Behind Anna Hazare …
Anna-Baba protests had the Government worried. (Cartoon by MANJUL; source and courtesy - manjul.com. Click for source image).
Out of touch media
The media portrayed, crowds at Anna Hazare’s protests as spontaneous. That seems to be, partly in doubt.
RSS has confirmed, that they supported Anna Hazare’s movement. RSS usually does not rush to the press or claim credit. If RSS is claiming credit, it is credible. RSS with a reputation of being a cadre based organization, can make a difference. (Not surprisingly, Team Anna quickly denied this).
And that raises questions about the ‘spontaneous’ crowds that gathered. The ruling party’s claim of Anna Hazare being an RSS agent – while partly hyperbole, stands confirmed.
Two times …
Anna-Baba anti-corruption protests were reminiscent of Jaya Prakash Narayan’s movement in the 1970s – also partly supported by the RSS. Jaya Prakash Narayan’s movement finally paralysed the Indian State – and provoked Indira Gandhi to impose emergency.
Anna-Baba have succeeded in identifying the दुखती रग ‘dukhti rag’ – the jangling nerve, of the people. Indians joining in Anna-Baba protests, are protesting about many issues – and using Anna Hazare’s and Baba Ramdev’s Anna-Baba protest vehicle to ride.
Lok Sabha is supreme argument did not cut much fluff. (Cartoon by Satish Acharya. Cartoon source and courtesy - celewalls.com; Click for larger image.)
Thin ideas
Anna-Baba’s agendas are thin – very thin. But the people are thick as flies. Just like Jaya Prakash Narayan’s movement.
Clueless on why Indians expect corruption free governance, or how India’s traditional rulers using भारत-तंत्र Bharat-tantra delivered corruption free regimes, these movements are trying failed Western solutions on a successful India.
So, with this thin agenda, and ‘outside’ support, how long can Anna sustain …
Related articles
- You: Pakistani team meets Anna Hazare for tips on anti-graft campaign (nation.com.pk)
- India Ink: Follow-up on our Interview with Anna Hazare’s (india.blogs.nytimes.com)
Leave a comment
Intrigued? Interested!
The 2ndlook blogs group try to give its readers a 360° view of the past present and probable outcomes. These four blogs have each a different focus. The common value that runs through these blogs is an invite to readers for discussion and participation - with a proviso of no personal attacks or use of invective.
2ndlookWith a focus on history, long-term trends, economy, political and social models. A blog that works to breakdown propaganda for what it is. The first blog of the group, over the four years of its existence, it has managed a monthly traffic of more than 10,000 hits. |
Behind 2ndlookThis forum is a visual record of the times. Historical prints to current cartoons, this is the latest in 2ndlook group of blogs. |
St.PT BarnumA forum that takes a lighter or satirical view of weighty matters. Posts on this forum are rare. |
QuicktakeQuicktake focusses more on current events, recent events, reports, media buzz, matters of topical interests. Typically, Quicktakes are shorter than 2ndlook. Sometimes a few Quicktakes, morph into a 2ndlook post. |
Quicktake’N’
2ndlook on Indus Valley-Saraswati Basin
Exciting new series. From 1 Mar, 2010.
10 posts. More than 50 photographs. 100 links to the best original sources and writers. Get a 2ndlook at the 'Indus Valley Civilization' research. On military, defence, currency, travel, political systems. Cutting edge discoveries. With research from more than 200 news items, journals and books. Without the politics, with insight.
Who’s amung us
Quick Take - As It Happens 
Not Anna, but Baba wanted to re-visit the fundamentals of Indian constitution to tune it to Indian needs. Probably he wanted to re-establish to Bharat Tantra or something similar. But I think its a very lengthy process.
That in itself may not mean much. Baba’s demands for death by hanging, flogging, etc. all seem like Desert Bloc ideas. But in case you have any links where Baba is talking of ideas that are close to Bharattantra, the same can be highlighted.
https://twitter.com/#!/dranandjee/status/122181572882481152
https://twitter.com/#!/StPTBarnum/status/122294895707824128
https://twitter.com/#!/dranandjee/status/122296070788235264
Ramdev and ORL’s Triad of Freedom
An ORL fan forwarded me this clip from Ramdev’s speech. Looks like one of Ramdev’s advisers might have been reading Operation Red Lotus 🙂
move the slider to 5m35 to see the part where he talks about how we have personal and political freedom, but not economic freedom.
1. The compliance burden of multi-point taxes on people – and small businesses.(2:40-3:40).
2. The idea of a simple, one-point transaction tax of 2% (3:45-5:05).
3. The enforcement and coercive machinery of the tax department. (4:15-4:25)
His facility with numbers and stats is remarkable. But the best part is the shloka which he repeats,
सुखस्य मूलम धर्मः, धर्मस्य मूलम अर्थः
अर्थस्य मूलम राज्यम्, राजस्यः मूलम इन्द्र जय: (Pls see note at bottom).
(The root of contentment is justice; justice is built on a monetary base;
A (sound) monetary base builds a (strong) nation; and rulers of such (such a) strong nations will always be victorious.
And this a good starting point for भारत-तंत्र Bharat-tantra.
But he is possibly repeating this shloka without understanding the full implications. After all this, he negates everything by proposing
1. Getting back money from abroad (which he means coerce people; which he does not want as per point 3 above).
2. Free education and medicine.
3. His support for fiat currency – i.e. currency by RBI.
4. His ideas on martyrdom and shahdat are pure Desert Bloc.
5. People in भारत-तंत्र Bharat-tantra, dont martyr themselves. They are fighting for Dharma – which is their life. Martyrdom and shahdat is when you die for the rulers of nation.
भारत-तंत्र Bharat-tantra works by guaranteeing
4 freedoms – धर्म (dharma – justice), अर्थ (arth – wealth and means), काम (kaam – human desires) मोक्ष (moksha – liberty)
and
3 rights – ज़र (jar – gold), जन (jan – human ties) and जमीन (jameen – property) for all.
PS This shlok is supposed to be from Chanakya. I think over the centuries Indra (Ruler) has been (Indri). Specially, in the last 100 years when most modern publications depend on some colonial text as an authority.
What tickled me (my intellect and my ego) were three things:
1. That someone who advises him read my book 🙂
2. The fact that he mentioned economic freedom as the core criteria
3. He understands the context of the triad of freedom the basis for Operation Red Lotus
He is coercing those who rule – versus – the IT department is the ruler coercing the people. That is exactly what dharma is in my definition – as an inverted polity. It restricts only those who are in power.
What is wrong in coercing those in power to make changes in the system to bring back money stashed abroad?
About बलिदान् and shahdat. Yes fighting for the rulers is indeed desert bloc – because the target was always other countries that were being plundered. However, Ramdev is asking to fight against the rulers – to achieve economic freedom – which is the basis of Dharma. That it the essence of his talk. No where is he sending the people to fight other countries on the behalf of India’s rulers.
Parag
People like Anna hazare or Baba Ramdev should occupy RASHTRAPATI BHAWAN. as I am sure they’ll use only one room out of 350 rooms n rest 349 rooms’ll be thrown open to general public as DHARAMSHALA for poor-travelers-night-stay.
But to reduce crime only “Jan-Lokpal” will not suffice.
99 % removal of corruption requires attack fm all direcn ie SAM/DAM/DAND/BHED.
(1)Fight with SAM—
Educate children agnt crupn from KG.
Educate others by all means like TV/ films/ newspapers.
Election reforms— r urgent.
100% compulsory voting is must.
When BANKs can transact securely online why can not v start Voting thru SMS/e-mails be allowed.
ZERO expenses elections r must. This is possible with FREE-TV-slots/ SMS/E-Mails. Then only HONEST ‘ll participate in elections.
Election I/Cards be made by going door2 door.
Barring criminal’s fm elections is must.
RIGHT2RECALL is very- URGENT .
sorry that team-anna is perusing RIGHT2REJECT first, which is not that imp.
(2)Fight with DAM— Pay REWARD 1000 times of loss to treasury to whistle-blower who turns informer. Also give him priority in house allotments/JOBs/ admissions
(3) Fight with DAND–
Recover abv rewards fm bribe-takers, confiscating his property. Scan properties of his near relatives also.
JUDICIAL REFORMS r must to curb crimes.
Summons can b served in ONE day in this era of E_MAILS/ SMS.
Cases be solved quickly by Day2Day hearings.
30000000 cases r pending due to lethargy in courts/ govt. .
PANCHAYATS/ RWAS be given judicial powers to help courts.
(4) Fight with BHED—
At present bribe-givers n bribe-takers both get united as both r treated criminals.
Though bribe-givers mostly pay under compulsion.
Once 1000 times rewards2 informers r announced BHED will appear n in one day, things will be in open.
Many of abv suggestions don’t require passing of bills in sansad n can be implemented quickly.
I support a effective LOKPAL.
I did not think only Anna’s team is capable to draft Lokpal in India, there are so many peoples whose views should be added in it, secondly I also in firm believe that NGO’s should also be under this Lokpal because these agencies are too corrupt