Anna agitation flipflop: The government "saint" broke fast relying on empty or hollow consolation on paper

By Gautam Thaker*

Anna Hajare had announced 'Fast Unto Death' in the last week of March 2018 at Delhi in order to pressurize the Government on the appointment of Lokpal at the Centre and that of Lok Ayukts in the States, as well as to secure fair price for farmers' crops aimed at resolving agricultural crisis as also for electoral reforms.

While commencing his fast, he had announced that "I am firmly determined to continue my fast unless and until our demands for strong Lokpal, solution of farmers' problems and free and fair polls are met with" and had added that the Prime Minister harbours fears that upon formation of Lokpal, the P.M. Office and his cabinet colleagues shall be covered under the purview or ambit of Lokpal. Anna further stated, until concrete action plan is formulated, he will continue his indefinite fast and 'Satyaagraha'.
While Anna had started fast for an indefinite period earlier, in the year 2011, persons like Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, V. K. Singh, Swami Agnivesh, Prashant Bhushan, Baba Ramdev, Sri Sri Ravishankar and Organization like R.S.S. etc. were associated. In order to raise anti-corruption slogans youths and concerned citizens and organizations from all over the country had joined together. In the hope of major anti-corruption revolution, people voluntarily participated in the movement and the agitation.

The Lokpal and Lok Ayukt Act, 2013 had received approve of H.E. the President of India on 1st January 2014 and in pursuance of that, this Act came to be implemented with effect from 16-1-2014. The present rulers deliberately diluted or weakened the said Act by not providing proper infrastructural facilities, adequate funds or required man-power that were needed for effective implementation of this Act.
When the N.D.A. Government came to power at the centre in the year 2014 it was felt that to fight against corruption, implementation of said Act will be sincerely and honestly made but the present regime did not take any kind of concrete steps to that effect. During the course of four years, Anna had addressed more than 42 letters to the Central Government but the latter did not take pains to reply to even a single letter.

During the agitation in the year 2011, people harbored thought that with the change of guards at the Centre usurping the U.P.A. regime, the country shall become corruption-free but by not initiating any steps, the new Government threw cold water on the hopes and aspirations of the people.
People were cherishing hopes and expectations that when the new Government takes over the reins of power, it will soon make appointment of Lokpal, and shall resolve the problems facing the farmers including the common men, on a war footing basis. But even after ruling for over four years, in absence of any solid – concrete steps, Anna Hajare once again commenced his fast at Delhi. But within 7 days only, he rolled back or back tracked his agitation.

Merely on the basis of a letter of solace from the Prime Minister's Office that steps will be initiated in the direction of resolving the problems, the agitation was abruptly called back and wound up. The stalwart Social Servant Kishan Baburao alias Anna Hajare suddenly ended up his agitation. While the sun of such a person was shining or risen at its peak then all his demands were acceded to by the U.P.A. Government even by passing an Act in the parliament.

All that he required was offered in toto. For implementation of this Act, BJP had made promise in its election manifesto for the 2014 polls. By encashing fullest benefit of that agitation, N.D.A's main constituent party i.e. B.J.P. came to power. Even though the Government changed, the talk of corruption-free nation was shelved off.

In support of Anna's demands way back in the year 2011 even Hinduist organizations had also openly come out in the streets. They also could not bring about any solution or a change. Present rulers have indulged into uncanny passivity.
Having had lost credibility, Anna agitation did not receive enough support and the agitation met with a tragic end. Anna's image got transformed into "a Government saint" like that of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Baba Ramdeo. It is a matter of surprise that fast-breaking rites or rituals were performed at the hands of Chief Minister of Maharashtra and not a single senior or responsible representative of the Central Government had remained present.

It is hard to predict as to what will happen if the problems do not get resolved in coming six months. Due to such types of compromises or settlements there does not appear any kind of enthusiasm among the youths or the people. It is indeed a miracle or irony of time that the masses which thronged spontaneously during Anna's agitation in the year 2011, did not openly turn out in the like numbers or measure. It is being felt that the issues which were raised by Anna shall scarcely be resolved in coming six months.
---
*National President, Indian Radical Humanist Association

Comments

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

Concerns raised over move to rename MGNREGA, critics call it politically motivated

By A Representative Concerns have been raised over the Union government’s reported move to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), with critics describing it as a politically motivated step rather than an administrative reform. They argue that the proposed change undermines the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and seeks to appropriate credit for a programme whose relevance has been repeatedly demonstrated, particularly during times of crisis.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

MG-NREGA: A global model still waiting to be fully implemented

By Bharat Dogra When the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MG-NREGA) was introduced in India nearly two decades ago, it drew worldwide attention. The reason was evident. At a time when states across much of the world were retreating from responsibility for livelihoods and welfare, the world’s second most populous country—with nearly two-thirds of its people living in rural or semi-rural areas—committed itself to guaranteeing 100 days of employment a year to its rural population.

School job scam and the future of university degree holders in West Bengal

By Harasankar Adhikari The school recruitment controversy in West Bengal has emerged as one of the most serious governance challenges in recent years, raising concerns about transparency, institutional accountability, and the broader impact on society. Allegations that school jobs were obtained through irregular means have led to prolonged legal scrutiny, involving both the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court of India. In one instance, a panel for high school teacher recruitment was ultimately cancelled after several years of service, following extended judicial proceedings and debate.

India’s Halal economy 'faces an uncertain future' under the new food Bill

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The proposed Food Safety and Standards (Amendment) Bill, 2025 marks a decisive shift in India’s food regulation landscape by seeking to place Halal certification exclusively under government control while criminalising all private Halal certification bodies. Although the Bill claims to promote “transparency” and “standardisation,” its structure and implications raise serious concerns about religious freedom, economic marginalisation, and the systematic dismantling of a long-established, Muslim-led Halal ecosystem in India.

Women’s rights alliance seeks NCW action against Nitish Kumar over public veil incident

By A Representative An alliance of women’s rights activists has urged the National Commission for Women (NCW) to initiate legal action against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over an incident at a public function in Patna that they allege amounted to a grave violation of a Muslim woman’s dignity and constitutional rights. In a detailed complaint dated December 18, the All India Feminist Alliance (ALIFA), part of the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), sought the NCW’s immediate intervention following an episode on December 15 during the distribution of appointment letters to newly recruited AYUSH doctors in Patna.

Search This Blog