I am Anna !

Standing there at Ramlila Ground, seeing him sit straight on the stage with his trademark Anna topi, looking lovingly into the massive crowd gathered there, a thought stayed with me: how would he be feeling “being Anna”? …

It had been weighing on my conscience since Aug 16 for not being able to make it to the Ramlila Ground and pledge my support to Anna in person; I had this strong feeling of guilt that in spite of being a proponent of anti-corruption movement, I had not contributed to it in real terms. The reasons were numerous but though none being an “excuse’, I decided to do my bit. Therefore, today – 27^th Aug – I went to Ramlila Ground in the afternoon.

The moment I made the decision, a strange feeling engulfed me; I found myself very uncomfortable with the thought of being amidst that huge crowd. Even my parents were uneasy. They advised me to strictly maintain my cool unless provoked to “that” extent. I assured them that I would as I didn’t want to become a “breaking news” in front of the Indian media fraternity!

There were people all around. Getting inside the Ground took almost 20 minutes. But the security personnel were managing the queues well. People were of all age groups, with males obviously hugely dominating in numbers. There was a separate allocated space for females. People were in groups, with family members including aged parents and children, singles - from all classes and strata of society. The energy of the gathered public was amazing! Chants of Anna were being heard all over, in fact from a couple of kilometers away. Loudspeakers were blaring speeches and songs. ‘Main Anna Hoon’ – I am Anna – caps and badges were seen on almost everybody; many wearing tri-colored wrist bands and waving Indian Tri-color in numerous sizes. The mood was of extreme eagerness but of absolute hope at the same time. The reverence for Anna was palpable. The Ground resembled a place of pilgrimage!

After having stood in the “mixed” queue for almost 20 minutes, I gained entry into the Ground. My first instinct was to look for Anna! He was sitting on a raised podium at a distance. Automatically I started walking in that direction but keeping myself away from the crowd –walking at the periphery of the gathering. However, barely I had covered a few meters that suddenly I got caught in a huge sea of people, all having come inside “suddenly” – that is what it seemed then! – crushing me virtually from all sides. The scene resembled an impending stampede! And I got alert and concerned about my physical safety. But to my surprise, people – all male crowd – behaved extremely decently! No even a single person tried to show his ‘basic instincts’. And, perhaps, for the first time in my life I felt proud of my countrymen who otherwise exhibit such pathetic attitude towards women that you cannot help but hate them. To me it seemed to be the reflection of Anna in every male present there!

Another distinct feature of the Ground was the presence of media. Never before I had seen such a huge congregation of press for any event! The OB vans were parked all around the ground; television cameras and other broadcast paraphernalia were mounted inside the ground. Television channel reporters were busy reporting. I watched them work – and work hard non-stop! – with high amount of respect. If Anna could drive home his point in otherwise not-so-courageous Indian hearts, a great degree of credit goes to the Indian media which stood by him throughout and ensured that Anna’s people’s movement became stronger with every passing day. In this one name which stands out is of Arnab Goswami and his team at Times Now – Team Arnab! - they set a record of non-stop coverage of close to 300 hours (13 days) and made sure that all relevant points regarding the Jan Lokpal Bill – including doubts, concerns raised by genuine people as well as detractors – were debated with utmost sincerity and honesty with the sole purpose of putting the truth before public. And if many felt he could be rechristened as Arnab Hazare or Anna Goswami, I think that says it all! Continue your crusade, Bengali Babu Moshai J … (as called by parliamentarians!).

Parliamentary discussions were on; India’s elected representatives were meeting and debating the ‘3’ points put forth by Anna for inclusion in the Jan Lokpal Bill draft for discussion. The passing of parliamentary resolution was awaited anxiously as Anna had entered his 12^th Day of fasting. Everyone shared a deep concern for his falling health; everyone wanted the government to relent so that Anna could break his fast.

However, what was incredible was Anna’s energy level! He looked strong enough sitting there and lovingly staring into the crowd, considering the length of his non-stop fast. I tried to take a few pictures of him, and did so as well, but the sheer distance between him and me ensured I did not get any “good” photograph. However, I could get myself clicked with Anna on stage and people all around in the background and guaranteed that I had a souvenir!

I called up my parents and gave them a running commentary of the happenings at the Ground till it was announced that the parliament had passed the resolution as per Anna’s demands on the pending Jan Lokpal Bill. And the crowd erupted with ecstasy! What a moment it was! I felt blessed being a part of the history being made! My regret of not being born in the times of Mahatma Gandhi felt like regressing to a large extent! I was witnessing a watershed!

Anna with support of his team member got up and waved happily to the crowd which was now loudly cheering and chanting his name! It was a victory and it was unprecedented! Never before since the time of India’s independence, people’s power had been acknowledged in the arrogant corridors of political power! The democracy in all its essence was on display! And it was an extremely proud moment for India!

Anna proved to the world once again that Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of peaceful protests were alive and relevant even in today’s 21^st century! And he showed to the people that collectively they could bring about desired changes in society and polity of the nation! Indians looked transformed!

Words fail me to describe the event in its entirety. It was an experience of my lifetime! I kept watching the happenings both on and off the stage for some more time, soaking in the fervor and festivity! There was hope floating all around coupled with confidence about a corruption free future for all! This was in fact the “game changing” moment in Anna’s crusade against corruption! And I was simply happy to be a part of this soon-to-be-seen change!

…………

28-08-11: Anna has broken his fast today. After a couple of days in hospital (Thanks, Dr. Naresh Trehan, for looking after Anna’s health for past 13 days; please continue to take care of him even beyond his discharge from your Medanta Medicity!) he would be again on his mission for a strong Jan Lokapl Bill. As he said: the battle is only 50% won! To think that the task towards achieving the other 50% would be smooth now, as the political class has “woken up” to the reality that India needs change, is a bit naïve. Anna will have to continue his protest and sustain his self-led India Against Corruption fight along with his esteemed Team Anna and his millions of supporters – Annas! - all over the country and abroad. But one thing is clear: This time India will ensure that the Change comes - and fast! Else, Anna will fast again! ;)

I don’t have to be Paul The Octopus to predict this: if Indian politicians still fail to see the change in public mood towards them, they are going to become irrelevant soon. The foolishly arrogant attitude that they demonstrated so shamelessly for so long will have to be shed. Hubris will not take them far anymore. If they do not embrace the desired Change, then they would get changed. But the process of Change will not stop; in fact the Catalyst for Change has just got activated …

Anna, Gandhiji is smiling up there J

.……….

India's Tryst with Destiny

On this day when India turns 65 being an Independent country, it is suggested to every Indian to go through our first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's magnificent speech made in the Constituent Assembly (now Parliament) and ponder if we are worthy of this hard fought freedom and if we still need to put in a lot to not only protect it but improve upon India's position as an independent and Democratic country:

"Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially.

At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.

It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.

At the dawn of history India started on her unending quest, and trackless centuries are filled with her striving and the grandeur of her success and her failures. Through good and ill fortune alike she has never lost sight of that quest or forgotten the ideals which gave her strength. We end today a period of ill fortune and India discovers herself again.

The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the greater triumphs and achievements that await us. Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?

Freedom and power bring responsibility. The responsibility rests upon this assembly, a sovereign body representing the sovereign people of India. Before the birth of freedom we have endured all the pains of labour and our hearts are heavy with the memory of this sorrow. Some of those pains continue even now. Nevertheless, the past is over and it is the future that beckons to us now.

That future is not one of ease or resting but of incessant striving so that we may fulfil the pledges we have so often taken and the one we shall take today. The service of India means the service of the millions who suffer. It means the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity.

The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye. That may be beyond us, but as long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be over.

And so we have to labour and to work, and work hard, to give reality to our dreams. Those dreams are for India, but they are also for the world, for all the nations and peoples are too closely knit together today for anyone of them to imagine that it can live apart.

Peace has been said to be indivisible; so is freedom, so is prosperity now, and so also is disaster in this one world that can no longer be split into isolated fragments.

To the people of India, whose representatives we are, we make an appeal to join us with faith and confidence in this great adventure. This is no time for petty and destructive criticism, no time for ill will or blaming others. We have to build the noble mansion of free India where all her children may dwell.

The appointed day has come - the day appointed by destiny - and India stands forth again, after long slumber and struggle, awake, vital, free and independent. The past clings on to us still in some measure and we have to do much before we redeem the pledges we have so often taken. Yet the turning point is past, and history begins anew for us, the history which we shall live and act and others will write about.

It is a fateful moment for us in India, for all Asia and for the world. A new star rises, the star of freedom in the east, a new hope comes into being, a vision long cherished materialises. May the star never set and that hope never be betrayed!

We rejoice in that freedom, even though clouds surround us, and many of our people are sorrow-stricken and difficult problems encompass us. But freedom brings responsibilities and burdens and we have to face them in the spirit of a free and disciplined people.

On this day our first thoughts go to the architect of this freedom, the father of our nation, who, embodying the old spirit of India, held aloft the torch of freedom and lighted up the darkness that surrounded us.

We have often been unworthy followers of his and have strayed from his message, but not only we but succeeding generations will remember this message and bear the imprint in their hearts of this great son of India, magnificent in his faith and strength and courage and humility. We shall never allow that torch of freedom to be blown out, however high the wind or stormy the tempest.

Our next thoughts must be of the unknown volunteers and soldiers of freedom who, without praise or reward, have served India even unto death.

We think also of our brothers and sisters who have been cut off from us by political boundaries and who unhappily cannot share at present in the freedom that has come. They are of us and will remain of us whatever may happen, and we shall be sharers in their good and ill fortune alike.

The future beckons to us. Whither do we go and what shall be our endeavour? To bring freedom and opportunity to the common man, to the peasants and workers of India; to fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, and to create social, economic and political institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman.

We have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any one of us till we redeem our pledge in full, till we make all the people of India what destiny intended them to be.

We are citizens of a great country, on the verge of bold advance, and we have to live up to that high standard. All of us, to whatever religion we may belong, are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges and obligations. We cannot encourage communalism or narrow-mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought or in action.

To the nations and peoples of the world we send greetings and pledge ourselves to cooperate with them in furthering peace, freedom and democracy.

And to India, our much-loved motherland, the ancient, the eternal and the ever-new, we pay our reverent homage and we bind ourselves afresh to her service. Jai Hind ! :)"

Happy Independence Day to all Indians :)

India, simply shun Aarakshun!

It is frustrating to see politicians once again trying to create divide between people and shockingly these are the same politicians who claim to be social guardian of “their” people, the same set of people who unfortunately still live with the stigma of belonging to the most cruelly and crudely defined strata of society called as “lower castes”. This drama of banning a film without even watching it and all being done to further solidify their claim to be the representatives – self proclaimed, of course – is a gross exploitation of still unformed emotions of perhaps the most underprivileged section of the society.

I wonder why people fail to understand the design of these self-focused myopic politicians. Why don’t these underprivileged people instead demand from their so-called representatives to provide them with equal opportunities to education so that they too could compete at similar levels on merits with all others in a flat field? Why do they get carried away by shameless stoking of their fragile sentiments by mean political creatures? Why don’t they ask the governments to build adequate and quality schools and colleges instead of crying for reservations?

Because by doing so they let the governments go scot free and give them an easy escape route from their responsibilities towards providing for basic infrastructure for supporting fundamental things, education being of the utmost importance. We all know that whatever anybody is today in this world is because of his/her education primarily. And I truly believe that education is the only way by which not only we can eradicate this millennia old ailment from Indian society but also build a progressive society with dignity for all living being irrespective of one’s so called family of birth.

I simply say: India has to shun Aarakshun! ...