The main players in whole act, it appears favoured that this should be brought to its logical conclusion. Everybody concurred that this type of psychological movement cannot be sustained for long.
The Social Activists had announced that the next phase of agitation – Jail Bharo from April 13. This means that Anna Hazare had decided to break his fast anyway. The Government which was holding out in the beginning gave in, fearing that the agitation could have some impact on Assembly elections in Five States where Congress has high stakes if it continues.
More worrisome is that according to intelligence inputs, infiltration by interested political outfits has made inroads in the form of Baba Ram Dev and people of Art of Living and RSS though Anna Hazare dismissed all such talks. Moreover, interest in Cricket has been whipped after the World Cup Victory and with the commencement of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is bound to divert attention what is happening at Jantar Mantar. Comparison of Anna hazare’s movement with Jai Prakash Narayan (read as JP movement) is odious.
JP movement was against assault on the Constitution. Indira Gandhi wanted to subvert and overturn the Constitution to suit her political ends. There was no electronic media at that time and yet it is spread nation-wide like forest fire. It was not confined to middle class alone. Whereas, this movement has had one point agenda- fight against corruption, and then many questions were raised about the intent and partiality of the movement like why not a single word had been mentioned about wholesale and retail corruption rampant in the BJP-ruled southern state of Karnataka.
The initial discomfiture that the United Progressive Alliance was in trouble seems to have changed. Many Social Activists who stayed away from participating in the movement are waiting to see what happens next and they hope that the Government does not given in to unreasonable demands for buying peace.
Drafting of Bill is going to face rough weather. The Government has lined its top lawyers who are senior ministers like P Chidamabaram, Kapil Sibal, Veerappa Moily and Salman Khurshid. Anna Hazare and company may not find it easy going in the drafting.
Anna Hazares political statement praising Narendra Modi has betrayed real intentions of the Social Activists. While underlining the urgent need for combating corruption at all levels, CPI leader D Raja lashed out saying the BJP itself had double standards , as did some Hazare supporters “is anyone going to undertake a fast-into-death for the removal Karataka Chief Minister who is facing corruption charges.”
BJP Vice President Shanta Kumar voiced a discordant note. He says that the failure of different political parties heading a series of government formations at the Centre to pass such legislation. “It was a completed failure of our political system that all parties and even the NDA could not take effective steps to curb corruption, he said in a statement.
Questions are also being raised as why Anna Hazare remained silent when corruption was rampant during the NDA regime. Religious symbolism at the site of Anna Hazare hunger strike at Janatar Mantr also put a question mark on the secular credibility of new Gandhian. The canvas at the backdrop at the stage, where hunger strike was observed had a Hindu goddess holding the Indian National Flag similar to that of the RSS, the only difference being the National Flag replaced the Bhagwa Dhwaj in the hands of goddess Bharat Devi of the RSS.
People are also asking where was Anna Hazare when innocent people were massacred during the Gujarat 2002 riots? His view on 1984 riots is still not known. Why he did not keep fast at that time. If he follows Gandhi he must know Mahatma Gandhi went on fast-unto-death to stop communal riots at Kolkata and elsewhere during the freedom struggle. His secular credibility would also be put on test he did not use similar tactics for drafting of an effective Anti-Communal Riots Bill soon. For India communalism is more dangerous than corruption. Question were also raised as why nationalist Hazare remained quiet when non Marathis were brutally attacked in Mumbai and other place of Maharashtra during agitation by Thakery Parivar.
If Hazare want to bring changes in the country in true sense, he has to enlarge his canvas, otherwise more such questions would be raised during his future social activities.