Anna ji...its time for a different approach!!
The Lokpal Bill movement and debate are now turning out to be a war of words. The Congress has called Anna Hazare an 'unelected dictator' who is raking up issues that are a "threat" to democratic institutions. Can issues concerning bribes and corruption become a threat to democratic institutions? Well, only Congress party spokesperson Manish Tiwari can clarify his statement.
The Congress has also called Anna a BJP-RSS agent. "When someone says that had he continued his fast for three more days, the central government would have collapsed, the message is clear," said party spokesperson Manish Tiwari on Monday.
The day before, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee ticked off Anna saying "nobody can guarantee that the parliament shall pass the Lokpal bill as per the August 15 deadline set by Hazare."
Mukherjee made it very loud and clear that Team Anna can give suggestions, not command or coerce the government through fasts or street-side rabble-rousing agitations. Team Anna cannot set deadlines to parliament on passing the Lokpal Bill. In other words, the Parliament can take another 40 odd years to get a Bill through. Mark Mukherjee's his words: "Nobody can give a guarantee as to how long Parliament is going to take to pass the Bill or when it will be passed. Parliament is Supreme."
All these war of words are carefully calibrated to divert the focus of Anna Hazare and needle him to commit a blunder - just as Baba Ramdev wanted to raise an army of youths. Unfortunately, Anna, the Gandhian, has started responding by calling some MPs liars. This is not what he should do; this is not what Gandhiji would have done. Instead of word for word and barb for barb, Anna should change his tactics. The government has made it clear that it will not allow anyone to go on fast in Delhi. So what? Anna should employ the next tool in Gandhiji's armoury - padayatra.
Yes, Team Anna should galvanise India, especially in the rural areas where people are reeling under corruption and have no option but to pay bribes. The anti-corruption movement should not be kept as a Delhi phenomenon or a movement of the elite.
In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi went on a padayatra -- the famous Salt march to Dandi -- to bring the British government to its knees. Over two decades later, Vinoba Bhave went on a padayatra for the Bhoodan movement.
After Vinoba Bhave, there were not been many padayatras for a national cause. I admit that young turk and former prime minister Chandrasekhar also went on a padayatra from Kanyakumari to Rajghat covering a distance of nearly 4260 kms from January 6, 1983 to June 25, 1983 to connect with the masses and to understand their problems.
Time for a padayatra against corruption Anna Hazareji.
