Team Anna deviating from its mission

The mission of Team Anna is to mobilize people’s support to root out corruption by pressurizing the government to introduce and adopt anti-graft Jan Lokpal Bill in the winter session of Parliament. It is now clearly perceptible that it is deviating from their main issue on which they successfully galvanized the entire nation against corruption. The whole nation gave expression to their voice through the Gandhian and social activist Anna Hazare’s 12- day fast into death protest at Ramlila Ground in Delhi for Jan Lokpal to arrest the growing corruption at all levels of the governments in states and at the Centre.

Now, it is taking political route to settle score with a particular political party, that is Congress, that was clearly reflected in the recently held Hisar parliamentary by-election in Haryana. Key team member Arvind Kejriwal and others campaigned there strongly to defeat Congress candidate, while the candidates against it were not of any cleaner image in public life.

As almost all political parties have some corrupt leaders, targeting a particular party only reflects the deviation from the main issue of corruption by Team Anna and reflecting a hidden anti-Congress agenda . And it also shows its dubious intention, though it says that it puts pressure on Congress because it being a ruling party at the Centre, which is chiefly responsible for introducing and adopting the anti-graft Jan Lokpal Bill in the winter session of Parliament.

When Anna Hazare has himself made it clear that he and his team would campaign in the five poll-bound states scheduled to be held early next year after the winter session of Parliament, what is the need for Arvind Kejriwal and his other team members to start Yatra from Banda in Uttar Pradesh that clearly reflects their political bias against the Congress Party? Why Team Anna is keeping mum on the ruling BSP, and other opposition parties BJP and SP in Uttar Pradesh which are alleged to be no less corrupt than the Congress.

The war against corruption can never be won by supporting covertly or overtly the other political parties not of cleaner records than the ruling UPA at the Centre. What to talk of Arvind Kejriwal, even Anna Hazare, who is presently observing Maun Vrat, has not spoken even a single word on the arrest the former Chief Minister of Karnataka and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa for his alleged involvement in corruption cases. Is it not the double standard of Team Anna? Until and unless the team Anna shows neutrality, apolitical approach and impartial action, the movement against corruption is bound to face hurdles at every step.

The nation has struck dumb at the highly condemnable seen on TV screens of the merciless beating of a Core Committee member of Team Anna and senior Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhusan in his chamber by three young men for his advocacy of plebiscite on Kashmir and shoes throwing incident at Arvind Kejriwal during his public meeting in Lucknow. Violence by any one must be condemned strongly. And these two ugly incidents against Team Anna members are unfortunate and condemnable. Government must ensure the security of all the members of Team Anna.

While Anna Hazare himself considers Prashant Bhushan as wrong for advocating of plebiscite on Kashmir, no action against him has been taken as yet. Jammu and Kashmir is the integral part of India and it will remain so.

Two Core Committe members of Team Anna PV Rajgopal and Water Man and Magsasay Award winner Rajendra Singh have reportedly quit over the issue of the members taking political turn that leads them in different directions.

The decision about campaigning against Congress in Hisar was reportedly not taken by Core Committee and it appeared to be the personal political bias of some of the jovial, enthusiastic and vocal members against the Congress Party, who influenced Anna Hazare to make announcement about it. In this way, the energy of the youth of the entire nation channelized against corruption by Anna Hazare is being frittered away.