Anna and Those Ones

Discussion often used to be that the younger generation has abdicated their responsibility of the nation even before taking charge and that they cared only for the material gains and it did not matter to them whether it came as Union of India or some other state. They were totally oblivious of the governance and only cared about self and that too in the here and now. Their role models were pop idols with pierced and tattooed bodies speaking in staccato and had an attention span of 140 words.

Happenings over the last few days have changed the perception on its head. They do care and the state of the nation does matter to them. And no their form of protest is not the Rang De Basanti style of justice – by the bullet. They believe in organised and disciplined protest through mass movement in the physical world and also the world of Social Media.They are well read, informed and have the natural ability to communicate. Words chosen by them are not the language of the gutter but that of a sophisticate. They are not charmed by eloquence of the language but by substance and are not awed by the Position power exerted by the powerful men and women of the polity. This is not a generation of people who will accept the inevitable but comes with a belief that “THEY CAN” and they do.

It is the middle generation which had abdicated its social responsibility while in quest for personal material success. And also responsible for not providing the right values and direction to the young lot. In the movement against corruption young ones found that direction and values from an unlikely hero – Anna Hazare. Anna, a septuagenarian followers of Gandhian philosophy is the unlikely hero. He does not sport six packs, nor does he have tattoos or speak in an accented English. Anna is the quintessential common man from the rural India, hailing from a small village in Maharashtra, speaking in Hindi or Marathi in a soft tone and sporting a Gandhi topi. His form of protest is not that of aggression but silent method of the Mahatma – Fast Unto Death. While he is polite in his demeanour but firm in his ideas to the exasperation of his detractors.

Anna did not budge from his demands even for a minute while all kinds of shenanigans were being played out around him, snide comments were being made about his demand, method or the movement. It is said that for a peaceful movement to work either the opponent has to have a conscience or the movement has to be so big to overwhelm the powers. Mostly powers have the attitude that such movements fizzle out after initial euphoria as the novelty wears off, after all what  new can one do in a FAST UNTO DEATH but wait for the next step which is Death.

The movement against corruption did not fizzle out but only gained momentum with every passing day. With more and more people across ever increasing cities across the world lent their weight. What was admirable was every single one of those candle light marches or signature campaigns were disciplined and peaceful. I don’t recall any single news item mentioning any instance of violence or unruly behaviour by the protestors.

Actually at the end of this episode, one can only pity the Powers that be – did they have any options at all ? What does one do against a peaceful protest that is non disruptive. One can not arrest people for lighting candles or for fasting. Nor can you disperse them with physical force as there is no instigation. They had already tried trashing the man and the method, saying at various times that method of protest is wrong or labelling Anna as right wing activist or by trashing movement as being instigated by interested coterie. When nothing works then it is best to join in with the objective that through innovative management one can usurp the entire movement and its ideas as ONES’ OWN. It still remains to be seen if this movement goes down the time tested path or defies and brings about the change it promises.

Last word is still to be spoken, written or read on the movement.

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