Wednesday, August 24, 2011

ANNA'S MOVEMENT: TIME FOR GANDHIAN WISDOM


B.RAMAN, CAMP NEW DELHI

The whole nation is watching with a mix of feelings TV visuals from the Ramlila Grounds and other places in India regarding the epic anti-corruption struggle being waged by Anna Hazare and his followers from different age groups and different strata of society.


2. It is not the Arab spring. Nor is it a Jasmine Revolution. It is a cry of anguish and anger from large sections of the Indian people over the repeated failure of successive Governments to take sincere and meaningful steps to reduce, if not end, corruption which has besmirched public life and made us seem unworthy inheritors of the Gandhian legacy.


3. We are all supporters of Anna’s epic struggle today. We are all his Crusaders against corruption. We are all admirers of his team of dedicated and passionate advisers. We endorse his campaign against this evil wholeheartedly.


4. Many of us feel that this worthy campaign should not have been allowed to assume the shape of a confrontation between the State and a group of concerned citizens that could be detrimental to our democratic structure and traditions. There have been faults and lack of finesse on both sides, but this is not the time to apportion blame. This is the time to let wisdom prevail on both sides, enabling them to resume the search for a democratic compromise.


5. For wisdom to prevail, it is important that Anna lives. His glorious life as a perennial crusader has given strength and leadership to this movement. His death will have unpredictable consequences and may make it wither away. Death in a fast may be tactically glorious, but strategically pointless and unwise. Imagine what might have been the course of Indian history if Gandhiji had died prematurely during one of his fasts.


6. Team Anna and his other followers have a moral obligation to ensure that he lives to continue to lead this crusade. They should persuade him to accept drips being administered on the spot---even if he is not willing to be shifted to a hospital--- so that he can continue to lead the struggle without endangering his life.


7.The Government too has a moral obligation to take note of the support enjoyed by this crusade. It should have the moral courage to admit that its Lok Pal Bill has very little credibility in the eyes of large sections of the public. It should not stand on false prestige. It should discard the Bill and request a team of two eminent judges enjoying the confidence of both sides to prepare a new draft incorporating the acceptable and feasible suggestions emanating from the Government, Team Anna and others.


8. The Prime Minister should give a moral commitment to the people of this country that he would ensure that the entire process of re-drafting and adoption by the Parliament is completed within a reasonable time.


9.Let wisdom prevail. Let Anna live to lead the movement. Let the search for a compromise be resumed with sincerity on both sides. (25-8-11)


( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com )

7 comments:

financeblogger said...

Arresting Anna Hazare was the biggest blunder. Government has been commiting blunder after blunder and not learning a lesson. As mentioned in my previous comment, every policy and decision taken by the Indian polity is under microscopic observation by every major country in the world.
Government may have its own merit, but by prolonging the situation, tide is turning against the government every second.
If something does happen to Anna Hazare, the probability of violence throughout the country would be very much a reality. Bringing in the paramilitary would also not help.

financeblogger said...

All the political parties are now on one side advising Anna to give up fast.
By doing this, biggest blunder is being committed.
People have seen through this. I just received the following SMS.
"Desh ke lutere ek ho gaye hai. Aaj 10th day hai. Sarkar timepass kar rahi hai. Aaj sham 4 baje, Bandra (E) aur Kurla (W) stns se BKC MAHARALLY".
Rather then resolving the situation, the government and opposition has made up its mind of prolonging it, the consequence of which is going to be a disaster.

ambi said...

oh cho chweet. cho many many chweet chweet words for anna. too late cartoons too late. ab toh gaadi aggey hi badhegi. who cares. inke parliament se agar kuch hota hain to theek. people r not going to wait for their parliament to fnction

baat agar zeed ki aa gayi hain to yahi sahi.


'tu muwaqif nahin meri deewangi se, agar zeed pe aau, khuda dhoondh loonga.'

Fence Sitter said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Esoteric said...

You say "There have been faults and lack of finesse on both sides, but this is not the time to apportion blame".

Comment: I disagree,apporting blame equivalent to accountability.Lack of accountability partly due to lack of transparency is a major issue that allows corruption to prosper.We must hold guilty people in UPA2 and Congress who have bungled now and earliar.

In no theory,ideology can people absolve of their actions.At some point it catches up.

Dr Satya Saraswat said...

Sir we want to see you back on Twitter.

Dan said...

Sir, please do a "strategic analysis" piece on Om Puri. He attacked your favourite lady on stage. Please make sure the analysis has at least 20 points on it. Also, ensure that rags other than Rediff and Sri Lankan Chronicle, carry it.