Imagine for a moment what could happen if all those thousands of Anna Hazare supporters stepped out with families to exercise their vote whenever the next election takes place in city, town
or village.
Holding lighted candles to support Hazare during his two fasts to press for the Jan Lokpal Bill did make a pretty picture for TV cameras and newspapers. As did the show of solidarity by wearing ‘I am Anna’ caps which instantly became fashionable. Endorsing pro-Anna online petitions and forwarding chain mails from the comfort of one’s home or office also gave many the satisfaction of being part of the Hazare movement.
All this will be reduced to waste unless this collective sentiment is translated into the power of vote. Such is the scourge of political and politically-influenced bureaucratic corruption in our country that nothing less than a relentless crusade will eradicate the deep-rooted cancer of corruption.
In such a situation, 64 years after Independence, there’s a glimmer of hope that something worthwhile will emerge from Hazare’s movement.
The Gandhian crusader has been accused of using Gandhian tactics as a tool to blackmail, of being disrespectful of “parliamentary procedures” and now, of playing into the hands of the opposition by deciding to campaign against the Congress in the October 13 Hissar by-poll in Haryana.
The fact is, the Indian politician is afraid of just two things today — suffering the wrath of the top-most rungs of the judiciary, which has made an example of the Suresh Kalmadis, A Rajas and Kanimozhis of the day, and the power of the vote which, in recent months, toppled the communists in West Bengal and the DMK in Tamil Nadu.
Will the Congress suffer the same fate in the 2014 general elections as more scams surface and the infighting intensifies? Who will replace Manmohan Singh? Will Sonia Gandhi continue to lead? While it is too early to predict, the fact is Hazare has touched a raw nerve in the Congress.
On October 4, Hazare warned in his village, Ralegan Siddhi, that he would urge the voters of Hissar not to vote for the Congress unless a commitment was made to introduce the Jan Lokpal Bill in the winter session of Parliament. The threat was issued after candidates from all major political parties in Hissar — barring the Congress — supported the Lokpal Bill.
Hazare said that as a part of the Jan Lokpal movement, a similar appeal would be made in other states that face assembly polls next year. Barely four months from now municipal elections will take place in Maharashtra and, already, the ruling Congress in Pune is terrified with Anna’s anti-Congress threat.
Today, nobody in the country, neither the Aruna Roy group with all its arguments for “parliamentary procedures” (which failed to tackle corruption in the last six decades) nor technocrats like Nandan Nilekani or any politician, can take on the Congress. The only person who has succeeded is Anna Hazare considering the chord he has struck with the middle class.
It is important to understand that Hazare is just a symbol and we Indians will have to fight many a battle with or without him. One powerful way of doing that effectively is to diligently exercise the power of our vote.
or village.
Holding lighted candles to support Hazare during his two fasts to press for the Jan Lokpal Bill did make a pretty picture for TV cameras and newspapers. As did the show of solidarity by wearing ‘I am Anna’ caps which instantly became fashionable. Endorsing pro-Anna online petitions and forwarding chain mails from the comfort of one’s home or office also gave many the satisfaction of being part of the Hazare movement.
All this will be reduced to waste unless this collective sentiment is translated into the power of vote. Such is the scourge of political and politically-influenced bureaucratic corruption in our country that nothing less than a relentless crusade will eradicate the deep-rooted cancer of corruption.
In such a situation, 64 years after Independence, there’s a glimmer of hope that something worthwhile will emerge from Hazare’s movement.
The Gandhian crusader has been accused of using Gandhian tactics as a tool to blackmail, of being disrespectful of “parliamentary procedures” and now, of playing into the hands of the opposition by deciding to campaign against the Congress in the October 13 Hissar by-poll in Haryana.
The fact is, the Indian politician is afraid of just two things today — suffering the wrath of the top-most rungs of the judiciary, which has made an example of the Suresh Kalmadis, A Rajas and Kanimozhis of the day, and the power of the vote which, in recent months, toppled the communists in West Bengal and the DMK in Tamil Nadu.
Will the Congress suffer the same fate in the 2014 general elections as more scams surface and the infighting intensifies? Who will replace Manmohan Singh? Will Sonia Gandhi continue to lead? While it is too early to predict, the fact is Hazare has touched a raw nerve in the Congress.
On October 4, Hazare warned in his village, Ralegan Siddhi, that he would urge the voters of Hissar not to vote for the Congress unless a commitment was made to introduce the Jan Lokpal Bill in the winter session of Parliament. The threat was issued after candidates from all major political parties in Hissar — barring the Congress — supported the Lokpal Bill.
Hazare said that as a part of the Jan Lokpal movement, a similar appeal would be made in other states that face assembly polls next year. Barely four months from now municipal elections will take place in Maharashtra and, already, the ruling Congress in Pune is terrified with Anna’s anti-Congress threat.
Today, nobody in the country, neither the Aruna Roy group with all its arguments for “parliamentary procedures” (which failed to tackle corruption in the last six decades) nor technocrats like Nandan Nilekani or any politician, can take on the Congress. The only person who has succeeded is Anna Hazare considering the chord he has struck with the middle class.
It is important to understand that Hazare is just a symbol and we Indians will have to fight many a battle with or without him. One powerful way of doing that effectively is to diligently exercise the power of our vote.