It was extremely disappointing how a movement that caught imagination of the world, and more specifically amongst the youth of India, was reduced to Shambles just to satisfy the ego of a couple of members in Team Anna. What really prompted the abject and meek surrender, all of a sudden – mobilizing signatures of 23 “Eminent” citizens.
FINALLY MOVEMENT ENDED WITH THIS 23 SIGNATURES
REST OF SUPPORTERS BE DAMNED!!!
(I had the document but wanted to use this picture to show how casually it was presented to public via Twitter by Kiran Bediji)-
When did a movement that was propped up and maintained by millions of “not-so-eminent” citizenry suddenly get driven by just 23 “Eminent” persons’ opinion. I do not care for the already loud noises being made of the electoral prospects of these motley crowd – the real and ONLY loser is WE, “not-so-eminent”, Citizens of India, who gave heart and soul to support this movement. I am only concerned about how easily the basic agenda was dispensed. With not so much of a care for common folks,such a huge step does seem to make a mockery of the very ideals that they preached.
Pretty obvious that Arvind Kejriwal and others of Team Anna chickened out and FEARED for their lives, when the fast which they thought would pressurize Government to run for cover, got extended due to royal ignore that they received. Do and Die I thought was to achieve objective (now what was that!!!) not Death of the Movement. Done… You made it
Couple it with dwindling support – all due to the grandstanding of Team Anna, they knew their time has come, the time to write the epitaph of a movement that the world never saw before and thanks to these bunch of jokers, we could never hope to see again. If I was skeptical about the system so long, today I am also skeptical about such movements – NOT AGAIN is a ticked item I have carved on my Thought-Rock. A “Do or Die” requires a supreme sacrifice, yes! maybe someone’s life (I may sound too cruel here, but then I did not call for a Fast unto Death) which apparently none seem to have been ready. Obviously with benefit of hindsight, I can emphatically state that there was nothing noble about these players. Repeated fasts and threats of agitation was just a blackmail and helped the ruling coalition to neutralize the entire movement.
It is simply a case of bloated ego, could not handle reduced crowds – movements of this kind is long-haul and doesn’t ride a peak all the while. If we cannot stay the course, call it off before even it starts. But then surging crowds was heady stuff, intoxicating and enticing – forcing Team Anna into a false sense of possessing “Bigger than JanLokPal” kind of power. When you call and go on as regular-as-Ekadashi” fast, expect the momentum to also waver. It took 2 failed fast, both of which had to be called off without achieving an iota of goals that was set out. Reasons – in both cases Anna and Team Anna did not anticipate a low public support that they expected. Why not – people expect more than rhetoric. from mere slogans to action, from highlighting problems to tangible workable solutions. August 2011 was with tall hopes and over the year August 2012 was a case of shattered dreams. Yet another bunch of ambitious, vile protagonists who essentially was sailing as part of the same system, who tried to veer out but had to strength of will nor ideological steadfastness to go off-course.
Coming to the Corruption related matters itself which was supposed to be the main agenda of this movement – the moment these bunch of self proclaimed core team started to color the Corruption – the signs of beginning of end started emerging. If at all any noise was made , it was almost always on leaders of the Opposition (which we know anyway would be done by the ruling combine) and never once against the members of ruling coalition. A spontaneous protest by the volunteers in front of Prime Minister’s residence, promptly receives an apology. Yet another protest in front of the Agriculture Minister (his record on corruption needs no mention) again is promptly regretted.
Inadvertently Gopal Rai blurted out that battle was never for a Lokpal (please note the usage of the term, not even Janlokpal which we thought differentiated the Sarkari LokPal) but to bring a people’s government to the country
- Was Jan lok Pal bill the end or just a means to an end? With such an ambitious, and impractical provisions did they not kill the bill even before it was written on the paper. Knowing that no party was in a position to drive this through, why was a negotiation on key provisions not agreed upon. Today we are left with nothing due to needless grandstanding
- From Anti-Corruption, it became a movement for lot of other things – JLP Bill became a matter of ego (Prevention of Corruption also was forgotten), Dabbling in Politics (Hissar Election) and Nursery admission (What did it have to do with IAC), Incessant attack on Narendra Modi, CM of Gujarat
- When did that shift from it being Millions of Suffering Indian’s movement turn into one driven by 23 “Eminent” citizens. Doesn’t opinion of of those who supported this fast matter, don’t they need to be consulted when you called off the fast?
- Without giving a damn to those who stood by the movement ever since movement began, unilaterally it was announced that the movement will be taking a political route (and as an afterthought a sham of a survey was dished out)
- With an expanded agenda (don’t fool us again telling Anti-corruption would be the only plank) what happens to the Anti-Corruption focus – won’t it get diluted? Here we go… Good bye India Against “Corruption”
- What happens if you fail in the Political pursuits? That would ensure that any such future movements are killed forever. With such a huge stake how was such a risky step taken without consulting the real stake-holder, “US”
- Has no one who took this huge decision realize that you are going to play the same dirty game of money and muscle with more experienced players? Source of money would be questioned (remember, they have equal moral right to raise same questions that we have asked them earlier)
- What happened to the funds that are raised so far for IAC in PCRF accounts? It was specifically for Crusade against corruption and not for Political purposes.
- What did Anna Hazare mean when he told Khurshid that Baba Ramdev tried to “use” him? Was it not the other way? When they needed crowd in Jantar Mantar, Baba Ramdev was God, the very next day Sanjay Singh comes out with a shocker criticizing Baba Ramdev branding his communal once the purpose was served. (Remember Arvind Kejriwal’s speech last August? Sri Sri Ravishankar was God!!!)
PURPOSE SERVED!!!
PS: I do have some Personal Text Messages which as is not their wont I would like to keep anonymous unlike Salman Khurshid who divulged what transpired between him and Anna Hazare ji. Any one’s guess who had sent me the message on midnight of September 11, 2011
“This movement has caught on with public, requires no Spiritual Leaders – it is a Che Guevera type movement and such Religious leaders can be expended” Happy Birthday anyway
Dear “Whoever Sent me that Message” ! Eat your hat. I have the last laugh!!! In land of Rishis and Sants, any Movement to succeed indeed needs support and blessings of Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravishankar and most importantly the RSS and VHP who tirelessly backed you earlier.
YOU JUST LOST A GOLDEN CHANCE TO MAKE HISTORY
IN FACT
ensures 
You have nailed them superbly!
Would really want to know more about the sms and its sender.
Feel so foolish to have participated in their 1st two movements.
#Fail
Good, superbly written & Compiled , I for once feel very Dejected with this Betrayal of people who supported this Movement from the begning >>>then Hyjacked by Shrued Leftest Communist groups .i realized it late like everyone else their reall intentions >>will expose them Henceforth
Spot on Suresh! I supported this movement from the beginning. Not only gave it my support, but gathered support too, and i feel betrayed! “Honesty” as a credential to work on a collective psyche is one thing, but being undemocratic in your decision making, PLUS biting the hand that fed you…..tch tch tch!
Suresh…am a little disappointed with this post… the tone n tenor of both the post and the comments are very “i” centric…”i” did this and that and now “i” feel let down…
The movement is not losing support…i visited Jantar Mantar for one whole week… common ppl are seeking reprieve from and opressive gov….they do not want dead bodies…
What exactly did you and ur friends commenting here want? that one of the 4 shold have died?…. the shameless evil group of crooks that we call a gov would have loved that…clamped down hard ( maybe brought out the Army even) to “control law and order”
Your angst and disappointment would probably have been better directed at the brazen thieves and looters who have done their best to undermine this huge effort of these 4 ordinary everyday guys like Anna, Kej Sisodia and Gopal rai
Sitting in judgement is easy…and the evil gov wants precisely that……its is playing you like a fiddle!
Firstly, I would be thankful if you could point out a single line where I said “I did this or that” An opinion or an Experience which is mine of course however is “Mine” If I feel let down, yes it is me feeling it. Would you agree if I had told everyone is let down (going by your response it doesn’t appear you were let down at all). So please don’t dispute my experience which you have no means to ascertain or even remotely know. Hence please note that your statement that it “I did this or that…. was improper and absolutely wrong. As you are always habituated doing, please reserve any judgement till you have something to back it up with. Just like how you said “I visited Jantar Mantar….” is something I cannot dispute, don’t curtail my expressions.
Further, even assuming I said so, I don’t see anything wrong since it is my space, & obviously it will be my personal opinions and experiences and none else’s. You opinions as above can only appear as a comment and feedback. If it is out of place, remember – people read and judge the worth of that comment. If you had stuck to the blog content instead of indulging in a misplaced value judgement, it indeed was a superb feedback (of course your opinion – not necessarily true, but opinion nevertheless)
Back to the rest of your comment which I appreciated But in this case, replace I with any other “real volunteer” not the social media types, experience and opinion narrate above is more often than not would be accepted as true.
What exactly I want, I am pretty clear. Answers to the questions. What others who comment want, I cannot say. That includes you too since you are one among them 🙂
Of course, “this movement” ceases to exist. But Fight against Corruption? No way – it was too important to common man to leave it to that motley foursome who have aversion for anything Bharateeya. Even slogan changed, if you have carefully observed. So the fight against corruption would continue and this blog identified another potential enemy to fight – the new political dispensation.
PS: Anna has disbanded the team. Expressed disapproval of Kejriwal. And matter of time before he walks out and leads crusade against corruption from different platform or take a long walk to sunset. Mark these words!!!
I dont completely agree they FAILED. They were impatient and expected Government to act fast.
It was good to disband the team bcoz the movement was not able to get their goal ( i.e. Janlokpal ) as expected. And since the Govt was not reacting once they saw the movement went down, they were risking their own lives.
If u see they have proved they are not corrupt right now, and if they get a strong political group to support, then the movement will come back again.
It was a good idea since the present Government is too powerful, very rich, corrupt and has a hand in votes. So it will take time to bring them down.
The team should be more patient and start moving away from media.
Thats when they can do better.
I am sure they would have learned few lessons and so I expect them to come back strongly.
So lets not conclude yet they have FAILED.
Suresh sir great article and even better rebuttal to Rati’s queries.
I was intially a big Anna Fanatic and who couldnt see anything further then the movement, and fought with many on my TL and defended him to the hilt. Yet when his team members started showing their true agendas I questioned myself and movement. Removal of Bharat Mata Pic was horrible, and Mr P Bhushan expressing his views that KAshmir be handed over to Paistan to stop the turmoil jus opened my eyes. People kept saying the CAUSE is the most important thing nevermind Team members views I strongly disagree, a Patriot n Army man like Hazare how could he continue to stand with his team who have done they best to undermine him. Anna doesnt need this Naxalite team I am sure he can fight better without them with Baba Ramdev by his side.
Sorry to digress from the blog, Keep it up sir, I dont tend to reply to blogs but thought this one warranted a comment n compliment
Marked your words!! Well written.. and even well defended (did not sound defensive at all.. just to the point :)) It covers everything a curious Indian would want to know.. for a common man whose hopes have been shattered yet again! 😦
I and my friends too supported IAC and ANnaji till they were apolitical. The day they disrecpected Baba Ram Dev ji and used abusive language on Narendra Modi, i completely withdrew support to IAC.
Arvind Kejriwal was impatient and used Anna’s simplicity to his (hidden) goal – become the king himslef, as he realised he cant change the character of the King.
Annaji was so naive, If MK Gandhi took 42 years to achieve his goal of Independence (of course 100’s of thousands ‘others’ too contributed immensely for this goal), Team Anna chickened out within 18 months? They should have tried for atleast 5-6-10 years of struggle. I too am disappointed. Wasted time and energy, but learnt a lesson. Without RSS backing, no self-less mass movements can succeeed in India.