“Team Anna’s electoral politics should be complementary to people’s movements,” Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar said on Tuesday.
Speaking to journalists here, she said she didn’t agree with the manner in which the decision for Team Anna to get into politics was taken and announced (at Jantar Mantar where it was on a fast for an effective Lokpal). “It could have been done differently.”
Ms. Patkar said Team Anna’s leap into politics was rather premature. It should have been preceded by intense discussions. “Those who want to form a party should come to an ideology. They should have a total vision of what they want to do, and evolve an innovative strategy on today’s issues of water, land, and forests. Electoral politics should be complementary to people’s movements, not contradictory.”
Ms. Patkar was a member of the erstwhile core committee of Team Anna, but she says she was not active in the last few months, as she was busy with her struggle for project-displaced people.
Asked if the core committee was consulted on the decision to plunge into electoral politics, she said, “I am not so sure,” but wished Team Anna luck. “Give them time.”
To another question, she said the movement against corruption was not over, it was on. “If it is a movement of the people, then people themselves will keep it alive and fight from wherever they are.”
Asked if she would contest elections if Team Anna invited her, Ms. Patkar said, “Cannot say. I do whatever the National Alliance of People’s Movement and the Narmada Bachao Andolan, with whom I am associated for last 27 years, say. As of now, our people feel that non-electoral politics is making so much impact.”
Keywords: Team Anna, political venture, Medha Patkar
What Anna and his team has done in last one year or so had served some
purpose. It exposed every element in power. The respectability of
every politician is zero. More importantly, it exposed the double
standards of opposition parties. It showed that all political parties
are in favour of corruption. It showed that whole democratic system is
a cheating business in India. It showed even the double faces of the
media. Thus this year has achieved its primary aim. Expose and show
true faces. As Anna hoped, this was to be the second independence
movement. But it failed. Because the corrupt people in power are too
mighty to be thrown this way. We have to search for methods. These
leeches are too entrenched, well rooted. They can not be uprooted by
Anshans. Violence is no way a method. Awareness among most of the
voters is lacking. They are divided. They do not understand that
democracy is the most efficient method of exploitation. But democracy
is the only way. It is an eye-opener.
Please Email the Editor