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Journalism of Courage
Now that they are not unaligned,Anna and his colleagues must define their political direction
How many species can be accommodated in a single genus? Endless numbers,the biologist would say. But the political scientist must be conservative because human behaviour is less varied than life. It is restricted to the loosely defined baskets of the left,the right and the centre. Which one does Team Anna identify with? After Baba Ramdev stole Anna Hazares thunder at the joint fast on Sunday,and especially after BJP President Nitin Gadkari touched Ramdevs feet on Monday,a question of identity has come up,which demands an answer. Both Anna and Baba insist that their agendas are divorced from party politics,yet both have reached out to parties in different ways.
Anna has lost the power to reel in the crowds and his movement must either depend on Ramdev or share the dais with other political groups that can bring in their own following. But genus Anna is not broad enough to hold all species of beings. Anna cannot sit on the dais flanked by Ramdev and his bete noire ,Brinda Karat,for instance. Politically,the movement must be asked to define its direction. On Sunday,the axis was Ramdev,towards whom the BJP is also leaning. Both Ramdev and Anna have expressed a desire for strong laws,much beloved of the right. Now it is time for Team Anna to either revert to its unaligned position or enter the arena of party politics. If it dawdles at the borderland,it will be blown away by Team Ramdev.
