Politicians alarmed by the slipping away of the ground beneath their feet create a spectre of crisis.
The prime minister’s hollow rhetoric that the path that Anna Hazare “has chosen to impose his draft of upon parliament is totally misconceived and fraught with grave consequences for our parliamentary democracy” is sheer sophistry.
First men in khaki were used to suppress a legitimate civil society agitation and then the PM abashedly tries to defend the
inexcusable in the parliament. The 73-year-old Anna Hazare had not yet broken any arbitrarily promulgated prohibitory orders; he was forcefully whisked away by the police. A person arrested even before he can lodge his/her protest — if it is not suppression of freedom of expression, what it is?
The unprecedented show of solidarity displayed by the masses made the arrogant Manmohan Singh government bite the dust. People forced to protest in order to reassert their right to protest, fully exposes the authoritarian streaks of the UPA regime.
Upping the ante, Anna Hazare has now asked the government ‘lao ya jao (pass the bill or leave). Anguished by the inability of the government to pass his version of the Lokpal bill, Anna Hazare now seems to be putting question marks on the legitimacy of the government itself.
In the heat of the moment Anna ridiculing the rulers as gaddars (traitors) is enough to muddy the already choppy waters. The call to protest outside the houses of parliamentarians may broaden the scope of civil society agitation, but it’s laden with great risk of anarchy engulfing the nation.
However, the political class is unable to see the writings on the wall, the apparent demand might be the Lokpal bill, but the imagination of the common masses goes much further than the enactment of a strong anti-corruption law.
The Anna Hazare phenomenon aptly seems to be echoing the inner sentiment for a profound change, besides the good governance the real expectation is for the change of the system.
Anna Hazare describing his present anti-corruption crusade as the second ‘freedom struggle’ may sound to be a highly exaggerated view, but it resonates well with the sentiment of the masses.
The anti-corruption movement provides an outlet to the engrained sentiment of neglect. More than 80% of the population is forced to live a ravaged life and small minority skims away all the riches will naturally give rise to a deep sense of inequality and injustice.
After independence, sovereignty rests with the people, even after 65 years of independence, the majority still longs for equality and justice.
The fruits of the freedom are yet to be shared equally. This has perpetuated the feeling that the real freedom which insures dignity of life is yet to be attained.
The majority within the largest democracy is still in search of “that promised Dawn” is the real sentiment behind the unrest. It is high time for the rulers to move aside and allow people to acquire what is due to them, peacefully. People cannot be denied their due, eternally.
The prime minister’s hollow rhetoric that the path that Anna Hazare “has chosen to impose his draft of upon parliament is totally misconceived and fraught with grave consequences for our parliamentary democracy” is sheer sophistry.
A peaceful civil society action demanding parliament to enact effective laws in order to curb the ever-growing corruption can never be a threat to democracy.
The real threat to democracy comes from the misdeeds of the politicians themselves. Aghast masses witnessing the corrupt practices of the rulers are bound to lose their faith in the system. Disgusting is the self righteous and dictatorial attitude of the Dr Manmohan Singh.First men in khaki were used to suppress a legitimate civil society agitation and then the PM abashedly tries to defend the
inexcusable in the parliament. The 73-year-old Anna Hazare had not yet broken any arbitrarily promulgated prohibitory orders; he was forcefully whisked away by the police. A person arrested even before he can lodge his/her protest — if it is not suppression of freedom of expression, what it is?
The unprecedented show of solidarity displayed by the masses made the arrogant Manmohan Singh government bite the dust. People forced to protest in order to reassert their right to protest, fully exposes the authoritarian streaks of the UPA regime.
Upping the ante, Anna Hazare has now asked the government ‘lao ya jao (pass the bill or leave). Anguished by the inability of the government to pass his version of the Lokpal bill, Anna Hazare now seems to be putting question marks on the legitimacy of the government itself.
In the heat of the moment Anna ridiculing the rulers as gaddars (traitors) is enough to muddy the already choppy waters. The call to protest outside the houses of parliamentarians may broaden the scope of civil society agitation, but it’s laden with great risk of anarchy engulfing the nation.
The response of the people in the country has been overwhelming. The middle class particularly seems to be electrified by Anna Hazare’s fast as if passing of civil society version of Lokpal bill is the panacea for all the ills afflicting the country.
Corruption more than a legal problem is a social issue. In the absence of a movement for social reform, it’s highly suspected whether mere passing of a bill can control the menace of corruption in the country.However, the political class is unable to see the writings on the wall, the apparent demand might be the Lokpal bill, but the imagination of the common masses goes much further than the enactment of a strong anti-corruption law.
The Anna Hazare phenomenon aptly seems to be echoing the inner sentiment for a profound change, besides the good governance the real expectation is for the change of the system.
Anna Hazare describing his present anti-corruption crusade as the second ‘freedom struggle’ may sound to be a highly exaggerated view, but it resonates well with the sentiment of the masses.
The anti-corruption movement provides an outlet to the engrained sentiment of neglect. More than 80% of the population is forced to live a ravaged life and small minority skims away all the riches will naturally give rise to a deep sense of inequality and injustice.
After independence, sovereignty rests with the people, even after 65 years of independence, the majority still longs for equality and justice.
The fruits of the freedom are yet to be shared equally. This has perpetuated the feeling that the real freedom which insures dignity of life is yet to be attained.
The revolutionary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz in his legendry Urdu poem Dawn of the Freedom August 47 had said way back: These tarnished rays, this night-smudged light; this is not that Dawn for which, ravished with freedom; we had set out in sheer longing.
This fully echoes the hapless plight of the overwhelming majority in the country. The last stanza of the poem still warms the hearts and prompts a reader to strive to take control of his destiny: Night weighs us down, it still weighs us down; Friends, come away from this false light; Come, we must search for that promised Dawn.The majority within the largest democracy is still in search of “that promised Dawn” is the real sentiment behind the unrest. It is high time for the rulers to move aside and allow people to acquire what is due to them, peacefully. People cannot be denied their due, eternally.