Anna-in and out

Anna Hazare-in and out

Sri.Anna Hazare is a relatively little known Gandhian  till a few months back when he undertook a fast to root out corruption and for enacting a comprehensive Lok Pal  Bill to bring to book corrupt politicians and bureaucrats. The Central Government has succeeded in making him a cult figure by bungling and blundering at every stage.

First, they made him end his fast by giving all sorts of assurances making him believe that all his views will be incorporated in the Lok Pal Bill which has been delayed by nearly four decades.

Then they introduced a toothless Bill which excluded from its purview various categories of people including the Prime Minister and the judiciary.

When this was not acceptable to him and all sections of people who want to root out corruption at all levels, instead of calling him and other people for a discussion and arriving at a legislation acceptable to all, they started calling him names and threw challenges at him.

When he again announced an indefinite fast   the Government in desperation dug up some old files and threw corruption charges against him which was not swallowed by anybody.

One senior Minister made an absurd statement that Parliament is the supreme body and when a legislation is introduced in Parliament , it has to be discussed only there and not outside. Applying this logic, if Parliament unanimously enacts a legislation legalizing corruption, can it not be opposed by anybody outside Parliament?

Another ridiculous argument was that indefinite fast amounts to attempt to suicide which is a cognizable offence and cannot be allowed, thus ridiculing one of the major weapons in Gandhiji’s armour in his war for independence.

Finally, when the D-day drew near, they threw caution to the winds and threw him in Tihar Jail(along  with Raja and co)throwing all democratic norms to winds. They could have achieved some semblance of respectability  at least if they had stuck to their guns. But when the groundswell of protests grew to alarming proportions they had to eat a humble pie and order his release thus highlighting their total inefficiency in handling the matter and showing how thoughtless unplanned their actions are.

 In the Lok Sabha, which,the Government claims,is sacrosanct, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister make contradictory statements regarding the circumstances leading to the order for his release showing the utter lack of co-ordination in the functioning of the Government.

The funniest part of the whole story is the Government is now begging him with folded hands to come out of jail agreeing to almost all his conditions thus making a complete 180 degree turn