You might say this is my gut feeling, more or less, keeping in mind the tumultuous Emergency days that this anti-corruption movement of Anna Hazare and a section of civil society can certainly snowball into something bigger, something unforeseen both by the Indian State and the Indian people.
As an emerging writer in the late 60s and 70s and as a grassroot political activist, I do believe I have had some first-hand experiences of the Indian State’s excesses which have possibly allowed me to form a perspective, no matter how skewed and subjective.
Coming back to Anna’s anti-graft movement, even a Black Swan (an unexpected and unforeseen mega event) could unfold which will invariably make all calculations go awry. When shameless corruption seeps down to the lowest rung from the highest quarter, such an eventuality can certainly be expected.
However, at a time when people, political parties and the media are at their charitable best in dispensing labels and forwarding comparisons, it is equally important to understand that there is a qualitative difference between this movement and the one which opposed Indira Gandhi’s imposition of the Emergency.
The fight against the Emergency was basically a battle for political freedom when all dissent was ruthlessly suppressed, the voice of the media muzzled. Dissidents were thrown into prison without rhyme or reason. I have my share of fond memories of those days. Not all of them seemed so tender then. The imposition of Emergency was an autocratic and semi-fascist attack on democratic values. The same label can't be applied here. This is a different scenario. Corruption by elected representatives and people in public offices is the issue today. The media has access and is reporting events as and when they happen.
Anna Hazare’s movement comes at a time when the all-pervasive nature of global capital and its machinations have created an ambience of corruption all over the world, laying bare the skeleton of a decaying system. Greed has become the keyword of the global economic system and more often than not, the smaller fries bear the brunt of it. In such a situation, Anna’s movement invariably acquires a political, moral and ethical dimension.
But doubts remain as to the seriousness and integrity of those leading the movement. People are not clear. Clownism and theatrics often are taking the centre stage and the doubts are only getting bigger.
A definite limitation of Anna Hazare’s movement, I feel, is the middle and upper middle classes that it has found its appeal restricted to. It somehow lacks politics and reeks of middle class sensitivity. If the masses are not involved, this apparent war of attrition can fritter down to a non-battle between Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
But one thing is for sure. The government is in utter panic; such a police bandobast is ridiculous. That shows one thing: that the State and the system is afraid. I have been an eternal optimist and strongly believe that a time will come when manipulation of the masses will no longer be possible.
I see demolition of this spectacle of corruption as part of a bigger political agenda. It is imperative for the survival of the people. Survival of the State is secondary to the well-being of its people in my opinion. But whether Anna and his followers are up to this task is questionable. After all, the winner of that battle won’t be decided in TV studios but someplace else.
(The writer is an author of repute)
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