The Hindustan Times of October 7, 2011, carried the supposedly breaking news item that RSS admitted that it had a role to play in the recent antics of Anna Hazare (AH) on the front page. This can mean one of two things: Indians are so devoid of cynicism that they thought this theatre production had no political angels supporting it. Or, it could have also been that the paper misjudged the capabilities of the Indian public to read between the lines. For no other reason could this non-news have found its way onto the front page, right next to the news of the death of Steve Jobs.
This gets me to AH’s pending call to the electorate not to vote for Congress should the government not pass his Lokpal bill in the Winter Session of the parliament. Team Anna (TA) had also adjudged the Indian voting public to be cynicism-challenged. Unfortunately for the team, I do have a double dose of looking around the corners, into the Green Room, and be generally suspicious of the “do-gooders”. And, I have a few questions.
Is TA looking to eradicate corruption or is the drama a mere ego trip for the players, to have its Lokpal bill become law of the land? If it is the former and if its clarion call is responded to positively, what are the possibilities? Let us focus on UP.
BSP may come to power with a thumpinger majority (level of corruption cannot go through the roof, as there ain’t no roof). Or, SP may steal the thunder. Perhaps even BJP may have a chance to slip through. And, indeed, any of the other outfits may also fancy their chances. But, not one of these parties is corruption-free. Please note that I am reckoning corruption exclusively in the reigning currency of corruption, favors granted by politicians and bureaucrats but at a cost. Then, voting against Congress is not going to help in the fight against corruption. Then, why did AH say what he did say? The cynic wants to know.
Before going to the second question, I would take a detour. Anna’s Apologists (AA) came on the scene. AA seems to have implied that AH was sort of badgered by the media and he really did not mean the statement to come out as it did, against the Congress party. It was also pointed out that AH and TA will be going around the poll-bound states and appealing to the electorate to vote for “clean” people. AH too seems to have repeated this shibboleth. Perhaps, the plea may contain a note of further caution when that “clean” candidate is a Congressman.
But a newspaper report in today’s paper seems to give the lie to the above slimy spin offerings. A CD containing AH’s message that the Congress candidate must be shunned in the upcoming byelection in Haryana (Hisar) is doing the rounds. Quite specific the demand is, it appears. AA must be scurrying around to get some spin worked up on this.
The second question is, if the dramatics were the consequences of fireworks of the ego, whose ego are we talking about? Was it of Kapil Sibal, Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram and/or the other minions of the ruling party? Or, of AH? Or, perhaps of TA? There is enough blame to go around, particularly if you include AA.
Thirdly, if enactment of the Lokpal bill is the be all and end all of the drama, who will be held responsible for the failure of the efforts to end corruption?
The Lokpal Bill must fail (Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Must, Jesus Must, Jesus Must Die rings in my ears). Corruption has been too deeply entrenched and too powerfully supported by civil society to be so easily eradicated, by a mere law. This is not a Cassandraesque sentiment. It is the eternal truth, attested by Jesus’s challenge for the blameless person to cast the first stone.
It cannot be the case that the Congress party can be held responsible, because it is not its bill, its law. The bill is the property of TA, and the law, that of the nation. Did AH fail the nation or the nation, him? It must be both.
I indeed look forward to a weak Lokpal bill becoming the law of the land. Then, I would enjoy the spinning AAs enact Scene 3 of Act II, following Scene 2, Act II by TA and Scene 1, Act II of AH. This would be an endless drama. There will be enough breathing room for any number of political angels to stage this scenario, fully developed.
Raghuram Ekambaram
This gets me to AH’s pending call to the electorate not to vote for Congress should the government not pass his Lokpal bill in the Winter Session of the parliament. Team Anna (TA) had also adjudged the Indian voting public to be cynicism-challenged. Unfortunately for the team, I do have a double dose of looking around the corners, into the Green Room, and be generally suspicious of the “do-gooders”. And, I have a few questions.
Is TA looking to eradicate corruption or is the drama a mere ego trip for the players, to have its Lokpal bill become law of the land? If it is the former and if its clarion call is responded to positively, what are the possibilities? Let us focus on UP.
BSP may come to power with a thumpinger majority (level of corruption cannot go through the roof, as there ain’t no roof). Or, SP may steal the thunder. Perhaps even BJP may have a chance to slip through. And, indeed, any of the other outfits may also fancy their chances. But, not one of these parties is corruption-free. Please note that I am reckoning corruption exclusively in the reigning currency of corruption, favors granted by politicians and bureaucrats but at a cost. Then, voting against Congress is not going to help in the fight against corruption. Then, why did AH say what he did say? The cynic wants to know.
Before going to the second question, I would take a detour. Anna’s Apologists (AA) came on the scene. AA seems to have implied that AH was sort of badgered by the media and he really did not mean the statement to come out as it did, against the Congress party. It was also pointed out that AH and TA will be going around the poll-bound states and appealing to the electorate to vote for “clean” people. AH too seems to have repeated this shibboleth. Perhaps, the plea may contain a note of further caution when that “clean” candidate is a Congressman.
But a newspaper report in today’s paper seems to give the lie to the above slimy spin offerings. A CD containing AH’s message that the Congress candidate must be shunned in the upcoming byelection in Haryana (Hisar) is doing the rounds. Quite specific the demand is, it appears. AA must be scurrying around to get some spin worked up on this.
The second question is, if the dramatics were the consequences of fireworks of the ego, whose ego are we talking about? Was it of Kapil Sibal, Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram and/or the other minions of the ruling party? Or, of AH? Or, perhaps of TA? There is enough blame to go around, particularly if you include AA.
Thirdly, if enactment of the Lokpal bill is the be all and end all of the drama, who will be held responsible for the failure of the efforts to end corruption?
The Lokpal Bill must fail (Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Must, Jesus Must, Jesus Must Die rings in my ears). Corruption has been too deeply entrenched and too powerfully supported by civil society to be so easily eradicated, by a mere law. This is not a Cassandraesque sentiment. It is the eternal truth, attested by Jesus’s challenge for the blameless person to cast the first stone.
It cannot be the case that the Congress party can be held responsible, because it is not its bill, its law. The bill is the property of TA, and the law, that of the nation. Did AH fail the nation or the nation, him? It must be both.
I indeed look forward to a weak Lokpal bill becoming the law of the land. Then, I would enjoy the spinning AAs enact Scene 3 of Act II, following Scene 2, Act II by TA and Scene 1, Act II of AH. This would be an endless drama. There will be enough breathing room for any number of political angels to stage this scenario, fully developed.
Raghuram Ekambaram
9 comments:
Yes, Raghuram, AH is showing his real colours now. Perhaps, soon he will say it more explicitly: Vote only for BJP!
Thanks Matheikal; I am waiting for the day the AAs will admit they had been taken for a ride. I don't think that would ever happen though.
But, should your speculation come through, I wonder how the public at large will take it. THAT would be an interesting sociological experiment in itself. But TA, even if AH is not, is too smart for that to happen, I think; even with the backdrop of Karnataka and Uttarakhand.
Raghuram Ekambaram
Actually I am supporting Anna Hazare getting into the election campaigning mode. A tough election campaign in a state like UP will expose his and TA limitations. I think he will get away in Hisar with flying colors more due to Congress bunglings in Harayana.
When you acronym him as AH, are you not debasing a vital organ in the body :P?
On second thoughts, if Anna Hazare becomes a thing of the past, my blogs would suffer a lot in terms of content :d
Leave it up to you Balu to expose my limitations of imagination. AH? HA!!!!
I am not quite so aware of the haryana poll details. But, whatever it is, after this neither HA or TA can claim to be politically neutral.
Raghuram Ekambaram
I think we need people like AH..
not withstanding all that you have said;this is a beginning of a move towards minimizing corruption.. whatever be the nature of drama let this lead to some thing good.
I am all for that DS sir ... but one must allow that his share of the credit for bringing in the required changes must be severely discounted because of his antics. I hope you agree.
Raghuram Ekambaram
Raghu, if you understand Hindi, 'is hamam me saare nange hai'...in this public bath, everybody is naked.
TA comprise ambitious self-important dictatorial people,who believe in my-way or high-way principle...the movement has already lost momentum. Hope some good can be salvaged.
Thanks Aditi; sensing the nakedness of TA, was it so difficult? It was not for me, and I believe it was not for you either.
There are better ways to bring about lasting changes.
Raghuram Ekambaram
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