ANNA FANS! DO NOT GRIEVE!
By Anirban Roy, Advocate
In October 2011, I had published
a Book where I had argued that Anna’s Jan Lokpal Movement ought not to be
entered in history textbooks as “the second freedom movement” and we ought not
to have more of these movements. The Book was followed up by several blogs on
the legal aspects of the proposed Lokpal Regime and the existing legal
framework on corruption. The E-Version of the Book and the blogs would be soon
available on the website of our NGO “Forum for Strengthening Institutions”.
Anna’s Jan Lokpal Movement came
to an end on August 03, 2012 when Anna broke his fast at Jantar Mantar. (I do
not see Kejriwal’s fast for SIT in respect of 15/14 ministers as a part of Jan
Lokpal Movement). The formalities were completed on August 06, 2012 when Anna
announced that he had disbanded “Team Anna” which was formed for passing of Jan
Lokpal Bill.
Anna has now announced the starting
of a political movement. Although a bitter critic of the Jan Lokpal Movement
for reasons stated in the Book, I welcome the political movement of Anna.
However I see a lot of Anna fans shedding tears and / or are quite critical of
such a political movement. One banner at Jantar Mantar summed up the mood by
saying “Dil Ke Tukre Tukre Karke Muskurake Chal Diye. Jaate Jaate Yeh To Bata
Ja Hum Jiyenge Kiske Liye”……… This melancholy prompts me to share a few
random thoughts with them which are as follows:
1. The Jan Lokpal Movement was never a Campaign against
Corruption. It was just a campaign for passing of a specifically drafted
legislation.
2. The Jan Lokpal Movement was always an effort to get the names
of Team Kejriwal etched in the annals of history as the one who introduced
Lokpal Regime in the country. Anna was just the facilitator.
3. If the Jan Lokpal Movement got ordinary people together to
roar in unison against corruption, it was just an accidental and unintended
consequence thereof. However a “perceived” movement against corruption on an
illusory basis cannot and ought not to survive in the long run.
4. Politics (in a positive sense) means activities concerning
governance of a country. In that sense the Jan Lokpal Movement was always
political.
5. “Civil Citizens” do not cease to be citizens once they start a
political movement. Their stature and status do not diminish. (Ever cynical
people can be ignored for some time).
6. Aversion against some / most / all current politicians is fine
but permanent aversion and disenchantment with the political system will take
us nowhere. No nation exists without it and we cannot wish it away.
7. Institutions like Parliament and Judiciary are bigger than the
persons who comprise them. For individuals, institutions cannot be wished away
and new ones created on the streets.
8. Criticisms and agitations are welcome and required. At the
same time, steps are required to strengthen institutions and systems. They are
the only hope for future.
9. There is no rational basis for the assumption that a political
movement cannot achieve what a “Civil Citizen’s Group” wanted to / was expected
to achieve.
10. As a political movement, it is not necessary that they have to
immediately join the election process. They can pursue meaningful agendas (even
revolutionary concepts) and adopt means such as fasts and jail bharos to draw
attention and propagate their ideas and create public awareness. (All fasts
need not be “fasts unto death”).
11. As a political movement, they can still pursue criminal cases
against corrupt politicians and bureaucrats, albeit without feigning ignorance
/ wishing away the existence of the legal system. In fact they will be in a
better position to do so as compared to single individuals.
12. As a political movement, they can still work for strengthening
and reforming the legal system which will go a long way in eradicating
corruption. They can work for strengthening other institutions and systems as
well.
Please be assured that Lokpal
Regime, in whatever form, is definitely an improvement over the existing legal
framework on corruption. But it is not a panacea for all evils and would not
drastically change the existing set up.
Yes. As a political movement,
they would not enjoy any special status as “Civil Society” and will not be able
to encash upon the apathy and antipathy of the common man against politicians.
But some day everyone needs to stand up on his own feet.
Anirban Roy
August
06, 2012
Email: anirban@royslawfirm.com
Twitter :
@AnirbanFromRLF
Facebook: Anirban FromRlf