Manmohan Singh’s sympathizers don’t circulate SMSes abusing Anna Hazare. They are too cowardly to do so. They just stand there silently while Anna Hazare hangs the albatross of our nation’s collective failures around the neck of the Prime Minister. Every word that Manmohan Singh speaks in his own defense is full of cowardliness… and lies.
SMS NO. 2
This morning, I got another SMS: “Anti-corruption menu-card – Anna’s Jan Lok Pal Bill or Govt’s Joke Pal (or rather Danger Pal) Bill. What do you want to be served. You order.”
This one was sent by one of my dear activist colleagues – someone I respect. He’s a thoughtful chap, never swayed by mob sentiments. So presumably, he is doing his bit for spreading awareness and supporting Anna’s noble agitation.
Most of my colleagues have been organizing morchas and wearing caps saying, “I am Anna Hazare”. Some of them are fasting too. And here I am, sitting at home with a tiny minority of Doubting Thomases and cynics who don’t care about the country.
SMS NO. 3
Just now, I got another SMS from an activist friend: “Annaji has given call to continue FIGHT! Govt seems to be Blind and Deaf! Join Historic 1 Lac March, 21st August – 4.30 PM @Bandra W. rly stn”.
Yes, the clarion call for action has been given. But sadly, here I am, refusing to join the forces of good in their battle against evil. This is a time for Unity and Solidarity, and here I am, trying to divide the people of India with clever arguments, instead of uniting them by forwarding SMSes.
So I am not an RTI activist… not even a good citizen. I don’t want corruption to be gone. I am just a government stooge.
Anna Hazare (Peace Be Upon Him, Victory to Him) is endangering his life by fasting at Ramlila Maidan. The people supporting him are wet, hungry and sleepless…
And Manmohan Singh is no doubt sitting in airconditioned comfort at 7 Race Course Road, and exchanging evil ideas with Sonia, Rahul and their kutta Kapil Sibal.
And while India is on the warpath, here I am enjoying my cup of coffee.
Shame on me!
By:
Krishnaraj Rao