Massive Success of Gandhian Mass Crusade

A Gandhian leader has won hands down at least for the present. This is an outstanding victory for Gandhi’s India. To deny this is to be blind to the reality that has unfolded and is still unfolding before our very eyes.

By all accounts it is a massive success. Frightened by the growing mass backing for Anna Hazare’s crusade against corruption, epitomised in his tenacious campaign for the Jan Lokpal Bill, the Manmohan Singh Government beat a hasty retreat on August 25 with the PM himself making a fervent appeal in the Lok Sabha urging the septugenarian Gandhian to give up his fast while simultaneously announcing that he did not consider the government draft of the legislation to be sacrosanct and disclosing that Parliament would discuss all other versions of and suggestions on the legislation, notably the Jan Lokpal Bill piloted by Team Anna, at a special session (to be held on August 26). He also gave the assurance that the proceedings of the discussion would constitute the basis for framing a fresh legislation acceptable to all. Even if he did not declare the withdrawal of the government draft of the Bill as suggested by several leaders, including those of the Left, BJP, JD(U) and RLD, at the all-party meeting on August 24, the PM’s statement marked a distinct advance from his previous utterances. It was indeed a far cry from his earlier insinuation of the Anna movement as being financed and inspired from abroad and the Congress spokesperson’s wild personal attacks on the veteran leader only to earn the people’s wrath. (It was good that the gentleman concerned has eventually apologised for his indiscre-tion that should have, in normal circulstances, cost him his job.)

The PM’s appeal was instantly endorsed by the Leader of the Opposition and the Lok Sabha Speaker herself gave voice to the feelings of all members by articulating the same appeal in her own words. That was indeed of historic importance reflecting the people’s representatives’ endeavour to reach out to their constituents giving due regard to the groundswell of support across the nation for Anna and his anti-corruption movement. It was at the same time the finest manifestation of Parliament’s recognition of India’s transition from a representative to a participatiroy democracy through the Gandhian vehicle of non-violence driven by Anna Hazare.

When the PM’s message to him on what had transpired in Parliament reached the veteran social activist, he sent a counter-message to the Union Government insisting that the discussions should cover three major points: (i) the Lokpal Bill should have provision not only for a Lokpal at the Centre but also Lok Ayuktas in every State; (ii) the Bill should ensure that the lower bureaucracy too comes within the ambit of the Lokpal; (iii) all public authorities should be mandated to prepare a citizens’ charter to fulfil their commitment to citizens within a specific time-frame. If this proposal was accepted through a resolution adopted by all parties and MPs in the Lower House, he would definitely consider giving up his fast and agree to be on drip in hospital, he said. But he made it clear that even if he withdrew his indefinite fast, his dharna at the Ramlila Maidan would continue till the Lokpal legislation, embodying the vital provisions of the Jan Lokpal Bill, was adopted by Parliament. The response of the government side is learnt to be positive and as of now indications are that Anna would give up his fast shortly.

There have been several articles in the media assailing Anna Hazare, some of these stooping to the level of hurling personal abuses at him. These are either motivated or ill-informed. (He never questioned the supremacy of Parliament. What he said all along was to exert mass pressure on the government and the people’s representatives but unfailingly stressed at every public meeting the need to maintain peace and refrain from employing violence in any form.) These write-ups as also the ruling party members’ initial comments against Anna and his struggle bring out the magnitude of alienation of such commentators and politicians from the bulk of the masses alongside their inability to feel the pulse of the people.

Even if final victory of the struggle has yet to be achieved, the significance of the success of Anna’s crusade on Gandhian lines after ten days of fast cannot be overemphasised. For, this success has once again brought into sharp focus the vitality of our democracy despite its manifold infirmities.

August 25 S.C.