Anna Hazare has Moral Courage

There is an unholy nexus between the politician, the police, the bureaucracy and criminals of the underworld to be united together to swindle the public money. Since that money born of corrupt practices cannot be deposited in the Indian banks, the economic criminals, including government ministers and heads of political parties deposit them in Swiss banks and elsewhere. No questions are asked there and they aid corruption to flourish.

ANNA HAZARE MOVEMENT

THE SEPTUAGENARIAN DIMINUTIVE MAN CLAD IN HOME SPUN CLOTH CALLED KHADI HAS PUT HIS LIFE AT STAKE TO CLEANSE THE INDIAN SOCIETY OF CORRUPTION. He was a non-commissioned officer in the Indian Army driving heavy vehicles across the country. He earned his bread honestly and on retirement gave his entire savings in charity to build wells, Dharamshalas or free rest houses for pilgrims and motivated his village people not to grease the palm of govt officials for doing the work of common peasants. He enlarged the scope and encompassed the state of Maharashtra. With People's support he succeeded in uprooting many ministers of the state and having the corrupt governments fall. The success never went into his head. He continued living in  a small room in a free public rest house that he had built for peasant travellers.

Anna Hazare came to cleanse New Delhi and is at it now. The entire population of India is fed up of the corrupt practices of govt ministers, bureaucrats, police officials and the rest of the govt paraphernalia. Anna’s life is encouraging for those who wish to work for a public cause but have little money to sustain them.

If you ask for an honest minister in the government of India, you will draw a blank. These corrupt people stash the ill gotten wealth in foreign banks which are tax havens. Anna Hazare has taken a vow to cleanse the society of the aforesaid corrupt elements and thus make the society corruption-free.

The ultimate beneficiary of a corruption-free society will be the common man.

MODUS OPERANDI

The Anna Hazare Team comprises Arvind Kejariwal, Kiran Bedi and a host of volunteers who support the movement and move with the crusader bag and baggage from place to place. All volunteers spend their own money and time. They do not expect anything in return. This phenomenon is not only surprising but also encouraging for selfless social workers who have no money in purse. They may plunge into the pool and learning how to swim will come on its own. Money is important but money is not everything in life.

The life of Anna Hazare is a beacon light to the greenhorn who is unable to navigate in the unchated sea on a dark night. Now Anna is in Tihar jail but that has not dampened his spirits or lowered his morale. He has taken it in the normal stride of life. When Anna has challenged the high and the mighty but corrupt persons, he should be ready to court danger always and every time. In any case he has faced Death in the past too and survived.

In the India-Pakistan War-1965, he was driving his heavy vehicle laden with essential supplies meant for troops fighting against the enemy on the borders.  A couple of fighter jets of the Pakistan Air Force swooped on the convoy. Anna applied brakes at high speed and his heavy vehicle skidded and rolled into a khud. Anna was injured alright but escaped being killed by Pakistani bullets. The vehicle was damaged but these accidents do happen in field when you are under enemy attack.

Anna Hazare has nerves of steel and is not flustered by difficult situations he has to face for no fault of his. The more he faces danger, the more he develops steely nerves that hold him in good stead in danger posed by war when he is in the face of the enemy.

FIGHT TO FINISH

The present campaign of his against corruption in society and government will be a fight to finish. May Anna come out with flying colours.

BY CHITRANJAN SAWANT