Can Anna Hazare achieve Lokpal without entering politics?

-Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal

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Anna Hazare, social activist who spearheaded anti-corruption movement, badly affecting the  political fortunes of India’s largest political party Congress  and therefore can boldly claim victory for bring the Hindutva BJP to power at centre and regional states,  is  now focusing on another aspect of Indian corruption -  black money and money laundering.

Though, it seems, Hazare was interested more in Bharatratna than nay real  anti-corruption scene emerging in India, otherwise, he should have realized that without  entering politics  he cannot achieve the political reforms in India where parliament and assemblies are controlled by corperates and  rich  people who  promote corruption as their key policy and even fund the polls and politicians.

Hazare said that during the Lok Sabha election campaign Modi had promised countrymen that his government would bring back black money in foreign banks “within 100 days”. However, the BJP is not sincere about its pledge made to the nation. The announcement by finance minister Arun Jaitley that the government cannot reveal the names to the public only shows the BJP is also shielding the anti-national corperates and billionaires who live as parasites, harming the  common people’s genuine interests, some of them maybe very important people in all domain, including cricket.

The people of India are suspecting if this was just an election stunt. Social crusader Hazare in a strongly worded letter demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi fulfilled his poll promise of bringing back money stashed abroad, failing which he would launch an agitation. Hazare said: “Now, it is over five months since your government took office but no concrete steps have been taken in this regard, as also the appointment of Lokpal. I am pained to say there is a wide gap between your words and deeds. Now people of the country are wondering whether all this was just an election gimmick to gather votes”. Though a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was set up on the issue of bringing back money stashed abroad, Hazare said the government telling the Supreme Court that it could not reveal the names of people with money in foreign banks has shocked all.

The veteran activist visited Punjab, Haryana, Uttrakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh during his ‘Jantantra Yatra’ to push for a strong Lokpal Bill. But he should know without political power nothing could be achieved in India. He added that the country needed the Lokpal Bill and not communalism as it would divide the society.

The past 67 years’ experience has shown the people that mere speeches don’t bring about change, words and deeds have to match. Appealing on behalf of all countrymen, Hazare urged Modi to adopt a stern approach on this issue failing which he would “not hesitate to launch an agitation”.

Social activist Anna Hazare said he had never praised Modi said that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was not communal. He added that Modi never condemned the Godhra riots when many Muslims were murdered to boost the BJP image as anti-Muslim party in harsh words.

Had he been sincere he would have floated a party to help the people of India to have corruption free nation. Hazare the anti-graft crusader not only refused to enter politics but even made it clear that he would not support any political party or leader. He opposed his colleague Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP and for no reason even quickly supported Mamata Banerjee.

By refusing to join politics, or floating a new party or supporting the Aam Aadmi party, Anna Hazare in fact let the BJP get full advantages from his anti-corruption movement that essentially targeted the Congress party. And, BJP that sought right momentum to push through its political strategy, has now won polls . the trend continues in Haryana a where the ruling Congress party has been eased out and  won maximum seats by removing the Congress-NCP from power and outsmarting the Maratha party Siva Sena who claims to  the custodians of Maharashtra.

Obviously, Hazare now views not Congress but the BJP as his main target for future agitations.