What is unique contribution of of Anna Hazare and its team to Indian Polity and Society.
First, this is the first movement in free India that has no demand of its own interest group that is clashing with establishment. It has, so far declared that it has no intention to topple the estblishment or get hold of establishment.
So far all movements were like lower entity demanding some thing from bigger entity. But Anna Hazare is saying we (people ) are supreme and Parliament or elected member being our agent must fulfill our order or wishes. It is challanging supremacy of Parliament. This is new concept and have far reaching cosequences.
Another uniqueness is that tactically or intellectully Anna's team seems to be more competent then Manmohan's team. Reason may be due to structural differences of two teams and role they have to play. Team Anna can /could demand and say anything but in response team Manmohan had to respond keeping in mind all provisions of constitution (and more so demand of vested interst groups).
Whether he is right or their demand that only his Janlokpal Bill ,as it is , be passed in Parliament are just or not are debatable. But this has to be seen or judged in the context that, we are asking politiation as a group to commit sucide (to do some thing that is against their own vested interest) and so their delaying and diluting techniques. How far Anna will suceed ?. Only future can tell.
Can movement of Anna sustain momentum ?. It is big question. It require fund and mass support. To do this, how many honest person are available and willing to contrubute their time and money.
But one thing clear Anna has high risk taking capacity. Without entering in to election poltics his team , to some extent has affected election in Hissar. It has hit hard the political Party where it hurts most, defeat in election.
As over the years Indian Politics has shifted from caste and religion plolitics to development politics. If Anna's movement can show that clean politics is possible then it can be said Anna succeesed where Mahatama Gandhi failed.
Last but not the least how far, absence of Sonia Gandhi (at critical juncture) contrubuted to success of Movement. Can not say but there was clear lack of direction in Govt team. Further it exposed Rahul Gandhi , and established that he is still not capable of shuoldering higher responsibility.
First, this is the first movement in free India that has no demand of its own interest group that is clashing with establishment. It has, so far declared that it has no intention to topple the estblishment or get hold of establishment.
So far all movements were like lower entity demanding some thing from bigger entity. But Anna Hazare is saying we (people ) are supreme and Parliament or elected member being our agent must fulfill our order or wishes. It is challanging supremacy of Parliament. This is new concept and have far reaching cosequences.
Another uniqueness is that tactically or intellectully Anna's team seems to be more competent then Manmohan's team. Reason may be due to structural differences of two teams and role they have to play. Team Anna can /could demand and say anything but in response team Manmohan had to respond keeping in mind all provisions of constitution (and more so demand of vested interst groups).
Whether he is right or their demand that only his Janlokpal Bill ,as it is , be passed in Parliament are just or not are debatable. But this has to be seen or judged in the context that, we are asking politiation as a group to commit sucide (to do some thing that is against their own vested interest) and so their delaying and diluting techniques. How far Anna will suceed ?. Only future can tell.
Can movement of Anna sustain momentum ?. It is big question. It require fund and mass support. To do this, how many honest person are available and willing to contrubute their time and money.
But one thing clear Anna has high risk taking capacity. Without entering in to election poltics his team , to some extent has affected election in Hissar. It has hit hard the political Party where it hurts most, defeat in election.
As over the years Indian Politics has shifted from caste and religion plolitics to development politics. If Anna's movement can show that clean politics is possible then it can be said Anna succeesed where Mahatama Gandhi failed.
Last but not the least how far, absence of Sonia Gandhi (at critical juncture) contrubuted to success of Movement. Can not say but there was clear lack of direction in Govt team. Further it exposed Rahul Gandhi , and established that he is still not capable of shuoldering higher responsibility.
II writing.
Standing Committee report is out. As expected, team Anna is not satisfied and threatened to restart agitation including fast by Anna.
There could be many justification for not accepting team Annas's Jan Lokpal Bill, but making it Constitutional Body ( I am not going in to merit of suggestion) at the mere suggestion made by Rahul Gandhi, proves my point that we are having fuedal democracy.
Similarly, not giving investigation power to Lokpal makes it very weak and shows vested interest of all politician. As regards C AND D GRADE employee (some one claims after 6th pay commission there are no D CLASS employees), team anna and govt. both have their own strong and valid point. (Team anna -to have effect on common man they must be included. Govt-it will need big machinery).
However, with lokpal being made constitutional body, the model of Election Commission can be adopted( its own core team is very small, but for election purpose all buerocracy works under it and its direction are supreme) and for corruption related issues it's directive must be final ( and so burden of courts regarding corruption be reduced).
Let us see how things unfolds.
Standing Committee report is out. As expected, team Anna is not satisfied and threatened to restart agitation including fast by Anna.
There could be many justification for not accepting team Annas's Jan Lokpal Bill, but making it Constitutional Body ( I am not going in to merit of suggestion) at the mere suggestion made by Rahul Gandhi, proves my point that we are having fuedal democracy.
Similarly, not giving investigation power to Lokpal makes it very weak and shows vested interest of all politician. As regards C AND D GRADE employee (some one claims after 6th pay commission there are no D CLASS employees), team anna and govt. both have their own strong and valid point. (Team anna -to have effect on common man they must be included. Govt-it will need big machinery).
However, with lokpal being made constitutional body, the model of Election Commission can be adopted( its own core team is very small, but for election purpose all buerocracy works under it and its direction are supreme) and for corruption related issues it's directive must be final ( and so burden of courts regarding corruption be reduced).
Let us see how things unfolds.
But one thing sure Manmohan singh is losing out a opportunity to become a histoirical statesman.Similarly, most of politiation/ parties, instead of further reaching out to people (not restricted to team Anna) to market their own idea of Lokpal, basking in the ego of being elected representatives and knows all attitude. This can be termed as "Democratic Tanashai". Team anna is challanging this attitude also and wants consulatation in between election also. How to ensure this in a contry of billion peopple is a billion dollar question.
Like independent struggle where it all started with submitting memorandem to Govt. and spread over a century, does anna should also accept gradual improvement and continue his struggle ?. Surly, people's awareness, election reform police reform and judicial reforms are linked together with lokpal.
17/12/2011.
Anna Hazare Continued to make goal against Govt. Now they have almost won the full opposition.
On 11/12/11 really there was "loksabha" in presence of Anna hazare political leaders expressed their views on Lokpal.
I can sypmpethise with PM and Govt. about their problem. When he does/ utters some thing and if it fails (his remarks on FDI in a Youth Congress meet), peopole says he should not have spoken his mind, but every one wants him to frrely speak on Lokpal or any other issues.
As written else where, peopple take positions depending on their own perspective. Parties which are likely to come under power like to have CBI under GOvt. controll and others want CBI independent. BSP, SP etc want reservation under Lokpal and so on.
Most importantly as written else where a few years back, that any social /political/ legal change has unexpected side effect.
Now it is being murmured that when Sonia Gandhi, gave up the post of PM and created NAC and became its chair person supercabinet and super prime minister was created, it undermined the supremacy of Parliamnet and sown the seed of Civil Socity.
Drafting bills by NAC gave idea for civil Socity to draft bill. If NAC can do it why not Civil Socity.
No one can refute their argument. And they got legitimacy.
Similarly if intention was to promote Rahul Gandhi, its exposure shown that he is not yet ready to play pan India leadership.
5/08/12Now almost one year is over of Anna's movement. While in the beginning congress and whole political class seems to be unprepared to face Team Anna, over a period all politician came together in self interest and prepared proper defense against Anna's onslaught.
So, this time no one cared for anna's fast and it had to be broken without any promise from govt. or political class. Surely they decided to form a political party.
I my self doubt its success in a country of over a billion people ( There is no previous history of successful political party by non political person/ group). Even if it is able to change functioning of other political parties-internal democracy, fund collection and candidate selection - by competitive or demonstrative effect it would have proved its utility for Indian democracy.
For candidate selection, it can adopt american model of deciding candidate by political parties.
Presently, reactions over their decision to form political party are of every hue and color- from the one end of "we were knowing it" to "Anna has broken sanctity of fast and movement", depending on where you stand.
29/09/12.
As apprehended, and like earlier occasion Anna's movement broke in to different part, each group having its own agenda/ vision. In fact all factions had come together with intent to gain for themselves in the process. But they could not stick together as fruits of movement were not coming/ visible. Elsewhere/ earlier I had written, we can not expect this movement to bring sudden change but has to move forward like our independent struggle. This phase may seen as 1857 revolt or division of congress in Naram /garam group.
Ultimately it must be remembered any system - good /bad - is in equilibrium stage of different stake holders of society. If you want to change that equilibrium, you need sufficient force to get new equilibrium. Same is true for corrupt society and corrupt free society.
Anna or/and kejriwal has to generate sufficient force to find new equilibrium.
Whether they succeed further or not only history will tell, but their contribution in making Indian polity from feudal to democratic will always be remembered.
Corruption is small problem (by product) compared to feudal mind setup, where Rahul Gandhi seems to be heir apparent in congress and in absence of such feudal set up BJP is not able to decide its future leader.
29/09/12.
As apprehended, and like earlier occasion Anna's movement broke in to different part, each group having its own agenda/ vision. In fact all factions had come together with intent to gain for themselves in the process. But they could not stick together as fruits of movement were not coming/ visible. Elsewhere/ earlier I had written, we can not expect this movement to bring sudden change but has to move forward like our independent struggle. This phase may seen as 1857 revolt or division of congress in Naram /garam group.
Ultimately it must be remembered any system - good /bad - is in equilibrium stage of different stake holders of society. If you want to change that equilibrium, you need sufficient force to get new equilibrium. Same is true for corrupt society and corrupt free society.
Anna or/and kejriwal has to generate sufficient force to find new equilibrium.
Whether they succeed further or not only history will tell, but their contribution in making Indian polity from feudal to democratic will always be remembered.
Corruption is small problem (by product) compared to feudal mind setup, where Rahul Gandhi seems to be heir apparent in congress and in absence of such feudal set up BJP is not able to decide its future leader.
