India Against Corruption – now, a Naram Dal and Garam Dal

Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal brought lot of hope and enthusiasm to the nation tainted with scams of the order of lakhs-crore of Rupees. India Against Corruption (IAC) – a movement led by Gandhian Anna Hazare and the youthful Arvind Kejriwal – together with association of creditable Kiran Bedi and the Bhushans did raise enough storm to force the politicians in introducing the Lokpal Bill in Lok Sabha – though it didn’t match with the Jan Lokpal Bill proposed by Team Anna.

The recent split between the main leads Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal has come as a shock and surprise to one and all. But, the government must be breathing sigh of relief!

Upon formalisation of the split, I see a direct analogy between the Naram Dal and Garam Dal of Indian National Congress and the split between Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal of India Against Corruption. I would like to call Anna Hazare as the Naram Dal leader for his Gandhian ways and Arvind Kejriwal as that of the Garam Dal for his youthful character and enthusisam. While the split of ideologies between Naram Dal and Garam Dal of Indian National Congress in 1907 weakened the Congress which eventually resulted in the Independence Movement losing its steam, the split between Hazare and Kejriwal is a death blow to a movement of such a national importance. Hopeful Youths and people  – who gave momentum to this movement must have been feeling cheated by IAC.

Asom Gan Parishad – which took birth as a result of six year long agitation by All Assam Students Union (AASU) – was once a party led by highly motivated student leaders with clean image. But today, it is just like any other political party with same type of political leadership.  I fear the same for Arvind Kejriwal’s proposed political party – it won’t be different than any other party – if it starts winning seats!

Anna Hazare’s decision to split with Arvind Kejriwal does not seems to be a right decision for either of them or for the country. They have only weakened themselves and the cause for which they all came together. It would have been a wise decision – had Anna Hazare stayed with Kejriwal to take up the cause further and farther. Team Anna should have resolved that themselves shall not fight for election but would form a political party where they could put up candidates with impeccable past and credentials. Team Anna should have worked as a guiding force and mentor for the party.

May be, today they have parted ways and tomorrow they might be together again with much clarity on how to take the movement further in making India a corruption free nation!

Best wishes to the Naram dal and Garam Dal of Team Anna (!) and the young brigade of youthful India.  

Where Were You Raj?

The uniqueness of our country is its multiplicity. People of all hues, speaking different languages, of all sects and possible religions, having different cultures and following exotic rituals and traditions – that is India – a lovely bouquet of flowers of every variety that one can imagine!

People have been migrating from one place to other for all the reasons – food, water, wealth, weather, convenience, compulsions and what not! There might be a few groups of aboriginal inhabitants even today in some parts of the country, but majority of them must have moved at least a few hundred kilometres from their original birth-place for one reason or the other. It is difficult to say who the original inhabitant is and who the migrated one. DNA finger-printing might be of help in fixing it!

The Thackerays have been belittling the people hailing from Bihar and UP, had been opposing the brethrens from the south, had been trying to push out the Gujaratis and Marwaris. And strangely enough, they have followers too! People from all over India have contributed immensely to the prosperity of Mumbai with their hard work and have given it an identity. How they are outsiders?

Shiv Sainiks and MNS must give a thought – and must draw inspiration from the life and philosophy of the legendary Shivaj i-  who tried to unite India under one flag. What these people are aspiring for, in Shivaji’s own home!

Comments of Digvijay Singh on the origins of Thackeray family has been a shocking revelation to one and all. The Thackerays say that it is not them who migrated but it is the Thakre clan who migrated from Magadh(Bihar) to Bhopal to Pune! It doesn’t matter. What is important is that people do migrate and settle at one place or the other which suits them. Autobiography of Grandpa of Raj Thackeray only proves it.

Interestingly, it is believed that my own forefathers had participated in the third battle of Panipat in 1761 as Maratha soldier and later found their way to a place – which is now my ancestral village – Anandpur – founded by them in Patna District of Bihar! Phew! Strange are the ways of migration. It means that originally I am a Marathi and now a Bihari. Whereas, the Thackerays were originally a Bihari and now they are Marathis! Hah!

Now, the question is who should evict whom? No doubt, we would find ourselves entangled with one and all, if we go the Thackerays way.

Let good sense prevail on the Thackerays and their followers. When Mumbai was under the siege of the terrorists – our commandos representing the length and breadth of India risked their lives to nail the terrorists and bring peace to Mumbai. I didn’t hear of this family stepping out of their homes to shoo away the terrorists. And, Where were you Raj?