News Desk: Media, which has played a significant role in spreading the anti-graft movement launched by Anna Hazare, also never spared to criticise the process of the crusade across the nation analysing the time to time development in the recent days.

Rajdeep Sardesai, the Editor-in-Chief of ibn18 Network that includes CNN IBN, IBN 7 and IBN lokmat, has recently written a letter to the Gandhian describing both the positive and negative aspect of his recent fast as well as the real scenario of the movement that shook the Indian Parliament.


Rajdeep is certainly impressed with the way Anna launched his protest against corruption that took a form of the second national movement. However, he suspects on the cerain kind of development in the society that does not sound good and raise many questions.


He applauds for the achievement what we call people's victory, he also praises Anna, who has brought the government to its knees, encouraged millions to take their protests on streets against corruption, and ignited the spirit among millions in India where wealth is the sole presiding deity and re-establishing the great Marathas to conquer Delhi. But he suspects that the recent development should not further destroy faith in parliamentary democracy.


In his letter, Rajeep equally compared Anna with Gandhi, the greatest Indian of them all. However, Anna is a bit different from Gandhi when it comes to fast. He said, Anna might be inspired by Gandhi's non-violence policy. But Gandhi was never on fast unto death by refusing medication. He said, "For Gandhi, the idea of fasting was a form of self-purification, a fast could not be undertaken, as he said, out of anger. Anger is a short-term madness."


Rajdeep wanted to justify that Anna's fast was out of anger to achieve the goal-Jan Lokpal Bill. Even the anger was found on the streets. The protest was no doubt in a peaceful manner. But the non-violent movement indicates one thing which Dr. Ambedkar had described a fast unto death as, by the "grammar of anarchy".


According to the media personality, the development in last 48 hours of the recent movement speaks a different story. The signs are the threat to the democracy. The way the protesters gheraoed the residences of the MPs and Ministers even the Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh, is not doubt appealing, but it leaves an impression of a common man that 'sab neta chor hai' (all politicians are corrupt), which would destroy faith in parliamentary democracy.


Exemplifying few incidents, Rajdeep said that the credibility of Anna's struggle was on the edge when few people were indulged in crime shouting "I am Anna". Few days ago one of his colleagues was beaten by a drunkard in the heart of the capital. He was waving Tricolour and chanting 'I am Anna' slogans.


Analysing the numbers of the protesters at Ramlila Maidan, he wrote that Ramlila is not Mumbai's Azad Maidan nor the village square in Ralegan Siddhi, nor the battle was to stop anti-social from setting up liquor shops. The battle was against corruption and he had raised certain agendas that require negotiation not slogans. He was surprised to see gangster Abu Salem's girlfriend Monica Bedi had joined the protest on Mumbai's streets wearing Anna cap.


Movement is also all about compromise not only the firmness. He said, "Gandhi himself often spoke of the beauty of compromise". But Anna forced the government to accept most of his demands, which is no doubt a great achievement for him.


However, it has to be noted that the government had initially committed mistakes with its tough attitude right from Anna's arrest and rejection of the key demands at all-party-meeting, which looked like a drama over the past 12 days.


Finally, the government agreed to hold a debate on the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Parliament, then accepted all his demands. Anna might have been hurt by the government's tough attitude, but Anna should be much liberal and show a bigger heart than the tainted people. Of course, people of India won and Anna was a big force for the victory. But the Team should not celebrate the achievement or prestige they earned in the recent days due to Anna.


Rajdeep said that this is a time for practicality, not prestige. He should ask the government to call for a special session of Parliament in six to eight weeks for the Lok Pal Bill so that a strong Bill would be a Diwali gift to the nation.


Earlier, Rajdeep had described India is not Anna, nor is Anna India. But Anna is now an icon for millions, who dared to bring a revolution.

 

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