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Sunday, August 28, 2011

Hats off to Team Anna


Anna Hazare has agreed to break his fast tomorrow morning. This came about after the Loksabha unanimously agreed to include 3 important issues raised by Team Anna in the Lokpal Bill.
Is this what Team Anna wanted?
No, they had demanded that the Janlokpal Bill should be passed by the Parliament in this session itself.
So is this really a victory for Team Anna. They have said that it is a partial victory

True, it is only a partial victory, but I am sure no one among Anna's team would have really believed that the Janlokpal bill will be passed in this session of Parliament. Their hard posturing, in my opinion was for strengthening their hand during negotiations and they did negotiate hard with a direction-less faltering Government.
I am saying 'Hats off to Team Anna' due to their following achievements.


Janlokpal movement Achievements:

1.They brought topic of corruption to center stage

 By their continuous hard work and help from the media they were able to put spotlight on Corruption for a prolonged period of time.
2.They made all political parties take a stand on lokpal

None of the political parties had a clear stand on lokpal. This movement forced them to take a clear stand.

3. Made sure that we will have a strong Lokpal against corruption and judiciary accountability Law soon.

Without this movement's constant pressure the Lokpal Bill would have been hibernating again in cold storage for another decade.

4. Proved there is space & need for political activism beyond political parties & that it can be effective.
 UPA 2 was reeling under corruption in the Center and most States. BJP was no different in states ruled by it. The Principle Opposition being a sectarian Hindutva oriented one made Congress over confident. Left Parties living inside their ideology-jail were ineffective.Thus Indian Polity became stagnant with political parties in a deep freeze.
Team Anna was able to churn the stagnant political climate in India. They proved that there is space of political activism in India and for that one need not form a Political Party.

 5. Proved there is still scope for non violent mass movements & fasts in India if the issue raised is important to all.
 Indian freedom struggle was one of the least violent of mass movements in the World. Thus we have a history of creating and sustaining such non violent struggles. But sadly in recent years most of our agitations were violent resulting in street fights and arson. Team Anna now proved that even in 21st century there is role for Gandhian style struggles and fasts. They proved that such a struggle for a popular and just cause creates so much credibility problem for the Government that they will have to mediate and address the issues involved.

Today I am not trying to enumerate the numerous faults and drawbacks of this movement. According to me they are not that significant compared to the achievements.

This is only a small step in making our country a better and more just place to live in, but a very important step.


3 comments:

  1. agree with you on all counts why he movement is to be appreciated. corruption can no longer be swept under the carpet.

    tho i feel anxious about this this prposed ombundsman. there must be enuf provision to ensure transparency and accountabilty to janlokpal. should not be excluded from PLs. this must not turn out to be a modernday witch hunting like the holy inquisition. hazare's autocratic ways in relagosiddhi are scary.

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  2. KPJ,
    Yes, transparency and accountability is a must. Court is always above Lokpal so no need for a worry of witch hunting. Anna Hazare was/is only a symbol and not the text of movement.

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  3. This is only a small step in making our country a better and more just place to live in, but a very important step..

    Yes.. Anna has shown the nation that as citizens we still have a choice and means to make a change. nd now it is upto the civil society to keep up the pressure on the politicians... let this government prove that it has the well being of the nation in it's agenda instead of demeaning Anna, his team and this movement.
    If one looks at the French revolution, it was brought about mainly by the middle class.

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