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

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