Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Don’t dash people’s hopes to the ground

Social activist Anna Hazare roused a hope among the people of eradicating corruption from the government departments. He stirred them against the corruption nationwide. People started looking at him with enormous expectation amidst the disillusionment among them with the successive governments over corruption. All accept that corruption prevails everywhere in the functioning of the government. Undoubtedly, corruption is rampant at all levels in the government. Anna’s protest began with the demand of Jan Lokpal to eradicate corruption. Corruption has taken the form of the deadly disease like Cancer. Its infection is super fast. And if it was not stopped immediately, it would devour the poorest of the poor. This is the growing corruption that causes backbreaking price rise of food grains and all essential commodities. Therefore, Anna Hazare got massive public and media support in August last year. Media became protesters’ darling. The media had given the largest and longest coverage to Anna Hazare’s protest at Ramlila Ground for his demand of Jan Lokpal to fight out corruption only because the issue touched inner feeling of the people. Team Anna members, very few in numbers and of different ideological belief, started speaking in different voices after the successful 12 days’ protest of August last year in their effort to hog the headlines and attract people’s attention to exploit favour politically. The message went out among the people that Team Anna’s intention was suspect. From the Hissar Lok Sabha by-election, Team Anna Members instead of concentrating their mind and mobilize public support on their main demand Jan Lokpal, they concentrated against the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre as if all other party leaders are honest. It reflected their bias against the Congress. The new demand of probing the corruption charges against 15 ministers, including the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh by SIT for which Team Anna members- Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sishodia and Gopal Rai- have been sitting on fast into death since 27-7-2012 reflects that they have individual agenda against the government. Anna Hazare also had to start his fast also since 29-8-2012 in support of their demand. It amply reflects deviation and shifting from one demand to another resulting in the confusion among the people. That is why they have got tepid response this time. Media have covered their protest objectively and reported the ground reality this time. Not showing over enthusiasm by the media irked Team Anna and because of that one its senior most members attacked them. Media this time realized that it was not proper for them to report Team Anna’s protest in the way as if they were their spokesman. Anna Hazare has greater responsibility to take his protest for the demand of Jan Lokpal to its logical end. And don’t jump from one issue to another. His protest has enabled the people to dream of a corruption free administration. So, live up to people’s expectation and must not be misdirected by anyone.

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