Taking forward the move to contest elections, social activist Anna Hazare on Sunday asked people to support them for providing a political alternative that would strive to fight corruption, and sought committed votes from six lakh gram sabhas.
Returning to blogging after he abruptly ended his fast last week, Mr. Hazare said people wanted an alternative. Gram sabhas, which were ‘supreme,’ should pass resolutions to this effect, besides ensuring that more than 90 per cent voters exercised their franchise in their favour.
“Gram sabhas are above Assemblies and Parliament. Therefore, we would want all the six lakh gram sabhas to pass a resolution that they want an alternative and will vote for this alternative. If such a resolution is passed, then we will be able to give an alternative,” he said adding that youth and students would tour villages to create awareness and get such resolutions passed.
Reiterating that personally he would not contest elections or form a party, Mr. Hazare said providing an alternative was “not an easy job,” but it was “not impossible.”
Money for alternative?
At the same time, he observed that crores of rupees were spent in elections, and wondered from where the money would come if they provided an alternative.
He would soon undertake a tour of the country to awaken people and find the right kind of candidates to go to Parliament.
“I feel people will welcome an alternative, as they are suffering the malaise of corruption that is deeply entrenched, with the government showing no signs of rooting it out,” he said.
For the better part of his blog entry, he criticised the government for its “betrayal” in bringing their version of the Jan Lokpal Bill in Parliament.
“Those who are ruling are so intoxicated by power and money that they will not provide corruption-free governance,” he noted.
Keywords: anti-corruption movement, Anna Hazare, Janlokpal bill, Lokpal Bill, political alternative, political party, 2014 general elections, Lok Sabha polls
It is true that the public in our country is not yet geared up for a
corruption free society. They do only judge all activist and
politicians are the other sides of the coins, activists as the
politicians in process.
It is very urgent for an activist to reappear in the mind of the
public that he is basically an activist and will remain as activist.
Mahatma Gandhi preferred himself to be an activist only.
Politics is not bad, till it is not a profession. A man who understood
the basic fundamental aspect that he is not the doer, it is only the
GOD who directs the man to perform; can more efficiently run
corruption free politics.
At this juncture, with all these developments; it will be wise the
proposed political activity should be above win/loose, involvement of
money, love of power etc. Rather, commitment to public, truth, basic
fundamental aspects of life is only essential.
Any participation in next election by activists should not involve any
money except nomination value.
intention of Anna and his team is fair to fullfill the aspirations of the people of India but the political wolves who are wandering in the jungle of the politics would try their best to destablise this highest idea of ANNA
The idea behind polarisation of votes is marvellous and based on simple mathematics.Anna Team should realise that the nation has still not produced crores of Annas who will sacrifice their lives for a great, noble cause and will abstain from power politics.It is too premature to caculate the steps and strategies before reaching the destination.
It's easy to start a political party in India. There are hundreds of
them, big and small. Most are designed to or end-up perpetuating
dynastic, family and personal control. Here are some family brand
names associated with national and regional parties: Gandhi, Yadav
(Lalu and Mulayam Singh varieties), Karuna Nidhi, Jayalalitha, and
Thackeray. Then there are off-shoot varieties all across the country:
Nationalist Congress Party, Trinamool Congress, JDU, etc. These
parties have structures and practices designed to perpetuate personal
and dynastic rules. They account for over 300 MPs in the Lok Sabha and
constitute ruling majorities at the Center and states such as UP,
Bihar, Tamilnadu and Mahrashtra. There is no accountability and
internal democracy in these parties. They were once led by Mahatma
Gandhi and Jayaprakash Narayan. Even CPI, CPM and BJP lack internal
democracy. How Anna's party will be any different? To start with, it
would need a constitution like, say, the British Labour Party, that
provides for internal democracy and decentralization. It should also
explore term-limits for leadership positions both in the party,
legislative bodies and government. It’s crucial that Team Anna takes
time to put a democratic structure in place. Otherwise, this party
will look like Nationalist Congress Party or Lalu’s party in no time.
It is a tragedy that this man after prooving to be utterly fruitless is able to talk even.He had the audacity to ask for the parliament to law pass according to his draft.As Ambica Sony put it they should realise what it is to govern a large country like India.To say that Dr.Manmohan Singh and his ministers are drunk with power is utter stupidity.It would be better for him and the country if he keeps slilent for the present so that the Govt is able to carry out the difficult task of building uo our economy at this difficult moment when many countries are faced with rercession.He can show his metal in 2014
Hi Team Anna,
I have following question:
1.) Anna can't run his own home properly, he sleep in mandir(Temple), how can he run county?
2.) What is road map to run corruption free country?
3.) How people trust, team Anna member not to be a corrupt.
Team Anna, Running a county not a easy task, its not doing fast nine day or more.
“All the six lakh gram sabhas in the country should pass a resolution
that they will support the alternative and will vote for the party
which will provide for this alternative... if such a resolution is
passed, then we will be able to give an alternative,” Mr. Hazare said
in his blog.
Is he correct in asking the gram sabhas to pass a resolution at his
whims and fancy? It is nothing but corruption, a move which corrupts
the minds of the people?
He was respected for reforming his villagers to set up a model
village, but here he is deforming the villagers to set up a model
political party, is it not ironic!
Anna ji you continue your movement and fight against corruption through
political support. When you fight election we will support you. Jai Hind
Jai Bharat.
There are many political parties at the National and State level and the electors are quite satisfied with their performance . Under the present scenario Anna and his team may not be able to provide the best alternative due to their inexperience in politics and also due to lack of financial resources. The present day MP's and Ministers want that Anna should find a bitter end and that is forming a new party.
“All the six lakh gram sabhas in the country should pass a
resolution that they will support the alternative" is the way to
go.Virtually all the political and social problems would be greatly
diminished if the country were to dissolve back into the small
states from which they sprang. In “The Breakdown of Nations” Leopold
Kohr shows that throughout history, people who have lived in small
states are happier, more peaceful, more creative and more
prosperous. Kohr prophetically observes that if the body of a
people becomes diseased with the fever of aggression, brutality,
collectivism, or massive idiocy, it is not because it has fallen
victim to bad leadership or mental derangement. It is because human
beings, so charming as individuals or in small aggregations have
been welded onto over concentrated social units. That is when they
begin to slide into uncontrollable catastrophe. The only viable
solution to Indian problems is the peaceful devolution in to
effective million village self-governing elected panchayats to
care of the local development efforts.
Anna Hazare’s village Ralegaon Siddhi is an outstanding example of
the locally inspired development.
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