Thanks, Anna! We've regained Hope!

Thanks, Anna! We've regained Hope!

Dear Annaji,

If you've read my earlier posts on this blog, you'd have observed that while I support your cause, I don't approve your methods.

However, you've achieved several major things through your fast:

1. You have successfully galvanised the support of the masses to further your fight against corruption. As you're aware, politicians often have to drum up support through "minor rewards" to make sure that their supporters come over to their meetings. You managed to attract VOLUNTARY support from thousands and lakhs of people. At Ramlila & elsewhere in the country. All over the internet. Congrats!
2. You have motivated a vast majority of newspapers, TV channels to focus their attention on issues that genuinely matter to the Aam Aadmi rather than on comparitively trivial things. Prime time TV was almost exclusively devoted to issues pertaining to fighting corruption. Congrats!
3. You've brought to our attention several wonderful intellectuals, activists, communicators, leaders - both from those who form part of your movement and those who were opposed to one or more aspects of your movement. We would never have actually known their existence. Thanks a ton & Congrats!
4. Many of us have been highly sceptical about the political class. So much so that many of us have not only hesitated to become part of the political parties but have not even bothered to vote. During the past few days, we have seen the Parliamentarians in action. Barring a few rare exceptions, most of them have come out with flying colours. They have put forth their views with clarity and firmness. They have shown empathy. They have shown understanding of the pulse of the people of India. Most importantly, over the past few days, I've noticed that most of our parliamentarians, while debating in the hugust house, did not indulge in one-upmanship. Instead, they cared to listen to other views, though the views being expressed may not be aligned to their own. A few of them even went to the extent of publicly praising and complimenting leaders from parties opposed to their own ideologies. This, if it proves to be a stable and consistent reality in the style of behaviour of our parliamentarians, is a genuine transformation. Congrats!
5. There has been a sense of dejection among the Aam Aadmi that "we can do nothing" because "the politicians are all-powerful". Through your amazing movement, you have proved that if the cause is right, an otherwise ordinary citizen of India can actually convince the "high and mighty" political class to actually listen to Aam Aadmi. This is great. Congrats!
6. I was not even born at the time of independence. I was a kid when JP started his fight against emergency. But I was old enough to feel motivated. Later, in the eary 90's, when many of us were beginning to lose hope and started worrying about the stagnation of India, the then Finance Minister Manmohan Singh introduced a wide range of economic liberalisation and empowered an entire nation to blossom financially. The number of television sets, mobile phones, cars, etc. would stand testimony to that achievement. After a couple of decades, with global financial turmoil and a gloomy scenario with all our scams (accompanied by an oppostion that was not really having a focus), we were beginning to lose our way. Your movement has suddenly brought back our focus to start concentrating on matters that matter. Congrats!

Thank you very much for all the above. I just wish that you'll do one more thing:

You have to make it abundantly clear to the people at large that while corruption is a monster that needs to be eliminated, our Parliamentary Democracy and our Constitution are way too precious and ought to be nurtured with great care. You must not allow others to quote you and misuse the might of the mob to diminish the value of our Parliament in any way. The best method to achieve this would be for you to launch a political party (in some ways like what JP did in the 70's). That would really be a "Party with a difference". This ought to be done irrespective of whether you, as an individual, wants to become the Prime Minister or not.

Please do it. I'll gladly congratulate you once more!

Regards,

N

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