Because the Crowds are Right, and our Prime Minister is Wrong

(The article given below is not an article only, it is a deep pain of honest, committed and ground activists, who have been sacrificing their lives for social betterment but they do not see seeds of social transformation in Anna's movement. If possible please try to read this article otherwise leave it.)

The author is a senior journalist and a very committed Right to Information activist and has done fast in village of Anna Hazare. He is abused and criticized because he does not wear photo badge of Anna, do not wear Anna Cap, do not shout song "I am Anna" and do not forward sms.

Yes, we are a nation OUTRAGED, no doubt about it. But please ask yourself: ARE WE A NATION AWAKENED?

SMS NO. 1
Late last night, someone SMSed me: “Ghar ka kutta kaisa ho, kapil sibbal jaisa ho!! Manmohan jiska tau hai, wo sarkar bikau hai!! Desh ka yuva jag gaya, dekho rahul bhaag gaya.” I get many such SMSes everyday. These slogans are no doubt energizing the crowds at Ramlila Maidan, Azad maidan and dozens of other rallying points around the country.

What I understand is this: 74-year-old Anna Hazare (Peace Be Upon Him, Victory to Him!) is a great man selflessly fasting against corruption. To support him, hundreds of people are fasting and organizing rallies, and thousands are circulating such abusive SMSes. Anna is smiling nobly; every sentence that he speaks and each gesture of his long-fingered hands sends out rays of sanctity on national television networks. Just by watching the crowds and breathless commentators on news channels, we are being cleansed of corruption. He is the messiah, the prophet come to liberate us from
the evils of Corruption, and he has shown us the way… and this is the way!

Finally, after 64 years of Independence, India shall be free of the menace of corruption. (Give thanks! Fall down and prostrate before the Lord!)

Contrast this with 79-year-old Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India and former Governor of Reserve Bank. No, he is NOT a great man; he is just an economist and administrator. He is not fasting against corruption, he is only running the Govt. of India; any fool can do this job. He is a weak-chinned man, a bureaucrat foisted on the country by an “Italian waitress” Sonia Gandhi to protect all the corrupt people of India. (Down with Manmohan, Down with Sonia!)

Manmohan Singh’s sympathizers don’t circulate SMSes abusing Anna Hazare. They are too cowardly to do so. They just stand there silently while Anna Hazare hangs the albatross of our nation’s collective failures around the neck of the Prime Minister. Every word that Manmohan Singh speaks in his own defense is full of cowardliness… and lies.

SMS NO. 2
This morning, I got another SMS: “Anti-corruption menu-card – Anna’s Jan Lok Pal Bill or Govt’s Joke Pal (or rather Danger Pal) Bill. What do you want to be served. You order.”

This one was sent by one of my dear activist colleagues – someone I respect. He’s a thoughtful chap, never swayed by mob sentiments. So presumably, he is doing his bit for spreading awareness and supporting Anna’s noble agitation.

Most of my colleagues have been organizing morchas and wearing caps saying, “I am Anna Hazare”. Some of them are fasting too. And here I am, sitting at home with a tiny minority of Doubting Thomases and cynics who don’t care about the country.

SMS NO. 3
Just now, I got another SMS from an activist friend: “Annaji has given call to continue FIGHT! Govt seems to be Blind and Deaf! Join Historic 1 Lac March, 21st August – 4.30 PM @Bandra W. rly stn”.

Yes, the clarion call for action has been given. But sadly, here I am, refusing to join the forces of good in their battle against evil. This is a time for Unity and Solidarity, and here I am, trying to divide the people of India with clever arguments, instead of uniting them by forwarding SMSes.

So I am not an RTI activist… not even a good citizen. I don’t want corruption to be gone. I am just a government stooge.

Anna Hazare (Peace Be Upon Him, Victory to Him) is endangering his life by fasting at Ramlila Maidan. The people supporting him are wet, hungry and sleepless…

And Manmohan Singh is no doubt sitting in airconditioned comfort at 7 Race Course Road, and exchanging evil ideas with Sonia, Rahul and their kutta Kapil Sibal.

And while India is on the warpath, here I am enjoying my cup of coffee.
Shame on me!

By:

Krishnaraj Rao