Having announced its electoral ambitions, Team Anna now faces the gargantuan task of positioning itself in the political space
In hindsight, it can be said that the 2012 version of the Anna Hazare movement was designed to spectacularly fail in achieving its avowed goal. Not even the most incorrigible optimist believed the indefinite fast of Team Anna at Jantar Mantar could compel the UPA government to institute a probe into the corruption charges levelled against 14 Union Ministers and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In deliberately courting failure, Team Anna sought to expose the reluctance of the political class to enact a Jan Lokpal law, and create a spectacle before revealing to the nation its decision to provide a new political alternative to the people, as had been speculated though the week. In one way or another, Team Anna will now play a role in the general election of 2014.
Team Anna of 2012, both in its conduct and rhetoric, has been remarkably different from its 2011 avatar. After a lacklustre start on July 25, the tide at Jantar Mantar turned dramatically over the July 28-29 weekend, as Anna Hazare too joined the indefinite fast. People stormed Jantar Mantar in numbers sufficient to boost the sagging morale of Team Anna, illustrating the impact the anti-corruption movement has had on the popular consciousness in just a year. But the real significance of the crowds at Jantar Mantar was that it didn’t comprise people whom the Sangh Parivar had bussed to the venue, as was the case in 2011. This year’s daily assembly at Jantar Mantar decidedly belonged to Team Anna. (Perhaps their own understanding of the difference in the nature of crowds between 2011 and 2012 explains Team Anna’s recent hostility to the media, which weren’t willing to make such distinctions.)
More pertinently, Jantar Mantar marked the sundering of the Sangh-Team Anna link, evident for the first time in the absence of the Sangh from Hazare’s flop show in Mumbai last December. It was precisely why BJP leaders made it a point to declare earlier this week that they weren’t aware of the deteriorating health of Arvind Kejriwal, who has been popularly perceived to be playing the saffron brigade’s game. In this sense, Team Anna will emerge from the Jantar Mantar experiment as an anti-Congress, anti-BJP formation.
Even the relationship between Team Anna and the maverick Baba Ramdev survives tenuously only because one or two of Hazare’s advisors think it necessary to have a minimum understanding with groups campaigning against corruption. Yet Team Anna’s declaration of providing a political alternative militates against the possibility of the Hazare-Ramdev relationship turning into a unified anti-corruption platform, as some, particularly in the Sangh, had hoped for. In fact, the contradiction in the anti-corruption movement will become formal with time. Baba Ramdev will epitomise the Right; his pet project of bringing back to India the money stashed abroad mirrors the Sangh’s emphasis on this issue. The BJP will hitch itself to Ramdev’s bandwagon, hoping he would help fan the popular discontent against the UPA.
By contrast, Jantar Mantar testified to Team Anna’s attempt to broaden its agenda to include issues other than corruption. Right through last week, several speakers launched sallies against the appropriation of agriculture land, the brazen promotion of big businesses, and the brutal suppression of tribal rights, which was cited as the most important factor for the rise of Maoists. Such radical analyses, no doubt, were couched within the framework of political corruption to ensure the conservative middle class, arguably Team Anna’s most vocal support base, was not alienated.
It will take Team Anna members a few more days to spell out the contours of the political alternative they have in mind. Will it, for instance, support political parties that do not belong to the Congress or BJP-led alliances? Such a measure will necessarily dilute their agenda of ushering in clean politics, for they can scarcely hope to compel political parties in selecting candidates who have impeccable records. Or perhaps they can support parties till Team Anna itself metamorphoses into a political outfit. Or they can encourage those enjoying respect for their community work and clean image — the so-called small Annas of towns and blocks — to contest the 2014 election, and provide them support.
Yet there are many in Team Anna who believe they should directly participate in the 2014 election. Team Anna believes the depth of the popular disenchantment with the political class renders its anti-Congress, anti-BJP position extremely viable; and given the aura of Anna Hazare, they feel they can whip up a wave in 2014. It is a model V.P. Singh followed in 1989. He swept into power riding the wave of the anti-Congress sentiment over the Bofors controversy. However, Team Anna forgets that Singh inherited the organisational apparatus of the Janata Dal, and enjoyed the support of both the Left and the Right in his election campaign.
No doubt, rank outsiders have crafted victories within a year or two of joining politics, as N.T. Rama Rao did in Andhra Pradesh in 1983. But such electoral triumphs are mostly limited in their geographical sweep, or are built upon the legacy the political outsider inherits, as was the case with Navin Patnaik in Orissa. Again, new political formations emerge often on the support of at least one numerically dominant caste, to which is then stitched other social groups through policy pronouncements that have a broad appeal. Usually the leader of the new formation belongs to the numerically dominant group. Unfortunately for Team Anna, the dominant identity of its prominent members is class, not caste. Further, the politics of interests they seek to pursue will exclude those who define their identity in terms of caste.
Is Team Anna capable of providing a balance between both identities?
Perhaps the other model available to them is Kanshi Ram, who built the Bahujan Samaj Party over several years, and participated in successive elections only in the hope of notching incremental gains. Perhaps this was the model political scientist Yogendra Yadav had in mind during the speech he delivered at Jantar Mantar. He asked Team Anna and his followers to think of a building a remarkably different political party, transparent and democratic and in which leaders can be held accountable. This model demands a long haul.
It is debatable whether Team Anna is prepared for such a gargantuan task. Perhaps, you could say that unlike other fulltime politicians, they don’t have much at stake. They can always return to what they are adept at — organising street protests and becoming a pressure group.
(Ajaz Ashraf is a Delhi-based journalist. E-mail: ashrafajaz3@gmail.com.)
Keywords: Anna Hazare fast, Jan Lokpal, anti-corruption movement, India Against Corruption, Jantar Mantar, indefinite hunger strike, Lokpal Bill, electoral triumphs, Team Anna, UPA government
These days, Anna Hazare has become like Dr. Manmohan Singh. And, looks
like, Arvind Kejriwal has been using Anna Hazare for achieving his
personal ambitions. And Anna too appears to be a man without a spine
like Dr. Manmohan Singh.
Dr. Singh atleast knows that he is a puppet in the hands of Sonia, but
Anna Hazare doesn't even know that he is an object of Team Anna.
The pro-Congress (or anti-BJP, to be precise) media has consistently insinuated that
Kejriwal is a Sangh stooge, of course without producing a shred of credible evidence.
More Gobbelesian propaganda from the Congress and its fifth columnists, and The
Hindu of course is happy to provide a platform for this nonsense. I am not enamored
of the BJP in the least, but it is sickening how lies are peddled as facts. Brilliant
strategy from the Congress though - don't like someone, call them RSS.
Good and balanced article, though I find it hard to agree on the point
that there was a link between the Sangh and Team Anna. Yes, it's very
possible that people espousing Sangh ideology might have formed a
sizeable crowd last year, but to say that there was a explicit link (the
author makes it sound as if there was an understanding between the two)
seems far-fetched. Also, the communalists BJP sought to maximise their
gain through Anna's movement, but I would not say that Team Anna's
massive crowds last year were solely because of busloads of BJP people.
Its not the fault of Anna and team members it is the Human Nature , desire to rule and to establish their name and fame in the society, so they can be remembered as a great people.May be they have started movment unbiased for betterment of society but finally seems to ending into the hell politics.The people who are goin to form a anti-corruption squade have'nt came from mars or jupiter they are also among same people.Curruption is not something that comes from a group of people merely,everyone contributes small chunke to make it toxic.One side of team Anna is brighter though they might have myriade face but they arousen thought process and left the stimulation which was in deep day sleep.everyone need a start from itself and gear urself toward the way of a very peacefull and great society where every one wud hav a equality,dignity,soverienity........
A radical change is the way toward....................??????
Welcome, Anna Hazare for starting a new party.But remember Anna Hazare you lack so many leadership qualities.Improve them.Otherwise get a dynamic candidate like Sardar Vallabai Patel for your party.
A good article.I have always believed Anna's movement to be a very
powerful,mass-awakening tool because of its apolitical and non-violent
nature and it has been rightfully exposing and accumulating massive
energy against corrupt politics.They should have continued to do that
i.e. protest from streets by non-violent Andolan(but without
fasting).As far as political party formation is concerned,its too
early and immature an announcement.That requires Massive and Gigantic
effort which they have grossly undermined.Ramdevji's movement is
already in place and it has been a political movement right from the
beginning and they have a massive grass-root support and organisation
to carry forward a mass-movement to engineer a political
transformation in the country.This task of political party formation
should have been left with him.Anywayz,Team Anna should move forward
with wisdom and maturity,not haste as they are dealing with a crooked
and shrewd,evil corrupt politics!! :))
We all should welcome any outfit that would speak of improving quality in our day to day lives. But I am very skeptical about the current project. Have they studied and analysed the root causes of corruption and suggesting any effective measures? Levelling charges against selected group in the government attracts media and arouses the public. Why are the names like Karunanidhi,Mayavati, Lalluprasad,Mulayam,YSR,Yeddy and their ilk not mentioned ? Is the TEAM inclusive of the entire nation or only a portion ? Second,ordinary citizens who breach simple rules like traffic,spitting/throwing garbage made aware that these are the seeds of corruption. If we follow a queue , is there any need of paying bribe to the counter clerk or follow a prescribed procedure ? This is a social reform and not a political one. Unless these matters are addressed, one more party will be added to the melee
The real Lokpal has always been the 4th Estate and the electorate. A skeptical free press that gets out from behind the desk and investigates, digging up hard veidence being hidden from sight, and an informed, vigilent public that is willing to hold politicians accountable at voting time is the only means to continually combat cheats and frauds in government. It is a never ending battle. Thinking some new layer or parallel system within government will cure corruption is akin to tasking one monkey to defend a fruit tree from his peers. We cannot delegate our own civic responsibilities to a Lokpal and expect to achieve results that aren't already eveident in parliament already.
Are large sections of middle-class fiddling while the Indian citizens'
and their future generations' country is burning (being destroyed)?
Those questing Team Anna motive I ask what other alternative do they have when both the govt and the opposition fail or refuse to deal with all pervasive corruption in an effective manner and the existing political class is itself deeply steeped in corruption! In a democratic system Team Anna chose the democratic path to highlight and address their concerns when the politicians failed to do so. The only other alternative is what Maoist route of violence which is destructive and sure to fail anyways. I for one am willing to give Team Anna a chance until they prove otherwise. India deserves better than what goes on today in the name politics and governance.
A very sensible & wise decision by Team Anna. Now we have option against Rahul/Sonia, BJP, Lallo, Mulayam, Mayavati.
Who ever rule the country, can't they do their job sincerely and d full heartily? Can't we and our kids have a better India, where all are
educated, and earn their living?
Why these politicians greedy? Why they still need to loot our country?
Isn't it enough for them to earn.. millions and millions? When these
hungry ....... will be satisfied?
So for me who ever come to power, please.. please serve the people and
nation.... Save India...
Certainly going to damp the chances of BJP winning next election, Anna movement can't do enough to reside in center with majority. Congress will win again,and the nation will continue to suffer, "just because of the wrong decisions of right people."
Yes! All of us can give a nice try through this team Anna's new political avatar! Nice decision indeed to form a party to contest elections.
For those who dislike Team annas move.. what else you want them to do ?
become krantikaris ? or what else is the best thing they can do when
nation/media/ppl havent backed them...
The fast against corruption was doomed to fail because the top leaders are them selves Corrupt. There is a saying "Yadha raja , tatha praja" which means "As is raja (ruler) so is praja(subjects)".. If the govt.is corrupt so would the people be".. If india is to be corrupt free , and a just nation it should start from the Top.. Else even if we have a 100 honest persons in the govt. they will be transferred / murdered by the corrupt bosses at the top.. If the TOP Bosses / Govt is Honest then it will automatically trickle down to all departments and the public.. To progress Ideally , india should have only 2 parties 1) Ruling party & 2 Opposition party.. After voting , all the ministries will be of the party majoring in the voting that way projects undertaken by ruling party will be taken forward by all states without opposition.. and if the ruling party proposes a project not in interest of progress,it can be opposed by opposition party.. Else India will be still ruled by DOGS
When team Anna has already formulated their idea to float a new political alternatives then why to persuade the so called Singh or Kanshi model, then how it would be different from existing political parties in India? So team Anna should do the non-appeasement, non-ism politics to take the India to a new zenith.
Team Anna Hazare...If really interested to form the Political Party of his own , it has to work in rural areas and grass root levels by making his name and its intensions...As India in many rural peoples not known about the Team Anna fight against corruption and Jan Lokapal Bill...It may take long time but sometimes later all surly it will workout...All THE VERY BEST for POLITICAL TOUGHT & PLAN when goverment not responding to their fights against corruption!!!!!!!!!!
We got freedom of this Holy Soil following Gandhi’s “Satyagraha” with the lose of countless human lives. The people of the Nation were united without considering their religion, caste, language and community.
Our leaders got united in electing a Suitable personality to lead the Nation with the Roadmap of our Constitutional frame work. The leaders always served for the people by their contribution in politics.
Now the leader from the people enters in politics by using the tool of fundamental rights on over ruling the electoral system for their self benefit. The on growing political parties divide the people under caste, community and religion on fetching votes.
As the voters not given majority for a particular party, by making compromise with others a minority party comes to power to govern the Nation though the people not voted for. In the same way an elected leader by the voters from a particular party, joins with other one on their own choice.
Now as politics entirely going as business, the LAWMAKERS under control of their supporters fails to act to eradicate ongoing Corruption as in long run. So our Nation facing financial problem as the movement of money has been blocked by heartless in office business talking on poverty line.
Now we are following the old principles in the Court by placing a holy religion book on promising on expressing the fact heartily true. Those who have faith on their almighty & own sense can only express the truth.
Now the political leaders are helpless to sacrifice their service on fulfilling the demand of ANNA HAZARE. As his fast is not a key to open the lock to correct the ongoing governance, entering in politics is a great risk on facing the trained political parties on handling on diverting the public to put the ANNA’S demand aside.
We well come and should be aware of blaming of common people on money matter. ANNA SHOULD NEVER BELIEVE ON ANY ONE IN THIS MOVE from a political party. Slow and steady WINS THE RACE. Best wishes.
Team anna has no vision or road map for bringing change in political
scene in india, they have done nothing but made people confused by
changing their stand from fighting against corruption to entering
politics Their movement is limited to metropolitan cities only.They have
failed to make their movement a mass movement .How many indians have
access to SMS, Twiiter or facebooks to respond to their appeal to enter
politics or not? Do they have the mandate of 100 million indians to
voice their opinion on issues raised by them?
one more chance for congress to win 2014 elections...
because anna is going to divide opposition votes so BJP will be at lost
specially in urban areas...same thing happened in A.P. in 2009 where
cheranjeevi started new party and at last joined congress... this is
politics after 5 years people will know why anna joined politics...
Pivotal is to throw light on the quiescent state of our government for
the enforcement and implementation of a strong lok pal bill in order
to bolster the aggravated conditions pertaining to corruption. And if
an activist, that too like Mr. Hazare, intends to be the spearhead for
cleaning the system, then i fail to find any detriment in it as one
has to emerge, after all, to make this deaf government hear the
inimical ramifications a plebian comes across because of corruption
and all that dirt which is pervasive. Mr. Hazare, through his previous
year's hunger strike when citizens of this nation in lakhs accumulated
in suport of it, has substantiated up to a tremendous extent his will
and pluck to curb the permeated corruption which is gnawing the
country inexorably. Had our idols like Mahatma Gandhi and Lala Lajpat
Rai not taken the route of becoming politicians from activists, India
would even today have been in the shackles of bondage. Thanks to 'The
Hindu' for opening new horizons for discussing the actual problem
through its article 'A Swift Metamorphosis' by raising the challenges
Mr. Hazare may face to attain the ultimate target of his, and of
course the entire country's, fight against corruption.
Jayaprakash narayan of lok satta made enormous contribution to many
issues related to corruption and empowerment of people by enlisting
the support of everyone possible including that of even Sonia
Gandhi! He is still seeking many changes in the systems.He and his
stand were given extreme respect by every political party, and tried
to use what lok satta said against opponents as proof of wrong
doing!
Unfortunately he committed the great blunder of converting his
wonderful organisation into lok satta and made great contribution in
bringing to power the most corrupt government India has ever had.He
is now shunned by every party, as his party against them all!
Anna and his team have just began their harakiri, trying to fallow
that path.This will delight the corrupt and ease their worries!
All well meaning people like jayaprakash and anna and his team must
carry all parties with them and effect one change at a time by
consensus and go to the next level.there is simply no other way!
Good analysis by Ajaz Ashraf.Certainly task before Annas team is too
tough, but the spirit will take over.This alternative should be issue
based. Corruption is eating everything from policies to people of this
country.My best wishes to Annas team ,Annas succuses is our nations
succuses
One of the many problems with the Anna movement is its intrinsically Hindi belt bias
and language and HIndutva affiliations. Baba Ramdev's other quixotic claim that
Hindi should be adopted as the medium of instruction in schools will not fly in the
chappathi belt, leave alone the dosa belt...
Today Gandhi was killed again. And this time it is more serious than 1948. Today Gandhi died not physically, but the concept of Gandhi which we thought still lives with us, is no more. For today, second and third generation politicians mainly of the Congress, who routinely claim Gandhi's legacy, have shown door to the Gandhian philosophy. They have proven conclusively that the peaceful ways of protest/peaceful agitation/fasting to convince other etc are utterly useless. And it also proves that if the Britishers left India, it is because of their own problems in keeping India rather than getting afraid of Gandhi's revolution.
India, now has to decide. Is really non-violence going to work ever? The answer is crystal clear. It will take nothing less than a civil war or a naxalite like solution if at all people of this country want to become a developed nation anytime soon. The politican has perfected the system in such a way that it will benefit them why will they change it?
Under present circumstance there was no other option for team Anna to help with the
formation of new party to fight the present MPs in the Parliment. There is no other chance
to get the Lokpal bill passed by the Parliament. The followers of Anna will have to help
them choose 454 good, honest and successful persons to fight the next Loksabha election
The real ambition of team Anna is yet to be stated but one thing which can be said without any fear of contradiction is that they have failed to get attached with people in 2012. They are becoming more like a pressure group whose significance in parliamentary democracy is at best minimal. Team Anna had already made its mark last year and they could have done some ground work of getting people aware of Janlokpal across the state rather than this futile display at Jantar Mantar.
''good intentions at best and rank failure at the worst '' this would be the epitaph for Anna Movement as it stands today, this is both distressing and discomforting, more of distress because a sizeable part of the nation was stirred and awaken by the clarion call given by the protagonist ( read ANNA ) because of his un politcal persona , and he has failed then all today, discomforting because instead of becoming the confluence of all like minded groups/individuals like the legendary Ganges it became an abode of opportunists like Baba Ramdev, over ambitious like Kiran bedi, egoists like Kejriwal and neither here nor there like Swami Agnivesh, more so ever the utter arrogance and contempt they showed for dissimilar or different opinions as team and individuals, in the name of keeping intact the sanctity of their mission was either foolishness or farce,it would be interesting where they go from here , to the abyss or to the deep sea, either way the journey will be proverbial down.
They should not Collect any kind of fund from Corrupted and any party people.
The response/comments on Anna group from Congress leaders hurting Indian people very much. It is sure that, these congress leaders/spokespersons comments on Anna group is testing the patience of Indian people.
Best wishes to Anna group.
95% Politicians in India are big corrupt.Definitely, Jan Lokpal bill changes is good and will help some extent in punishing corrupted politicians with the help of Supreme court.whoever is in Govt., either congress or BJP or some coalition govts, they do corruption and they don't behave that they are responsible to Govt/people.So, the important thing here is, need to get Jan Lokpal, may be not 100%. at least 80% of the Jan lokpal bill is required.If Anna group decides to support some parties (either BJP, OR congress) or If Anna group wants to enter into politics, it is useless. Nobody in India believe that they can make India clean of corruption.They should do agitation /strike like in the current manner which is very much perfect and people also like it. It is better, if they maintain distance with Politicians (like BJP and baba ramdev) from Anna agitation. They can collect funds from people (not from corrupted people), if it required.
Unlike most of our present MP's the NEW political class/group will atleast be litrate, senstive towards common man's problem & can bring a most needed change. I don't know why the present MP's think that only they can run this country & no one else is as wise as they are.Infect now they are a worried lot, just imagin they want an under graduate person to be their guiding force & PM, who is even scared to face the biased press which is working for him rather corrupted by his party. I would just ask the present class of Journalists why are they reuining the future of their kids just for the sake of little more dirty money they get from these dirty present day political class
Reasons to enter into electoral fray depend on both pull and push
factors, based largely on 'compelling' scenario of a country,
community, religion, and so on. Ever since the formation of INC in
1885, a range of political parties were formed in India keeping on the
above said circumstances. It is in this context the alleged rumor that
Anna Hazare as Prime Ministerial Candidate, former IPS officer as a
core Cabinet member, Arvind Kejeriwal as "Home Minister" would be
tantamount almost to nothing but a self-defeating exercise, from his
supporters' point of view. I venture to think that giving up faith in
'fasting' citing some 'other' reasons is much closer to giving up
faith in Gandhian strategy to achieve results as the supporters of
India Against Corruption's allege that the decision to enter into
politics is unreasonable, unjustifiable and 'unacceptable'. Moreover,
the calling of its "fasting" has made a wrong precedent before the
entire nation, which history would never forget.
For 2014 elections as Phase I - Team Anna should first announce a model
qualifying criteria for all parties to select candidates and then
identify and endorse clean candidates from any party. In constituencies
where no one qualifies then only Team Anna should position their
candidates.
I believe Team Anna's decision is the right one. Peaceful protests and
fasting may have worked in the past but not against this government.
Remember how the political class cheated and defeated the movement in
2011 by agreeing to Anna's demands in the parliament and now they do
not remember anything. Even if you fast for 60 days what you get is a
false promise or the sense of the house motion as before. The people
are not anymore interested in this waste of time. If you want to bring
changes in the system you have to work inside the system. Even if I am
not sure the team Anna's political alternative will work or not I am
prepared to give them a chance. After all we have nothing to lose &
and I am happy if they succeed in at least stopping one corrupt person
from entering the parliament.
Finally hidden agenda is declared.
It is going be biggest failure if prime intention is to somehow topple congress govt. and destabelise India. Many insider and foreign powers do not want India to become super power and prosper.
Team should first learn to respect Indian constitution Indian people and apex institute Parliament and M P s elected by people of country.They can through you also out .
Victory on corruption is not achieved by spreading HATE in Indian people. Formation of of new political party is welcome for full freedom but it should not be another B J P. Lastly Anna and team need to understand reality as others also can think.Do not abuse others.
Team Anna has no coherent ideology or manifesto,much less an organization to be turned into a party.They will split opposition votes and facilitate a Congress victory during 2014 a la Akali victory in Punjab because of PPP.
I am corrupt. I prefer to give a Rupee 100 or 500 bill to a police
constable to save my challan on the road. I am a casteist I will only
vote for my caste leader and don't care whether he is corrupt or a
goonda. I am from a minority group, the above said applies to me also. I
am a common man of India. I ape my goonda leaders and follow them. Is
there any hope for corrupt free India. Yes only hope. I will have to
first correct myself. Am I ready for it? I am not, are you out there
ready for it? I will fail Anna.
that means the jan lokpal become a distant dream.politics is a different
game. just that you are a good and an honest politician is not a
guarantee to your success or winning an election. there is too many
politicians out there to play the dirty and to wreak Havoc.
Team Anna was fighting for the last one year, even common men had belief that government would bring strong anti corruption (Lokpal Bill).But it all was futile.Now government is not fulfilling its promise and even media which was the main mediator between team Anna and govt. now seems against this movement, covering or bringing out only small negative points. So, now the only option was left with team Anna to make a political party.If they win a few seats at least they will play active role with next coalition govt..
Early last year (2011) there was a centerpiece about lokpal by Anna and Kiran Bedi in a Hindi daily.
The last few statements from madam Kiran went like "its going to be a tough and long fight. Don't expect any quick results".
It was a wise statement indeed. The corrupt are together and using all clever tricks to fight back/dilute the positive moves.
Fasting and talks have failed to put public needs on table of Government. With a less crooked/shameless govt it would have given results. But it exposed current govt is playing as tough as British looters.
Wish success to the emerging party.
i welcome anna hazares entry into the political arena.words without action breed nothing but dreams in the air.while it is good that anna hazare is right in proposing to form an alternative to the congress and the bjp.it has to have the organisational set up to infuence the whole of india.at present anna hazares movement is concentred in north india alone and the hindi speaking belt.not a single leader in annas fold is from soth india which is a formidable political force in numbers and leadership
indias history has seen powerful leaders like rajaji, s swatantra party] jayaprakash narayans sarvodaya movement fail in their efforts to provide an alternative to congress.
only a positive revolutionary plan in organisation mass movementinvolving students crowd pullers like rajnikant and amitabh bhachanwill create a massive strength atrong enough to support anna hazare.good luck to anna hazare
My vote is with Team Anna. This is the only chance we have got.
And also the same media (larger media) which was initially saying that Team Anna must go into the political process is now, based on current realities, debating the same, and asking, 'Is it a good idea to go into the political arena'? Anyways, the vested interests of the media is well known.
Also for people who think the already existing political parties know the dirty-game, and this is not a good step for Anna's Team. Let me tell them, that less than 10% of India is today ruled by the Congress. The other States are either ruled by the coalition, or the opposition Parties. And if these coalition/opposition parties see the trend moving away from them, then they are not going to be left behind. That's Politics 101 for you all.
INC is in a far more depreciated position that what it was in Indira's times, even though by early 80's, she had lost the complete Northern belt, the greatest thrust for the cntr.
Team Anna.
Its great decision by team Anna to form a political party.
The current breed of politicians will stop them by force, kidnapping, money or by any means. So in my opinion, creating a political party is not going to solve the problem. It will cut the votes from middle class (in turn from BJP/NDA votebank) and will again given an option to, corrupt to the core, Congress to come back to the power again by making allies like SP, BSP and TMC etc. Congress wanted this from day one and it will solve their purpose.
I would like to suggest humbly to all core committee members and Anna to continue with the movement but not by 'Anshan'. This time we need to rally with the mass at MP's/MLA's house which are corrupt and continue till they fear and come and talk to end the corruption and cases and verdict against corrupted people.
Team Anna finally taken elctoral route to change the system which is most welcoming decision in democracy. Future only will decide whether these guys would clean the mud or they would part of the mud.
ALL THE BEST TEAM ANNA.
I would rather suggest Anna and his team to continue this movement without fast. The political class is so corrupt and so insensitive (though there might be some good people as well) that they don't care for a human's life whether it's an accident in a crash or in molestation or in potholes or any other. And then the same thing happened again, when Arvind Kejriwal and others were fasting for 9 days they didn't even bother to talk and show the readiness. This just shows their insensitivity towards the people of the country. Had it been a politician's relative fasting for some cause (not even for betterment), all these politicians would have come forward and request to call off the fast.
Now to the point, a political alternative is not going to win an election at national level, where will atleast 300 clean and good people come who will have the support from the masses. Where will team get the fund for elections. Wouldn't the current politicians stop them from coming to fore..
There is no doubt that team ANNA has to struggle in politics also .If they are fully determined then they should start preparing now itself albeit movement is in its paramount position but still team anna requires more enhanced efforts. Regarding political structure , I think their party should come up with youth ambassdors . You can't form a rigid structure and fix it , agile methodolgy will only help in elminating corruption from roots
I agree with one of the above comments that Corruption is so deep rooted
that it is impossible to eradicate completely until and unless each
people of India change their mind. So I wish first that let every
Indian consider to be as less corrupted as possible. The second step is
to refrain from voting to corrupted politicians and let them come to
power, which may help Team Anna to achieve some success. Otherwise,
even God cannot save India.
They should be able to provide an alternative. First they don't need massive funds as
they are young and are internet savvy and can expand their base that way. Kiran Bedi
with ten national awards has great grassroots experience of how the system works.
Conmen were stupid to put her down on the paltry difference of an air ticket TO
WHICH SHE WAS ENTITLED. A leopard does not change it's spots so activists and award
winners are not likely to be corrupted easily. Besides Anna is surrounded by the youth
of India (not the pampered sons and daughters of dishonest politicians raised with a
silver spoon in their mouths) but educated and dedicated young kids who really are
worried about their future....If the rivers are sewage unit disposal units now what will
they be like in another 10 years??? They are idealistic, more educated, sophisticated,
and they know what future they want and MOST IMPORTANTLY they have the Youth
and the ENERGY to achieve their goals. I wish them every success!
the following r my proposals to team anna all those who relly think that time has come now to establish a good govt. in india.
the agenda for 2014-19. "remove corruption from india. pass necessary legislations in parliament, provide good governance as per constitution and law of the land to achieve corrution free india."
for this - identify and announce suitable candidates for all the constituencies and start the propaganda from now on. impress upon each voter the urgent necessity of making this group enter parliament to achieve a corruption free india. ( media if it thinks that it is their bounden duty to support this team, let it support. if on the other hand, if the media thinks that it will b beneficial to it if it supports the present party or parteis,then let it.)
anounce the prime ministerial candidate now itself. my choice is anna himself. anounce the important ministers also and then go to people.
let those who think that corruption must go from this land, work for this.
my and my whole family and friends and Divine India Youth Association full support for the upcoming new Political Party supported by Team Anna
1 Ending the fast is a welcome news. The men on fast are too
precious to be sacrificed this way.
2 However, it is a sad moment. The overwhelming sense is of
confusion. It should not have been difficult to foresee that the
present government wold be happy if some of those fasting made their
exit from the scene. Apart from the government’s insensitivity to
believe their fast would shake a venal set up. The Government can now
project itself as an administration that will tolerate no nonsense!
3 Desperately looking for a face saving device to end fast has
not exactly covered Anna and his team with glory. A direct admission
of retreat would have been more convincing. Much like Baba Ramadev
declaring after his escape that he had to live to fight another day.
4 The option to join political arena is not a bright idea. We
have seen what came out of the JP’s movement which had led to an even
bigger national awakening. Politics is a different ball game,
something like volleyball in mud. One must be very brave to believe
Anna’s honest men would win in numbers sufficient to form a government
on their own. And even if they do, will they remain honest in office?
Instead of joining electoral politics it would make more sense to
seek electoral reforms which could strike at the roots of all
pervading corruption.
5 It makes more sense to have a selfless pressure group to keep
a watch on government from outside rather than have one more political
party.
Young blood with energetic mind free from prejudices and modern
thoughts and balanced in views and comments about others, a capacity
to form and activate NGOs in each part of the country to bring in
awareness in the minds of the public, a capacity to form such teams
with both males and females for selfless round the clock work; not
expecting the Governments to set right everything- these are the
requirements for our country. China is no example at all. As it is,
not even in a single pocket of each one's area- a constituency or a
district or a State has any of the members shown example' Negative and
abusive examples should be shunned and any tendency to downplay
achievements but highlight only failures should be avoided to command
respect and regard. Clearly the huge task calls for a team of
knowledgeable, selfless leaders and workers. Even starting to form
such teams is in right direction.
Team Anna's prime objective is to seek to establish a clean
administration.
The anti-congress motives are apparently conspicuous for two main
reasons- Anti-incumbency and the Unprecedented series of scandals and
unscrupulous events.
But Team Anna has not only been against corrupt Congress leaders. It
has been against corrupt leaders of BSP,SP,TMC,DMK etc.
Clearly, this should not be seen as political endorsements for BJP.
Moreover, BJP, lacking in both a clear leadership and agenda, is not
considered by Team Anna an alternative to existing system.
Shortfalls of Team Anna creating a political party has been talked
about. I will talk about the benefits.
Something is better than nothing. Even if they don't form a Govt, they
will exemplify the role of a political leader. They will take due care
to recruit people of similar principles i.e. people against corruption
will find a platform to join politics. Educated Indians,who are
generally reluctant to vote, will find their vote worth.
Kiran Bedi for PM I say!
The common man is the one who needs political outfits to fulfill his own vested interest in day to day life. He will please these politicians to no end for immediate gains. The politician is just responding to this demand of the populace. There are rules and laws to take care of every scenario in this country and if followed, we would be rid of most of the corrupt ills that plauge us. But the fact remains that it is the people who want that little personal favor for themselves for everything in life. That little out of the way activity is the seed of corruption. Remove that from each Indians mind and we will have a corrupt free nation. It is a mindset problem.
As an ordinary Indian citizen, I wish advent of some person to lead our
society to a corruption-free environment. Presently the system is
seemingly irrevocably rotten- not only the politicians and bureaucrats
but actually the whole society across any sort of its classification is
immensely embroiled in corruption. In deed, when finding it against
their vested interest-howsoever improper it may be- the general public
may largely prefer to choose fulfillment of its vested interest rather
than defeat corruption.
Enormous public awareness is needed so that the majority comes to
polling booths fully prepared to sacrifice anything to defeat
corruption.I wish for the success of the movements against corruption.
The crowds supporting Anna are not sincere. I feel that most of these so
called supporters are against corruption only because either they are
bribe givers or by standers and did not get the opportunity to earn
bribes. The moment they get the opportunity to receive bribe all their
ideologies vanish.
Subhash Gupta
There is no other option for anna apart from launching a new political party which is accountable for its action.
Congress has lot credibility .... see Rahul and Sonia tottaly incapable of making some credible statements... BJP is busy fighting its internal battle. what political alternative we citizens of india have ..? Corruption and loot has crossed all benchmarks.. see.
Common Wealth Scam : Rs. 40000 crores.
Coal Scam : 1000000 Crores.
Irrigation Scam in Maharatra : Rs. 40000 crores
2 G scam : Rs. 176000 crores.
All the facts of these scams are in public domain.. Govt. does not have any moral acountability to resign.. Supreme Court is silient observer to all these scams... Mayawati got scot free due to Supreme court intervention... Which intitution in india is left with some credibility ??
Only team Anna is last straw of hope for peaceful resolution... otherwsie . Kind of economic scenario persists in india. Country will lose its prosperity leading to civil war...
Yes, Anna's decision is a welcoming one, he should select the new party leaders who god good educational qualification,service minded,non-controversial scholars upto panchayat levels. He should not allow any existing politicians no matter how good he/she is. His party shall have the clean peoples of retired IAS,IPS,Generals,Majors, scholars, economists, etc. He got enough time to build a strong political party consisting of younger genaration (youth). In this way only we can throuh out the existing criminals, corrupt politicians and family run governments in India.Which ever government came in to power after V.P.Singh government did nothing to the society. All the best for Team Anna for forming the new political Pary, this will help to keep away the Idiots entering in to politics.
Team Anna should form a political party/provide alternative. We surely welcome this move. People should whole heartedly support them. It is high time we the people of this country also put ouract together and help them in building a good alternative. If we believe in team anna and not fall into the trap of present set of politicians/political parties, i am sure we can bring the change.
Team Anna has done well. The assembly elections this year have shown that people are fed up with congress / CPM / Mayawati rule voted for stable governments. In Goa Manohar Parrikar of BJP took a secular position (against the will of RSS and high command) and got elected as a stable Government not dependant on conditional help of corrupt coalition partners. The recent Panchayat elections in Goa have confirmed this disenchantment with corrupt congress.
Anna has to play a role of JP in defeating corrupts. He will forge a third front with Nitish Kumar and likes of Patnaiks as leaders and sane defectors from established parties. He can not avoid politicians and not all politicians are corrupt like gang of 14 and their chelas ruling us today. Anna will do well to get support of cleaner business houses and media. There are likes of Ramnath Goenka today also. Ratan Tata after retirement can be an active supporter for cleansing effort.
!! finally a dim ray of hope for all countrymen who are left with no
alternatives.!!! presently available options are same as like u choose
either the snake or death..we know there will be no fate with either of
`em.!!
ANNA SAHEB should have known about the situation a long time back. Ina medium sized city the normal traffic rules are not followes, the parents of a school going kid give him/her a two wheeler and treat it as a status symbol, a chap runs over a crowd with his MERCEDEZ and thinks that the lot that got killed was very lucky to have died under a MERCEDEZ. ANNA SAHEB withall your sincerity and honesty , the insensitivity generated by the ruling parties have made us BHAARAT VAASEES immune to corruption. Mme AMBIKA SONI speaks about it on the TELEVISION quite proudly and blatently. LEt the CONGRESS rule we are brave enough to suffer through it till we die, that is the fate of every common BHAARAT VAASEE. Those who are not so have SWISS BANK accounts, they have their holidays and medical treatments abroad.
Great decision made by Anna...
people like Mehta & Anbumani like to pen down only negative things.These are the people who never tried to come on ground and they want to remove corruption from their room.Please stop creating negative setiments.
Ashraf has overlooked giving due credentials to the acute pent-up
feelings of the man on the street who has been rendered option less in
the current corrupt political scenario. Given a fresh alternative, the
voter is likely to corner both the congress and the BJP. The scents in
the winds of change are strong enough to rouse the masses from their
slumber. No doubt team Anna has chosen the right time to act. Anna's
motivational appeal will be a clear overpowering force in support of
the new candidates. The proposed new front should watch-out for the seat-grabbers and myriads of torpedoes thrown their way to sink their
boat.
You are very right that this is not the first time the Political Class of India is facing such a crisis. I think that this movement will take time to sublime and fade out. They will fail in timely decision making and break-out within their team on decision making issues, there will be no alternative after Hazare to lead. They talk of change, but will finally fallout. It is a good opportunity to Congress, the non congress alternative will get divided very much. They will also have their time to realize the problems in public service, it is one of the toughest job for them. The same people will realize the hardship of running a political outfit in a multifaceted democracy. Congress need a change with more educated youths participating with discipline. The key factor between Congress and any other part will be discipline and experience from a large pool of highly educated leaders. Congress will need Rahul and many others to take up responsibility soon as possible.
anti corruption can hardly be an issue on which a political party is
based. No political party supports corruption as a policy. Only
individuals are corrupt. There is no guarantee that all those who
might join Team anna outfit will remain honest.
Moreover a political party cannot be built on a single point. They
need to spell out economic, foreign, trade policies and come out with
a comprehensive political manifesto. The best course would be to join
some existing political party nearest in thoughts and policies and try
to clean politics from within that party.
Unless good people get into politics, its landscape will not change. Life will go on as ever. People will continue to blame the politicians they elect, as they have limited choices. So we should not write off tean Anna if they want to enter politics to effect the change people desire. Corruption is an issue affecting pan india and the present breed of politicians have shown no real interest in rooting out these. So we should support and not discourage if people want to come to power to bring about greater transparency in the system.
If team Anna is serious about forming a political front, it should
seriously start thinking about garnering support of common people by
working at grass root level and make the presence feel across the
spectrum. Building up model villages or towns across India which
Team Anna envision is in by no means an easy task.But for that to
happen, it require volunteers(political devotees), unwaivering
leadership and definitely capital. How Team Anna in its political
avatar (if it happens) is going to harness these, among them most
importantly capital will determine the course of its future.
Now, this has been proved by the Govt. that "Govt. is deaf, dumb, blind, senseless". To eradicate corruption and change the Governing system, Anna must give the political option. And the people should take the election as Andolan. We know that 80% of population are pessimist. But now we will have to be optimist. And we will have to awake sleeping people. We will have to be careful about our Duty and Right.
Jai Ho!
Vande Mattram!
There is no alternative to the governments stonewalling. I
welcome team Anna's decision to fight elections on the
single plank of corruption, which is India's greatest
enemy today.
Author has rightly pointed out that in a country like India; where caste politics dominates; it is very hard to find class based political space. Team Anna is struggling for good cause. But turning to political alternative will be a bad choice for them. They instead should follow their Gandhian strategy. Stress the government using peaceful means, take concessions from them and stop struggle. Repeat the same cycle again and again until desired LOKPAL will come. Again they should keep one thing in mind that Facebook and twitter are limited to very few. If they want to turn their movement as real mass movement, they have to work on grass root level. They have to make people aware that how corruption is affecting them, What are their rights, How they can fight for their rights using existing laws, What are the loopholes in current laws and why they need LOKPAL. Only way to do it is go to people and do grass root work. Only then people will make it real mass movement.
yes team anna shoul make a differnt poloitical party and fight for the
whole country from the same platform which our corrupt politics is using
for looting us,.
The shift from the socio economic pressure group to a political party
will definitely reduce the support base of the movement. The middle
class of this country, which is the backbone of this movement, will
drift away from the group once they feel that the results are not up to
their expectations. They will become another political party with the
same set of problems and interested in position Eg All Assam Students
Union - Assam Gana Parished .
Certainly, the task befor Team Anna is gargantuan. It has to put forward a political alternative in electoral politics with a distinct culture of openness and accountability. This alternative should be class based, which Team Anna happens to represent in its present avatar. The messate for the masse is clear; the country has no dearth of policy, programs, and grand schemes. Corruption is devouring everything from policies to people of this country.
You have very clearly indicated the pitfalls of Team Anna creating a
political party and fighting elections. There very approach was one of
giving deadlines and using Fasts as a weapon to force decisions
without due political and legal considerations. Those of us fed up
with the culture of bribes and corruption immediately supported the
movement. Subsequently the impatience, totally anti congress stand of
the Team Anna members, rigidity and having no faith in constitutional
methods, made us unhappy and angry about the impracticality of their
approach. We do want clean but efficient, knowledgeable and practical
members right from the local bodies to the Lok Sabha. Simultaneously
the government servants down the line have also to be turned around as
it is they who deal with common people. All in all it is a welcome
step and we do hope that they succeed in due course in their effort to
clean up the administration of our nation.
Given the depth and and scope of corruption in the country and the singular importance of sound governance to national development or any other enterprise, it will be India's great luck, if somebody, may be Team Anna, was to rise and form a political party that beleieves in and succeeds in providing honest and transparent government. One has to only look to China to see what a poor country with illiterate masses can achieve in a span of 30 or so years for its average citizen with the right kind of leadership and policies. The fact that 836 million Indians live on less than Rs. 20 a day is ample demonstration that India's way of governing has failed notwithstanding the pious and high- minded statements from our leaders. At times it seems the country is just not intetested in lifting itself out of its problems. Independence and Democracy are yet to bear the fruit people expect.
History repeats itself! There are parallels between the current Team-
Anna and the Team-Jayaprakash Narayan of the Emergency Period. We had
Jayaprakash Narayan and Janta Party not so long ago. The party lost
steam, splintered and died out too soon (atleast its original intent
has died!). This swift metamorphosis appears to head the same way. It
may have telling effects on the results of the next General Elections
but I am not sure whether they are in for a long haul. I could be
wrong.
I am sure all the political parties have learnt a lesson or two from
those Emergency Days and Post-Emergency Days politics and have
wisened. It will be interesting to study, analyse and understand the
approach each political party takes.
It is good that the Anna team has decided to change the strategy.To
make a nation that is dishonest from the top to the bottom is not easy.
After all, we have seen this written even in our great epics. Now as a
first step, Anna should see that persons who contest for assembly and
lok sabha elections promise to be honest and that they will work for
a revision of our electoral system. The second step should be to form a
party . Naturally, it will take time but this should be done before the
2019 elections. Even if Anna's party wins 50 lok sabha seats, it can
make a difference. Most people, both in rural and urban areas, thanks
to TV and print media, are aware of the dishonesty and corruption in
our political life. All know that politics is now dishonest business to
most and to root it out, is not easy. But most desire that it should be
reduced. Money will come to help once people see honest persons in
the electoral fray.
Anna is not smart enough to resist corruption and this is his second
failure. We need a strong 'Ana' to perform timely actions over
corruptions !
It is disappointing the Govt. and political parties are not paying heed to an important public grievance. The Govt and the political parties have missed an opportunity to be sensitive to this continuing malady but have remained smug to see a genuine movement fail. God save our country.
Ajaz Ashraf, great analysis, you analyzed superbly past trends and parties which succeeded on long haul. I am not a political observer nor expert on polling, but followed Anna's Movement, It resonated with INDIAN PSYCHE, Their savvy on use of Modern day Tools like Internet on cost effective basis, make of the team spanning from Lawyers,A Villager, An Income tax officers, a Police officer and a Woman, An actor, an Intellectual out limning agenda Nation facing "SWATATRA" Vs PER-TANTRA ,use of emotive and logical theme all fits nicely, I bet entry of Anna's team into politics it will be a game changer and will change landscape of Political discourse in coming election within Year and Half, all major party will or soon change tune or agenda on which they will run NEXT ELECTION. I also think Ramdev will also play a equally but Independently a very strong Nationalistic Tune which has a strong base, Let's see how this will unfold.
Team Anna should place before the nation their blue print for governance instead of indulging in mud slinging at the present establishment. The plan should also indicate the criteria for selection of candidate for elections. They need to do their home work diligently before coming before the countrymen to convince them of their capabilities. Mere appointment of Lokpal and Lokayuktas is unlikely to eradicate the deep malaise of corruption which is deep rooted in this country. It will require a mass churning of conscience to get rid of corruption which starts from the grass roots and goes right to the top echelons of the bureaucratic set up. Also to paint the entire political class as corrupt is irreverent. Let an alternative be clearly spelt out.
"Swaraj" the puported name of Team Anna'spolitical party will likely make headway only in urban middle-class areas (where it will have to compete with the BJP for votes) and will come a cropper in other areas. The Congress was eager for this to happe as they may cut in the votes of the Opposition BJP and Congress may remain in power despite their infinite misgivings. I sincerely hope Team Anna joins hands with the NDA to dislodge the Congress. It may sound opportunistic, but that seems to be the only way to throw the Congress out of power.
As an entity they may not e a serious threat and may need to build forthe future a la' Kanshi Ram.
Creating a political party would be a futile exercise for Team Anna, and would leave
them dry if they fail in 2014 and the team itself may collapse. Moreover, Congress is no
novice when it comes to politics - First it'll mount an attack based on religion
Unfortunately there are not many minorities in the Anna's core circles to the benefit of
Congress. Next, using its power at centre it'll try to curb any flow of funds to the
movement by way of repeated raids and threats. It'll mount a extensive media
campaign vilifying the movement - thanks there are many vested interests to their aid.
Until, the election fever starts they may also try to make the Team Anna silent in the
media thereby making the masses forget about them.
If Team Anna, wants clean politics it should aim at inducing a mass movement for
correcting the constitution itself. It should target and highlight the caveats and relate
them to the distress of the masses. It should cone its strategy to counter the political
classes.
Corruption in India is so deep rooted and we can't expect the corruption shall finish in India so easily with some protest and hunger strikes.My best wishes is with Anna and his teams. Their success and failure is India's success and failure.
What I feel is that the present anti-Congress and anti-BJP mood in the
country makes it the most opportune time for team Anna to come into
politics and be the real catalyst of change, plus they have such a
beautiful anti-corruption platform to go with in electoral politics.
They have already win our hearts, now its time for them to win our votes
too.
Country, especially we youth, desperately needs an alternative! go ahead
team Anna; WE ARE WHOLE-HEARTEDLY WITH YOU!
Its surprising that Team Anna has earned so much respect from the Media.Its perfectly OK you projected Team Anna for the fodder they provided.Its definitely a totally different ball game once Team Anna has made their political ambitions clear.All the talk of restoring RULE in to the hands of the people is nothing but demagogy;all Media, including, the Hindu owe a moral duty to explain the credibility bestowed on this movement as a People's Movement.It is sad that a movement that began so well has ended so badly.It is obvious all the media hours and the hopes kindled in the hearts of an average literate Indian have gone waste.
Waving tricolour or propping children up on the stage could at best be akin to a Bollywood melodrama. As a bold commentator once held forth, Anna lacks the intellectual capability to lead and the intellectually capable Kejriwal suffers no fools and holds all others in Govt as exactly that
And,Hindu can't extend its support to a political outfit.
What other option do we have?..don’t know if Anna’s party will be able to bring any changes but no doubt worth giving a chance..Better than voting corrupt rich and criminal existing MPs and MLs…atleast it will give them a threat to realise that they actually have to work to get elected otherwise any new clean candidate can come and clean them from their territory…but success lies with all these people commenting here to actually go and cast their vote instead of just talking.
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