BY trying to stifle Anna Hazare’s protest in an unprincipled and anti-democratic fashion, the UPA regime has miscalculated badly and landed in deeper mess.
“O, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive”, Walter Scott once said. Given the manner in which Anna Hazare was arrested a after independence day in blatant disregard of democracy and rule of law, invites similar comment. By trying to suppress Mr. Hazare’s protest the govt. has indeed acted myopically and further damaged its own credibility. It is an undisputable fact that the UPA regime has shot itself in the foot by arresting the Gandhian leader because it has now gotten him large scale public sympathy. Over the past few days the number of people who have taken to the streets throughout the country is swelling by the minute. The massive support to Mr.Hazare’s movement clearly shows an awakening in society against corruption. As such, Mr. Hazare’s preventive custody was a desperate move by the Congress led UPA to douse the burning embers of the anti-corruption wave sweeping the country. But it is strange that the government failed to read people’s mood. As is evident, its ill-designed attempts to smoother the voice of the people not only failed but also boomeranged.
Not only that, the present regime made itself the butt of ridicule by eating the humble pie and shifting gears to the retaliatory mode. But this has only back fired by garnering more support for Anna and his team. It would be apt to say that the government has only itself to blame for this mess. But then, it has got entangled in a web of its own making.
Indeed, corruption and black money are issues that agitate millions in our country. The public at large is undoubtedly sick of rampant corruption eating into the vitals of the nation. Instead of honestly dealing with the successive corruption scandals, the government of the day is not doing anything to check the growth of ubiquitous corruption. Indeed, it attempts to muzzle the voice of those who stand up against the menace. It is for this very season that there have been spontaneous turn-outs in support of the fasts and protests by those raising the issue. But the political leaders in cahoots with the business and bureaucracy have instead tried to suppress these campaigns by force or chicanery. It is no point talking of a clean administration and not bringing it about. Anna Hazare’s protest is only a manifestation of this disillusionment.
It is abundantly clear that the mask of democracy has fallen off the face of the UPA government. Anti Corruption crusader Anna Hazare’s arrest was an unconstitutional move on the part of the government. It speaks a lot about the UPA’s autocratic attitude. Mr. Hazare’s detention even before he began his fast was against his basic right to freedom of speech and expression. The Gandhian leader was only asking for a strong and potent anti corruption bill. How can this be treated as circumventing Parliament?
Two months ago the UPA government rained lathis on Baba Ramdev’s supporters who were protesting against black money. And now, it is imposing impossible conditions to stop Mr. Hazare from going ahead with his protest. In a blatant display of absolute power the UPA has re-established the dangerous precedent set during the emergency in 1975. If anything, it strengthens the growing perception that the government lacks seriousness in fighting corruption. Moreover, politicians are obviously alarmed by the awakening in society Anna’s movement has triggered.
It needs no reiteration that confusion that has become the hallmark of the UPA regime is indeed staring it in the face. The act of arresting Anna Hazare and then releasing him after some time under groundswell of public protests exposed its political ineptness and criminally callous indifference to the rule of law and accountability.
The claim that the terms for Mr. Hazare’s proposed fast were set by the Delhi police is hard to buy. It is common sense that the police could not have imposed the conditions without the government’s knowledge with the government now thwarting meaningful action against issues of corruption; it stands rightly accused of moral bankruptcy.
Further, the uncouth manner in which Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari hurled unwarranted accusations at the Gandhian activist by saying that the anti-corruption leader was “corrupt from top to toe” is only reflective of the party’s frustration over losing considerable ground in the ongoing battle for a social cause. The Prime Minister’s startling announcement in parliament that the external forces are behind Anna agitation is at once pathetic and laughable. The Congress party is welcome to believe that foreign forces are hell bent upon to destabilize the country. But that is going to convince nobody as the ploy did not work even in Indira Gandhi’s time. The truth is that the Congress suffers from a siege Mentality. The party leaders must remember that the days when you could run the government on bluff and bluster are gone. People are now aware that the government is for upholding democracy and not suppressing people’s struggles.
What is most baffling is the reaction of Congress leaders to any attempt at cleansing the system. What wrong has Anna Hazare and his team done in demanding an end to corruption? In an attempt to dissuade team Anna, the Congress has been outmaneuvered and stands isolated.
The confrontational path taken by the government has enraged people throughout the country who are facing problems due to unprecedented price rise and corruption in everyday life. This explains why they are increasingly rallying behind civil society activists. The very fact that we have a PM who is in a disconnects mode vis-à-vis the citizens add to the public frustration. Even in his Independence Day speech, Dr. Singh appeared as helpless as his listeners. The day is not far off when all Indians would take to the streets to protest. It is high time the PM intervenes to set matters right besides inspiring confidence among the people