While the entire country was gearing up to welcome the year 2012, there was a drama of epic proportion being performed in the upper house, in most disgusting manner. In the same week, on MMRDA grounds in Mumbai, a tragic turn that transformed Anna Hazare's movement into a fiasco was the absence of many of its supporters. What these two major events of last week revealed was the true character of our politicians, the core team of Anna's camp and the media.
I have already written about my views on Anna Hazare's "movement against corruption" in my article "A convoluted protest" on 22/08/11. Albeit, some of my friends found my stand on the issue quite brave, the questions I posed in my article, still remain unanswered.
Last few months, the nation has grown increasingly concerned with Anna Hazare's movement. The politically ambitious sycophants who made desperate attempts to position Anna as 'Gandhi of current times" have fallen flat on their face. Mr. Hazare has barely projected even an iota of wisdom of the great mahatma in this entire movement. Watching him mock Sonia Gandhi and other politicians made many of his supporters cringe with shame, as the political games of his camp became evident in their eloquent rhetoric. The Anna camp was exposed and soon people realized how, for this "movement against corruption", corruption was never the core issue! It was shocking for the supporters who had apolitical minds, clean hearts and good intentions, to see the political undercurrents of the "movement" and they chose to distance themselves as they realized they were taken for a ride.
Any Indian who has watched the debate of Lokpal bill in upper house would realize how our politicians seriously believe that the nation is full of morons and people would not be able to make out that their intention was clearly to sink the Lokpal bill. They did quite a clumsy job at that. Many of our politicians didn't realize that even irreverence needs to be packed well else people can make out what the real game is all about!
How can I forget the intellectual elite and their breed with its opportunistic methods that gained immensely with the endless debates and some fleeting moments of glory of becoming famous? Wonder, if they really care for the real issue. Sad, media doesn't get tired of them!
It was a major blunder both by the ruling party (or was it a game plan, considering its penchant for appeasement politics) and the media to assign role of sole representative for the "civil society" to Anna Hazare. That lapse instantly put Anna to a Demigod stature which was catastrophe in waiting. All that followed from that point on, was nothing but a deadly game of cheap politics, ambitions and greed. To assume that this game is over is insane. We have much more drama in store in coming days.
Watching the debate of the Lokpal bill in upper house has truly saddened entire nation. One is compelled to think if this the democracy we really deserve? With culmination of the New Year, I hope we invest some time in soul searching. The only positive outcome, if at all, in this entire anti corruption movement was to bring to light the fact that there is large number of people who are willing to do anything for the sake of honest, accountable, transparent, corruption free and decisive government. There are people who are willing to participate in bringing change in the society that is inclusive, tolerant, humane and fair in its approach. May be its still just a very small section but it promises great potential to bring in the necessary change.
You must be thinking that I am nursing some delusion. I am not. Being an insanely optimistic person, I am NOT giving up my hope despite everything. It is New Year and its time to start with new dreams and beginnings. I am going to keep faith in my dream and participate in new beginnings.
