I don't know how would it be taken if I write this way. But really after seeing the developments on the anti-corruption movement since last couple of days, my mind speaks out. First agreement between team Anna and the government , then disagreement between both, then suddenly throwing mud to each other and again having a meeting to find a solution. Is n't it looking like a farce. There are only difference of opinions between both the parties.
Suddenly the political parties took a different stand in the all party meeting, government showed its rigidity and team Anna is withstanding on their point of view. Where is it leading to ? How can everyone change their version so quickly?
it is now a serious point to ponder...
No more a movement, it is an event now...
The team Anna is fighting hard for a cause. They are managing a great show country wide. The camp is at the central point, Ramlila Maidan in Delhi.
Where ever we see the young folk look very engaged. This is no more a movement; rather it has become an event now. People are being found sitting in the ground supporting Anna, working on their laptops, keeping their professional thing active through hi-tech gadgets. With all kind of arrangement by a core team of Anna the show is going on at the Ramlila ground of the national capital.
Whatever one needs, starting from food till ambulance & security everything is available there at the ground. The innocent Gandhian man Anna Hazare’s fast is being managed by hundreds of volunteers who have come from across the country, working under the banner of India against corruption. Really this has gripped the world’s attention.
Today Anna’s strike has been 9 day’s old. Since yesterday everyone was shouting Anna’s health should be every one’s priority, he should not be allowed to sit on hunger strike for more than 12 hours and blab la. It continues. Some are spending sleepless nights with Anna and a few have lost their sleep.
“I am not going to be under medication. My conscience does not allow me to take drip and it warns me if I am scared of death”, the 74 old man told openly on Tuesday evening after the team of doctors checked him and suggested for getting hospitalised. Probably the doctors were worried for his health, but he himself is not. The Prime Minister of India has also sent his request to Anna to take drip, but unfortunately there is no meeting from the government side directly with Anna so far. I don’t understand why the Prime Minister does not find a way to convey his message directly to Anna if he is really concerned about his health and so serious about the cause he is fighting for.
All Television channels, News papers giving extensive coverage to the issue. If I say the channels have the only issue Anna now, it won’t be wrong. 90% of the content of any TV news channel, News paper are only of Anna and his movement. More or less most of the media houses have taken their stand, no matter whether it is correct or not. Every day in the prime time on those TV channels we see people having debate, fighting on the issue, casting aspersion on each other. But I am surprised there is none who has come forward towards any agreeable point.
Shame on us... An old man, who has no liability on personal or professional front if we critically analyse, has been fighting for a cause. Probably if he succeeds, the entire nation will be benefitted, the whole public will enjoy the result. But unfortunately so far the dispute is going on...we are carrying only the debate...surprisingly no one is extending the hand of solution...
A very senior congress leader Saifuddin Soj has been appearing in one of the news channels regularly since the beginning of Anna’s Kranti. But I am really stunned with his comment. From the day one he has one version...”Opposition must convince Anna to withdraw strike and then there will be a discussion on Lokpal bill”. I fail to understand why so. Whether it is Congress or BJP, does not matter. We all probably know that none of them has pure mind set. Today what Congress is saying being in the ruling seat; the same would be the version of other party when it comes to power and vice versa. But one thing which hurts is these political parties are playing with the sentiments of public when they have joined hands for a social cause.
Why Congress wants BJP to convince Anna now is certainly a million dollar question. If really the government wants opposition’s help, why didn’t they involve them during the process of drafting the “Lokpal Bill”? Similarly BJP is now targeting the government for the Lokpal Bill. It’s fine as it has become a cause now. But it’s an open question to all BJP leaders are they really serious about the issue? Can they honestly respond what would have been their stand had they been in the ruling seat? Better not to raise this issue. Because it is an issue where the government can be grilled, every body in the opposition are taking their stand against the government...it is fine...but the big question is if they really feel so, why are they not supporting Anna openly? Why are they not coming forward with a plan of action so far?
Similarly nine political parties joined hands including TDP, JD(U) and left parties to raise voice against corruption. The communist top guns like Prakash Karat and A B Bardhan had announced to start agitation from August 23. Probably the message was sent that it will be in support to Anna. But where are they? What happened to their plan? Where is their voice? Probably it will not be wrong if we say that all these politicians are on the same platform. Somewhere down the line they must have the fear of getting trapped...probably that is the reason most of them are not coming to the forefront even though the cause is the fighting for the society.
It has been really a mockery to hear contradictions amongst the same party. Just a few days back the chairperson of Lokpal standing committee explained the Parliamentary procedure in a private television channel. It was understood from his version that withdrawing the bill is not against the Parliamentary procedure. However his other colleagues from the party have been arguing that it is not possible to withdraw the bill, rather that has to be discussed and debated. Hence the motive is not clear yet. Is the government really looking for drawing any conclusion and resolve the issue?
Another surprising part of the entire process is various comments of some prominent activists. Probably a few activists and leaders have decided to draw the media attention and probably that is the reason they are losing the control over their tongue. Here is a couple of example: let’s talk about Kapil Sibal. He is a Union Minister and a very responsible and very senior Congress leader. But it does not reflect in his version. He was shouting till a particular point and perhaps the party could realise and stopped him talking on Anna now. Same is in case of other senior congress leaders like Ambika Soni, Manish Tiwari and Digvijay Singh. I must quote an excerpt from the Press Conference in which Mr. Sibal and Ambika Soni tried to highlight some issues related to Anna before Anna started his Kranti. On August 14, 2011, they addressed a PC and pointed out that Anna is a corrupted person and he had spent Rs 2.22 Lakh in his birth day celebration. Surprisingly Sibal asked Anna to explain where did he get the money from...I do not understand whether he is a sensible person. Anna is no doubt a public figure and even if celebrates his birth day in Ralegan Siddhi only and distributes sweets, the cost would be more than 2 lakh. When he raised the issue, he would have thought of himself and of all his political and bureaucrat colleagues and should have thought what bill comes to them when they celebrate their birth day and that of their children? Anyway it is very trivial issue...no point of discussing that.
Now let us see the version of the activist like Arundhati Roy and Aruna Roy who is also member of the National Advisory Council and member of the National Campaign for People's Right to Information. I heard Ms Aruna Roy in a national TV channel on Tuesday where she was very arrogant. On one side she was accepting the fact that Anna is fighting for a cause and he is generous blab la bla, on the other hand she was not hesitating to justify her comment which she had given to media earlier against Anna’s movement. That was really funny. Why should one do this? If any one has any opinion, one must withstand it. Why should be their diversion unless there is any confusion within self?
Is it a political EGO clash?
It is not a question of Anna or any individual. But certainly Anna has been standing by with one point and that is “Laao nahi to Jaao”. If our politicians have any point of view, they can bring it forward and stick to it for a debate. Why is it not happening? Even this is also the question to team Anna. Why is there so rigidity? Do we need any solution or only fighting for the cause? Why should team Anna sticks to their point and why should the government remain adamant on their stand? Isn’t there any a middle way? Like on Tuesday the government could think of discussing the issue with team Anna, why didn’t it happen earlier? On Tuesday both agreed on most of the points except three. Probably this could have happened even before the beginning of Anna’s August Kranti. Can any body take the responsibility and accountability of the same and the after effects?
See the drastic changes they had within 24 hours. On Wednesday there was an all-party meeting. Unanimously all representatives expressed their concerns for Anna and wanted him to withdraw fast. At the same time the representatives also wanted the government to withdraw the Lokpal Bill they have sent to the standing committee and also all of them wanted a fresh bill to be drafted taking the Jan Lokpal Bill into consideration. But the strange part is the different version of the government. We had heard the government representatives after their meeting with team Anna on Tuesday when their tone was low. But surprisingly it was different when they spoke to media after their meeting with team Anna on Wednesday. On Tuesday the government agreed with team Anna on most of the aspects except three, but what happened to them on Wednesday when they brought everything to square one. Even they did not want to consider the resolution of all party meeting.
On one side there is a unanimous consensus amongst political parties, intellectual forums, different social and expert forum, and general public that the government must withdraw the bill and on the other side there is a huge concern about Anna’s health. Despite this the role of government is puzzling. Is the government really serious about the issue and Anna’s health? It’s now a million dollar question. If really the government is serious about it, then what is prohibiting the government to withdraw the bill and think of drafting a fresh?
The Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Union Law Minister Salman Khusheed have briefed the media that the talk went well and they would again meet on Thursday noon. When the outcome of the first meeting and second meeting became diagrammatically opposite, what would happen on the third meeting? Probably this is the political ego that is becoming the stumbling block for the government from any action.
Similarly see team Anna. They have made everything very clear and wanted the government to act fast. But if we remember the declaration of team Anna before his fasting, we would recall that Dr. Kiran Bedi had said that Anna’s fast would continue depending on his health condition. They had assured not to cause any harm to Anna’s health. But what is happening now?
I heard both the parties talking to media last mid-night. After their meeting first government spoke and then team Anna said that the attitude of the government has been changed and they don't care about Anna's health. Also they expressed their apprehension that Anna may be taken to the hospital forcibly. In the midnight only, Anna addressed the nation...appealed everyone to get ready for "JAIL BHARO" if any thing happens to him. Suddenly after that both the senior congress leader Mr.Mukherjee and Mr. Khursheed addressed media and clarifies their stand and explained that their version is being misquoted. Oh my god ! Who is right ? Team Anna ya the government ?
When there was a unanimous resolution for the government to withdraw the bill, why is it not happening ? If there is so many confusion and conflicts on the versions of both the parties, why are they not having an open discussion which could be made on air by all broadcasters ? If the government really believes in transparency, why is there hesitation to discuss in an open forum ? can any one answer, please ?
Here are some questions to all stake holders?
1. Why is the government so adamant on its draft?2. Why is team Anna not coming with any mid way solution?
3. Why is there hesitation to have an apple to apple comparison of both Jan Lokpal Bill and government draft Bill?
4. When it is not against the constitution, why can’t the government withdraw the existing bill and introduce the Jan Lokpal Bill for a debate?
5. Why are the senior members of the government and even PM hesitating to personally meet with Anna and discuss?
6. Has anybody any answer for the consequences if at all anything happens to Anna?
Honestly saying, I feel, the cause and for the same the move by Anna is praiseworthy, but I do not blindly support every move of team Anna, as some of them are outright naive. Rather at the same time, I share the anguish of the masses against this government which by far is the most mediocre, ill-advised and spineless, in addition to being the most corrupt one in independent India.
I personally feel it would make sense to put things in perspective and analyze the good and the bad of this unprecedented mass revolution and also the pros and cons of the Lokpal Bill. Here I am jolting down a couple of points:
- The Lokpal bill is basically an attempt to establish an “independent authority” to investigate offences under pc act by expeditious investigation, to prosecute offenders and to ensure timely redressal of certain types of public grievances etc. So far so good.
- The objective of the Lokpal bill is to create a platform for the public where they can bring their grievances to a forum if they face any difficulties by the government mechanism.
- Both bills have some points upon which both the government and team Anna have agreement and upon certain points they differ.
- After Tuesday’s meeting, it seems probably both the government and team Anna have come to a consensus and they have found out three points where there is disagreement and hence there is a need of resolution.
- On Wednesday i.e. today there has been another development where most of the political parties want the withdrawal of government bill and formation of a totally new bill.
- Probably this could be the beginning of the reformation process and certainly there will be need of changes and modifications in future.
- Inclusion of junior bureaucracy till the PM and judiciary in the Lokpal Bill may be a good start as there will be a fear factor amongst government mechanism before they get involved in any corruption practice.
- But a very vital point...like government bodies most of the corporate sectors indulge themselves in corruption. Why can’t they be included in the Lokpal Bill?
- What will be the accountability of the Lokpal ? There is one apprehension. Most of the independent bodies get biased when they get paid by the government and also partially get controlled by the government. Knowing all these fully well how well equipped is the Lokpal bill ?
- All very grand looking but what is the reality? The real picture is that this proposed draft seems to have many loopholes, conjectures, assumptions, surmises, vague premises and lopsided thing. Are we really interested to study those and amend?
Summing it up, we can say the Jan Lok Pal may have some changes in the system, the cause is good, the stand taken by Anna is exemplary. But some how there is no consensus. Probably it is due to the mindset. The meetings happened on Wednesday ended with no result. Why was there an all party meet where the issue took a different turn. None of the parties tried to understand what would happen to that old man Anna...Why is there another round of meeting today, i.e. on August 25? What would happen? I am confused to understand for what reason...All are in hurry...Who knows what would be the end? Anna has been putting effort to “Save India”...Please wake up! It’s time to save Anna, now.
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