"ANNA CHARTERS A NEW PATH"
Now, that Anna Hazare has decided to disband his team and form a political party the nation can expect a corrupt-free system.
The fight against corruption by Anna Hazare reached a predictable conclusion this month. The newspaper reports that Anna has decided to disband his team should not be misconstrued as his weakness. Anna’s fan following is genuine. People swarming to where he sat on fast — be it Ramlila Maidan or Jantar Mantar — was there for all to see on news channels.
The masses, in their own way, support Anna’s crusade against corruption. We have all somewhere down the line paid our way through to get the work done. Whether it is a `10 bribe to a MCD sweeper to clean the street in front of our house or `1,000 to get a driving license without any hassle or paying the tout to get a confirmed train ticket. Anna’s message touched the hearts of each Indian. The reason he has become so popular is because he gave hope of a corrupt-free nation.
I, too, have paid bribes many times to get the work done. It is referred to as jugaad. To be jugaadu is good. It would be difficult to survive if one was not jugaadu. Though many people despise themselves, get angry and frustrated that they had to stoop to such levels, the truth is that nothing moves in this country unless one shows the Government babus the colour of money. It doesn’t matter whether one is a businessman or a man on the streets, all need a jugaad.
But why do we need it? Of course, to reach the top and then to maintain that position. In my opinion a survivor is (read jugaadu) is a person who knows where and how to pull his contacts to his advantage.
Now, when Anna has announced his intent to enter politics he will realise how difficult it is to survive in a system which is corrupt from top to bottom. One needs to be thick skinned to not let reality affect you. It is said that politics is the best business today. It is not a State secret that almost all political parties have a backing from business houses. Anna may find it difficult to head a political party on just fight against corruption tag.
Anna’s call for a non-corrupt nation is what every Indian wants. But to run a system that is clean will take decades to achieve. Anna may lay the foundation but where is the guarantee that the people who succeed him would be just as committed to the cause as he is?
Even for Anna it would be an uphill task. One would need to educate each voter. The media can play an important role here. But it is the youth which needs to be educated properly. If Anna can even get eight MPs in the Lok Sabha he can make a big difference. After all, if Sharad Pawar with nine MPs can hold the UPA to ransom, why can’t Anna become a king-maker. At least, he would work for the betterment of the common man.
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