It is because of my conviction that Indias greatest achievement in the past 64 years is our democracy that I disapprove of Anna Hazare and his methods. I believe he has an unhealthy disdain for democracy and democratic processes. But,when I saw thousands of Indians rally to his cause last week,I decided that it was essential to try and understand his growing appeal.
So I listened carefully to his statements and speeches from Ramlila maidan. They began nearly always with a report on how he had lost yet another kilo (lucky fellow!) and then they followed a simple pattern. He would launch into a tirade against the government,charging it with corruption and duplicity. Then would come the turn of politicians in general. Anna called them traitors and thieves. After politicians and officials had been brutally reviled,he would attack rich people who lived in air-conditioned homes indicating that this was wicked when (good) people like him lived in a village temple with a plate and a bucket as his only possessions. At the end of this,he would recite a line from some Bollywood song and then go back to bed to conserve energy while his audience roared its approval.
Parliament has been reduced to an arena for shenanigans rather than debate. When there is debate or even just a chance for someone to speak,there is so much background noise that above the din what you mostly hear is the thin voice of the Speaker saying,Sit down,sit down. Please sit down. Nothing will go on record. Nothing will go on record. Then there is the disquieting reality that most of our younger MPs are hereditary MPs and mostly so apolitical that it is glaringly evident that it was the lure of power and pelf that brought them into public life rather than a desire to serve the people.
This happens at a time when we have the weakest Prime Minister in living memory. Dr Manmohan Singhs role has been so diminished that he sat quietly in the Lok Sabha last Friday when Rahul Gandhi suggested major policy changes like turning the Lokpal into a constitutional office on the lines of the Election Commission. Surely such an idea should emanate from the government and not a general secretary of the Congress Party? One of the reasons why the mighty Government of India has blundered hopelessly in dealing with Anna Hazare is because the Prime Minister plays such a reduced role that a general secretary of the Congress Party dared to go on national television and say that if Sonia Gandhi had been here,there would not have been such a mess.
As for the other two pillars of democracy,they show their own signs of stress. The judiciary has failed hopelessly to speed up the process of delivering justice but judges find time to make political comments and interfere in such things as whether the mining of iron ore should be banned.
When it comes to the media,I always hesitate before saying anything because of that old adage about dog not eating dog. But considering the role our 24-hour news channels have played in the exalting of Anna,it would be wrong not to. They have exalted him not just by covering his every move in the way that sporting tournaments are covered but by never questioning his methods or philosophy. It would have been refreshing if one channel had taken the trouble to ask him why he believes that the Lokpal will be such a panacea. It would have been a national service if someone had asked him if he had read the Jan Lokpal Bill. My personal view is that he has not or he would never have said that it will serve to decentralise political power. It will do the opposite by bringing state level officials under the Lokpal but what is the point in saying anything now that Anna Hazare has become,with the unstinting help of the media,our shining new crusader. Well,good for Anna Hazare but maybe not so good for Indian democracy.
Follow Tavleen Singh on Twitter @ tavleen_singh
