Anna does not equal to Gandhi.
Team Anna Hazare and many others are comparing this anti-corruption protest with the FREEDOM FIGHT against Britishers. Let us just think and assess. If we consider the Britishers as the ruling entity, let us consider the Government of India in the same context (mind well, there is no similarity in attitude, intensions and actions of these two). So both of the entities are the receivers of the protest.
PROTEST FOR WHAT:
Freedom | Anti-Corruption |
Freedom fight was the protest against Britishers who were outsiders and they were exceptionally insensible and unjust towards the people and the country. The expected outcome was FREEDOM, may be the issue of highest rank for a country and countrymen. Very serious protest! | Fight against corruption is an issue within our own country and receiving rulers are the Government of India which is also our own, a Government which is elected (and not imposed) by us. This is not the sole point to be made to justify the Government’s action. This is just a mandatory and factual assumption. The issues are very serious to but smaller than the fight of freedom. |
Freedom fight was a one point agenda and was the sole issue for which the entire nation has one voice, one belief. Fight against corruption is not the sole agenda of the country, countrymen or the Government of India to tackle and to deal with. Corruption is one of the major issues along with inflation, poverty, human rights, communal harmony, terrorism and many others. Yes, it could be a one point agenda for Anna Hazare and team as they have decided to concentrate to work in that one sole area. Appreciated! No complains for that.
So, there is a huge difference between the CAUSE of FIGHT in terms of seriousness and size.
PROTEST WHY:
Freedom | Anti-Corruption |
A century long battle with Britishers was not an overnight product of mere dissatisfaction of people. The chronic penetration of British rule in each corner of India was a long drawn pain. Inhuman conditions and the heights of tolerances were encountered before it burst out into a historical protest to win our own freedom. Only if we consider Gandhi’s return to India (in 1915) as an actual trigger point of Indian struggle for independence, it took 32 more years to actually get the freedom. The reason is already justified here and now but the reasons for Anna’s protest have to be drawn. | Not before the beginning of 2011, Anna Hazare took the baton of Jan LokPal Bill in his hands. On March 13, 2011, a group of Delhi Residents drove around the city in white clothes to support anti-corruption campaign and passing the Jan LokPal Bill. And the original protest of Anna (as he calls it a Satyagraha) began on April 5, 2011. Within 5 months, Anna, his team and some other people have started comparing it with the half-century long, exceptionally sacrificial struggle of freedom. Neither the objective nor the reasons are anywhere near to the freedom struggle of India. |
PROTEST HOW:
What triggered this article is the song of Jan LokPal Bill (http://soundcloud.com/avnish-avi/lokpal-song-india-against-corruption) forwarded by one my colleagues – Arpan. The actual soulful meaning of the protest was being felt while listening to this song. It reminded the way songs were written while India’s freedom struggle.
Freedom | Anti-Corruption |
Despite of intolerable conditions and despite of being the victims of most unjust incidents of the history, people were creative, artistic, full of heart and so much in the actual mood of protest. Most of them hardly held agony, hatred and negativity against Britishers. Rather they had a deep faith in those humans who lived within those Britishers as well. FAITH is the key when something is expected from someone. | With the least faith, bitter mind set, harsh statements, stubborn and agitated approach – this team of Anna Hazare is expecting overnight law from the bill which has been lying there from 1960. Taking an advantage of this agitation, opposition has jeopardized the Parliamentary sessions. All these may sound theoretical but Parliament is the most important place of country’s politics and it is the most important time when the sessions are held to discuss bills, issues and problems of the country. Not letting it function is not going to help anyone! |
If Government did not accept the draft of Anna, there could have been rallies in all over the country. Peaceful marches could have take place, with such beautiful songs which could wittily and sensibly bring in more and importantly fundamentally strong support to this protest. Current support to Anna has no soul. It’s a temporary, comfy and situational support. Anna negotiating the length of fast doesn’t make any sense. When in the life, did we hear about the length of fast being negotiated? This is also an entirely different debate.
There is the least similarity between the fight for freedom and fight against corruption. Comparing it with the emergency situation is also irrational. There are many other activists who are fighting for many such causes on state level, going into remote villages who also have practiced fasting, protested, blocked roads – they also have been arrested, kept in custody and released.
People not knowing the battles and struggles within their own home, want to romantically support Anna Hazare and wear ‘Topi’s. Thanks to Media and thanks to the money Anna and team is having who can stage such big events. Same size of events and protests have been taking place within Gujarat for various serious reasons including the protests against nuclear plants, unjust land distribution and natural resource protection. They don’t have 1.5 crore rupees to build a Steven Spielberg fasting stage.