Please don’t make it a circus

I have been keenly following the Anna Hazare fast.  I know that in this country we have a large number of discontent and agitated people keen on committing violence – be it arson, stone throwing or even shaking their fists and mouthing Ma – Behn gaalis.  But that I can still condone – no not the arson and stone throwing but the general venting.  We have a lot to vent about, our democratically elected government and netas have ensured that.

What I cant condone is our fat arsed armchair intellectuals who will argue every progress or positive step, without getting the said arse out of the chair and do something.

Argument No. 1

Anna Hazare is holding the government to ransom

Well … high time someone from the aam janta did!  Our netas and beaurocrats have been holding the country to ransom and thereby harassing us for a long time.  Time they got a taste of their own poison.  And it is a step in the right direction.  At least Anna and Team are trying to do their bit for a corruption free India.  What are these arm chair intellectuals doing?

Argument No. 2

What Anna is doing is unconstitutional.

Yeah sure!  By the same coin, what Gandhi did was unconstitutional too.  But the government does not like to hear that, does it?  I feel that this movement represents a hope that the general poison in our system will get exorcised.  I don’t know if it will – but am with it, because its a step in the right direction.

Argument No. 3

The growing protest by self serving brand of intellectuals like Aruna Roy, the dalit activist who fears her following may be diminished, rabble rouser and supporter of Maoists and Geelani, Arundhati Roy and the likes.  Well, I have nothing to say to them, apart from directing them to this blog post which I really admire “Why I’d rather be Anna than Arundhati”

My plea to one and all is – Please don’t make a circus out of this.  Acknowledge that you have come face to face with something greater than individuals, something greater than personal and petty aspirations.  Watch it carefully before shooting your mouth off, like Manish Tiwari did.

To the ruling government and the inept way this was handled, I’d like to ask, “Kya boss? Didja think you’d make the old man wear a salwar kameez and flee?  Bad judgement boss”

Coming to my own personal opinion

1. No I do not support the government bill at all, but I do have reservations on Anna’s bill.  I do hope that an open debate is held and glitches ironed out.

2. I am very glad that Anna has shaken us out of our apathy.  We, the working classes have been doing nothing but earning our living and shooting our mouths out on the ills that we face in this country.  We have not taken steps to correct it.  I am glad we are voicing our protest.

3.  The youth has got involved.  I love this.  Youth is, by its very nature, idealistic, impatient and eager.  Those energies will make all the difference.

My appeal to the Government, rabble rousers and the protesters is just one simple one

We have, after a very long time, got involved in something that transcends the individuals that lead the movement, oppose it or support it.  The protest we are seeing is not for just tabling the Jan Lokpal.  It is bigger than that.  It is for a cleaner system of governance in the country.  It is for getting jobs without paying bribes, it is for an effective and cleaner government.

I think Kejriwal and others in Team Anna are aware of this and are trying to keep the movement limited to tabling of Jan Lokpal.  Perhaps they are unsure of how to deal with the larger demand from the people.

I feel that we will be disappointed – but hope that its just the cynic in me that feels so.