Anna Takes Praise and Blame Unfazed

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took a step forward towards reconciliation with Anna Hazare by praising his vision and lauding his idealism. It will work as a balm on the bruised body of Anna Team too who were treated rather shabbily by some ministers in the last few days of ongoing talks to find a meeting point.

I appreciate Sushma Swaraj for assuring the septuagenarian Gandhian on protest fast that the opposition would ensure tabling of a strong Lokpal bill.

TEARS - REAL OR CROCODILE

Many centres of power have been reassuring Anna Hazare that the UPA government is not only sympathetic to his demand of installing a strong and effective Lokpal but also conceding the point of bringing the Prime Minister under Lokpal purview. Nevertheless, the Team Anna felt disillusioned and disappointed with the stand taken by the Finance Minister that the fast of Anna is his headache or it is for Team Anna to bother about that. The three member Team Anna had gone public with their feelings that they were crest fallen after meeting cabinet ministers in the last round whereas they were hopeful of a settlement the previous day. The Finance Minister said that his version of the episode had been presented in a distorted manner.

Many a time members of the public feel that the government of India sheds crocodile tears only instead of applying balm to bruises and they do it so clumsily that the picture speaks and goes public to underline the point that sincerity is lacking. Arrogance of power among some cabinet ministers was noticeable, so said an independent observer. Even the Congress spokesmen like Manish Tiwari and Rashid Alwi were rude to the septuagenarian Gandhian in their Press briefings. Manish Tiwari has now apologized to Anna Hazare for his intemperate comments.

Team Anna thought that the talks had broken down and they lost no time in hammering out a new strategy to deal with the difficult situation. They chalked out a plan to gherao the Parliament of India and houses of individual members of parliament who had refused to play the ball. Anna Hazare exhorted the volunteers to court arrest and go to jail in case the police came in the way.

The common man in the Ramlila Maidan will indeed heave a sigh of relief that the Lok Sabha, the august law-making body of Bharat, has passed a resolution requesting Anna Hazare to give up his protest fast. The Speaker, Meira Kumar, did well in joining the House in making that appeal to Anna Hazare. The Lok Sabha, the Speaker, the Prime Minister, the Leader of Opposition have made a joint endeavour to ameliorate the difficult situation and they deserve a clap from the common man.

WRITTEN ASSURANCE

Once bitten twice shy - the age old saying is true in Anna's case too. Since he is a social activist, he has been going on protest fasts and dharnas quite often to have the people's grievances redressed by the state govt of Maharashtra or now the central govt. He finds that the ministers and senior civil servants give verbal assurances to remove the cause of public wrath but soon after they go back on their words. In the absence of a written commitment, no one can be pinned down for eating his words. Therefore, Anna Hazare now insists on a written commitment by the government concerned.

Presently the Government of India is a house divided against itself. P. Chidambaram and Kapil Sibbal have been pinpointed by team Anna as roadblocks. Pranab Mukherjee has brought the talks back on rails. Indeed it is the initiative of Dr Manmohan Singh to heap praises on Anna Hazare for his vision, dedication and sincerity that moved the belligerents on both sides. It is hoped that PM will assert himself and take the case to its logical end and say CHEERS TO ANNA HAZARE.

By Chitranjan Sawant