Baba Ramdev and his 5-star Satyagraha!

The setting was perfect: Ramlila Ground, therefore, it had to be high drama by the protagonist along with his protesters! …

The desire for a pie in the Anti-Corruption Movement was so intense inBaba Ramdev that no sooner Anna Hazare wound up at Jantar Mantar, the politically ambitious Baba Ramdev announced his “fast-unto-death” campaign against black money. It was bound to be interesting to see theYoga guru add another chapter to India’s crusade against corruption. There was never any doubt about his ability to mobilize his supporters - he has them in abundance - to force the Indian government to enact laws to bring back the massive amount of ill gotten money stashed away in foreign banks and tax havens abroad. Like Anna, he too was bound to get relentless media coverage. Interesting, however, was also the probable response of the Indian public to a new episode of Dharna-in-Delhi; also important was to see the handling capabilities of the government. (The issue, nevertheless, is that a stubbornly arrogant Indian government does not relent till it is forced to do so – like Anna did.) And the outcome of Baba’s so-called fast turned out to be exactly what I had envisaged!

With great difficulty Anna Hazare had succeeded in waking up the perennially sleeping Indians to stand up for their country; in my living memory it was for the first time that Indians had come out in full force to fight against corruption. It was heartening to see an average Indian - who has been otherwise quite comfortable with his/her corruption surrounded existence – adopt the word“crusade” in his/her vocabulary of daily living.

Then came Baba with a clear mission to hijack people’s platform in order to further his political aspirations – though he vehemently denies this charge. And thus the country witnessed a new look crusade being staged in an air-conditioned ambiance – all with public money snatched forcibly by Baba’s menin name of providing comforts to the congregating protesters in a “hot” Delhi!

More bizarre was the manner in which the government of India attempted to tackle it. First it tried to woo Baba by rushing senior ministers – including the finance minister! - as soon he alighted from his private jet at the Delhi airport. It seemed of be greatly wary of the sheer number of his followers. When the placating policy failed, it tried to strike a secret deal with him in the setting of a plush 5-star hotel and succeeded in getting a hand written assurance from him to stop his agitation. Baba, not satisfied with the attention he had got so far, tried to garner as much political mileage out of the event as possible and thus took au-turn on his words and decided to continue his protest. In response, when the government tried to convince the country of the patch-up by waving his letter in a press conference, Baba levied charges on the government and called it a “liar”which, as we all know by now, did not go down too well with it. Police was sent to chase away the protesters with a midnight crackdown. The scene became hugely chaotic with Media broadcasting live the mayhem. Sleeping people were forcefully evicted and even Baba was forced to flee the ground in disguise. The political theater, famously called the Theatre of the Absurds, was at it best!

By using force on peaceful protesters – though no one was injured with mild lathi-charge and tear gas shells – the government with its highly unimaginative move has inadvertently relinquished its grace and moral rights to be a proponent of aam-aadmi, and has allowed Baba to seize the opportunity to garner unwarranted credence for his campaign. And the scene of drama has shifted to Haridwar for now, with his followers openly supporting “the person” and not “the cause”. In addition, the saffron brigade hooking onto the bandwagon and trying to give it a communal hue is the most disturbing aspect. If left unchecked, it has the potential to scuttle Anna’s movement and provide chances to unscrupulous to gain undue advantages by exploiting gullible population’s sentiments.

Though in a country where corruption had long back ceased to make any“news” till Team Anna shook them up from their siesta, a hugely popular figure like Baba Ramdev taking up the cause of corruption could have strengthened civil society’s crusade, if only his intentions were genuine. On the contrary, Baba’s 5-star campaign has in fact rendered the term impotent, though temporarily. The legitimacy of the agitation has become doubtful. The seriousness of the purpose which is always the driving force behind all such movements looks to have got diluted in Baba’s case completely.

To say the least, I am happy at the developments.

I was never comfortable with Baba Ramdev’s foray into the “movement” area because his credibility as a serious campaigner for country’s cause was always a big question mark. To me he seemed to be an opportunist who wanted to ride the wave of public support and garner a footing in the political landscape of the country. I never believed him when ever he tried to proclaim his so-called detachment to politics in spite of floating a political party, his so-called philanthropic effort to cleanse the country of corruption. His claim to the cause as a co-crusader seemed illegitimate as he is known to have amassed massive wealth the sources of which are still unknown. And then his attempt at redefining the way to conduct a campaign: 5-star Satyagraha! I am sure Mahatma Gandhi must be amused up there!

The contrast between Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev could not have been starker!

Though I do not believe in public display of sentiments, nevertheless, I pledge my full support to Team Anna and promise to be on fast in solidarity – at home and in office due to professional compulsions – the next time they embark on their fast protest for the Lokpal Bill. …

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P.S.: Let’s not forget that in today’s times of crusades, the one entity which deserves the maximum credit for initializing it in India is the Media, especiallyArnab Goswami at Times Now who with his courageous campaigns against corruption forced the government to relent and act and inspired the activists like Anna Hazare! …

Anna, India is with you in your fast-unto-death-of-corruption! And we love your Annagiri!

Today I feel proud as an Indian. Because today I believe that we Indians can stand up, stand up for ourselves. It’s always frustrating and annoying to see India hugely comfortable with everything corroding the very foundations of our great nation – corruption being the most corrosive of all malaise. But today I am sensing an assurance about the scent of change having reached our shores, finally, and that we will see the Change we want.

And the credit is Anna Hazare’s! It is immensely satisfying to see Indians, young Indians especially, respond to Anna’s call of fight against corruption and be with him, in real space and time and in the virtual domain as well. From Jantar Mantar in Delhi to Facebook, Twitter and Blogs in the social media, Indian youth is pledging support to this modern day Mahatma. And whoever said Gandhigiri was dead and ineffective in today’s times should see Anna reinvent it for India once again as Annagiri!

Only a couple of months back, 27^th Jan’11 to be precise, I had expressed my views on “India Poised for Revolution??? It is High Time …”. It was upon seeing India’s and Indian Media’s shocking indifference to the then ongoing movement in Tunisia and Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle-East.

Without repeating my views, I simply put the link here in case you want to read my point of view.

http://anjuchandel.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/india-poised-for-revolution-its-high-time/

Nevertheless, I would like to enumerate a few important points.

First, the current activism against corruption in India is direct fallout of the success of Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions. I am happy that the unfolding events in the Middle East could succeed in inspiring us Indians - finally. And we are indebted to “India Against Corruption” campaign coupled with Anna Hazare’s peaceful protest in form of fast.

It was the success of people’s revolution in Egypt and Tunisia and the revolt in Libya besides in Bahrain, Yemen and elsewhere that ignited minds of a few credible social activists like Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi and the germination of the “idea of revolution” in form of a forum called “India Against Corruption”. The support to this initiative was huge and immediate – on Facebook especially, which, frankly, was a bit surprising to me as I had always believed that Indians lacked the spine to stand for themselves and their country.

Second, the role of Indian Media has to be given its due credit. The fact that Anna Hazare’s “fast-unto-death” protest has become such a hit and has created such a sensation and furor in the political and public arena is because the Indian media – television in particular – took it up wholeheartedly. Through their non-stop coverage, Media is once again reiterating its own campaign against cancerous corruption.

Do not forget that the real crusade against the chronic gangrene called corruption was in effect initiated by Time Now’s shocking exposes about monumental levels of wrongdoings in the Commonwealth Games preparations which had the maximum impact. The channel sustained its relentless and fearless coverage in spite of immense pressure from all “concerned” to stop it from doing the same. The actual credit at Times Now – rather in the Media – of course, is of Arnab Goswami’s who has been the real crusader who spearheaded the media movement against corruption with his sheer courage. His forceful ways led the other Media houses to adopt his ways of news reporting which started a viral in “nail the corrupt” campaigns on various news channels. I greatly admire his guts to take the all powerful systems head on and put enough pressure on the government to ACT through his relevant and strong debates.

And to all those courage-less cynics who are maliciously labeling the increasing uproar as "media created" drama, that I am proud of my Media as they are doing just what they are supposed to do: act as the 4th Estate of our functional Democracy!

Thus, to tell truthfully, I have full faith in the fact that Anna’s movement will continue to gain momentum and will become so big and inclusive and encompassing that the otherwise deliberately deaf-dumb government will feel its serious heat soon. In fact it has already started being felt. Sharad Pawar had to step down from the GoM on corruption. However, it is just an eyewash but not insignificant, to say the least. He should, as Anna said, resign from the ministry as well because only a few cabinet members can match him in managing corruption to suit his personal gains! And not only him; all politicians – ministers or not a minister yet – are utterly corrupt and, therefore, do not have the moral right to be on the panel. The forum has to have credible civil society members from all walks of life.

But what is perplexing is the foolish attitude of the government of India towards handling this issue. Their defiance is going to further and seriously erode whatever credibility they are left with. In stead of sounding and acting arrogant, the GOI should have immediately called a cabinet meeting and would have constituted a special committee inviting Anna Hazare – rather met him at the Jantar Mantar – and his fellow revolutionaries for sincere and honest discussions, leading to final drafting of the Lokpal Bill. Special session of the Parliament should have been called and the Bill should have been passed. Because, one thing is written on the wall: there is no going back now; Lokpal Bill has to be finalized in the required manner and passed ASAP.

Finally, to repeat myself, I feel proud of my India today because finally we have woken up against the gangrene of corruption. And we have Anna Hazare to thank for waking up a historically and perennially sleeping India from its comfort-cocoon as far as corruption is concerned. From being labeled as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, we have to demonstrate that we are capable of cleansing the systems including our physical system – remember, it is infamously said that corruption has got embedded in the DNA of Indians!

I am 100% sure that Anna's crusade will become watershed in rewriting India's destiny. And Jantar Mantar, as is being said, has already become India's Tahrir Square. We just have to sustain our steam and free India of all its ills. Its time ...

It’s time the GOI also woke up to the harsh political and social realities and listen to the growing chorus of India against corruption and forgo its inability coupled with unwillingness to handle this situation with integrity and honesty. Otherwise, they will repent soon because India is not going to take their corruption-tainted autocratic and arrogant ways anymore. We will take this crusade against corruption to its final conclusion. After all, we have the fundamental right to a corruption-free life!

It’s time for Change, Change towards a corruption-free India! … From being an “Invertebrate India” we have to reclaim being an “Incredible India”!

It’s Time …

Anna, carry on your fast-unto-death-of-corruption! India is with you, Anna J