Anna 3.0: Significance

I wrote in my previous blog (Anna 3.0) – “The battle lines are drawn already. It is not going to be Civil Society vs Politicians. But it will be Gandhi vs Gandhi!” Its turning true…

Anna 2.0 - Civil Society Vs Parliament

During the Anna 2.0, the civil society was seen as divided. The Aruna Group aligned with the Govt. The ‘Team Anna’ was divided with Swami Agnivesh and some other members leaving the show. On the opposite, the political class came together in the Parliament to pass the ‘Sense of House’. So it was like Divided Civil Society Vs United Parliament. The truce was declared with the Standing committee to finalize the draft taking inputs from all including Team Anna. The intellectuals, academicians off-lately corrected themselves to find merits in this anti-corruption movement. Everybody, who became Anna for sometime during the agitation, delighted to have participation in such movement. The stage was all set to Strong Lokpal.

The euphoric mood changed as winter chilled Delhi. The Congress after a short ceasefire on this front, again started to play dirty politics. The Kirti Azad, a BJP MP and member of Standing Committee, openly blamed Congress for taking complete u-turn on the issue of inclusion of PM, Lower bureaucracy. The strongest evidence is the ‘dissent note’ on one of the issue was given by 17 members against 11 members. How democratic! “I feel humiliated and insulted” remarked Azad, who was among 17 dissenters.

The final draft doesn't include the lower bureaucracy, keep CBI outside Lokpal, want Parliament to decide on PM.  Team Anna rejected the total draft. Anna Hazare accused Rahul Gandhi and Congress for subverting entire Lokpal proposals. He sat on day long fast, Played a ‘Tendulkar’ shot by inviting politician on the platform to debate. The oppositions attended the debate, with Congress led UPA ignored it.

8 opposition parties BJP (115), SP (22), JD(U) (20), CPM (16), BJD (14), TDP (6), CPI (4) and Akali Dal (4) shared the platform with Hazare. They add up to 201 MPs in Loksabha, well below magic figure. But this move will surely put Congress on tight spot. Media’s prime time debate topic was ‘Did Congress make a mistake by not attending the debate?’ Indeed it was. The conflict line is shifted, pushing Congress to the corner. It is now Civil Society + Opposition Vs Congress. Now the Parliament will be divided.

Anna 3.0 - Civil Society + Opposition

There are strong parallels to be drawn between current situation and the pre-emergency politics. JP was Anna then, Opposition joined the hands with JP! The Congress responded with mid-night murder of Democracy, declaring the emergency. Rest is history. But the difference here will be response. With all its egos and arrogance as it is, it has lost that Indira Power! God save the Congress now…