WITH THE LAUNCHING OF 'HAZARE WAR' AGAINST CORRUPTION EMERGES A NEW INDIA: FIELD REPORTS FROM RAMLILA MAIDAN AND ASSAM

[Reverting to the topic of litter and bins, the  slushy and muddy ground was full of litter despite the best efforts of the volunteers - after all, who we are ? The Indians, aren't we ? How can we live in cleanliness ? Then I saw a very well off, middle aged lady, the kind you will see in your (posh) neighbourhood, pick up a cane basket and get down to the task of picking up littered plates, trays, plastic pouches etc. and toss them to the bins. It was a strange spectacle. A high caste lady cleaning up the muck thrown around by (metaphorically speaking) Dalits and lower caste peoples ! This was the new, emerging India. For the first time, during my stay at the Ramlila grounds, I felt so ashamed of myself. Instinctively, I too bent down to pick up a few of these. But within 3/4 minutes, realised my back won't support me. The hardest thing to remove were the plastic spoons that had got embedded in the mud all around.]

By Col Shiv Raj 

Image courtesy: NDTV. More photos >>

Yesterday, I went to the Ramlila grounds. Like you, I too have been glued to the TV from the day the drama started. So, I wanted to get a "feel" of the happenings on the ground. More specifically, I wanted to make some contribution (financially) to the cause.

 
I'd like to share with you what I experienced. First the donation part.
 

I approached the volunteer at the counter (there are two/three huge counters and help desks set up by the India Against Corruption volunteers.). "But Sir, we are not taking any donations." Shocked, I informed him that I was not paying any cash, I had a cheque book in my bag. (They were extremely meticulous in maintaining their accounts. I had experienced this when I had visited their fast site at Jantar Mantar last April. Even if somebody gave them 10 Rupees, they would insist on giving a receipt with details of address, phone number etc. That had caused long lines. They knew that the scoundrels in the government were just waiting to pounce on them with allegations of irregularities in accounts). "Sir, we are not accepting even cheques now. We have stopped receiving donations."

 

I pulled out my copy of the Times of India of the day and showed them the report where it said they had a special cell for receiving donations. "We know it Sir, but thanks to generous people like you, we have collected enough money we need for the time being and since last night, we have stopped taking any more money." 

In more than 65 years of my existence, this was the first time I was coming across an NGO/ Institution/ Movement which was not taking money. I am more used to their pestering.

Just to double check, I approached a few other volunteers at different desks but the same response again. But doesn't an ongoing movement like this constantly need funds ? The response was that they would only restart the collection drive in that the situation changed. But for the time being, they had enough for their needs ! "Besides Sir, most of the activities that you see here on a large scale, e.g. water, tea, food distribution etc. are being provided by individuals / organisations. We are not doing anything up front."

 

(OK, I have made my main point and you may stop reading any further.I am just wanting to put down on paper other tit-bits that I saw, but you may not have the time to go through the same. I am not making any effort to "condense it"!)

 

Talking of those volunteers, they were so young and well educated. Replace their "India Against Corruption" T shirts with normal office attire and you will see they fit into finest of the companies. A large number of them indeed were from very professional organisations. Clearly overworked, they presented such a dedicated face. Not a single case of losing temper, at least as long as I was there ! Some achievement, considering that a huge number of not-so-educated people surround them at any  time. Some were not even getting time to sip a cup of tea. The relief on getting a chance to do so was so palpable on their face. There must have been more than a hundred of them there. The true heroes and heroines of India.

 

Every few minutes, a trailer van would be leaving the grounds after collecting all the litter that was filling up the large bins kept all over the ground. These bins kept getting filled up so fast because there was an enormous amount of free food being distributed by individuals and private organisations. There were long lines at the counters distributing full meal (not just snacks). The food, served in clean thermocole type trays and with plastic spoons was wholesome ; rice, puri, subji etc. They looked like some Bhandaras or Langars ! Snacks (Parle G biscuits, Grams (chana), some bananas and sundries), water pouches, tea etc. were being so enthusiastically distributed. They were literally go-grab anyone passing by and handing over the same ! One such person (a Sardarji) was distributing biscuits; so I asked him if he had come all the way from Punjab. "Nahinji, I am from Faridabad". My chest swelled with some kind of pride, people from my town were also doing their bit. Shook hands warmly, but couldn't talk much - he was so busy.

The irony of it all was not lost on me. There were these multitudes who had come in support of a fasting man and were being filled to the brim by rest of the society !

Reverting to the topic of litter and bins, the  slushy and muddy ground was full of litter despite the best efforts of the volunteers - after all, who we are ? The Indians, aren't we ? How can we live in cleanliness ? Then I saw a very well off, middle aged lady, the kind you will see in your (posh) neighbourhood, pick up a cane basket and get down to the task of picking up littered plates, trays, plastic pouches etc. and toss them to the bins. It was a strange spectacle. A high caste lady cleaning up the muck thrown around by (metaphorically speaking) Dalits and lower caste peoples ! This was the new, emerging India. For the first time, during my stay at the Ramlila grounds, I felt so ashamed of myself. Instinctively, I too bent down to pick up a few of these. But within 3/4 minutes, realised my back won't support me. The hardest thing to remove were the plastic spoons that had got embedded in the mud all around.  

That was not the only place where our sense of hygiene was on full display. An artist had put up a very large number of thoroughly enjoyable poster cartoons on a wall. A high quality, I believe they are still on Facebook and Twitter also. (For example, there was one showing one politician telling another, "How can they call us all corrupt ? When half of us haven't even got the ministries where we can make money !"). Yet it was so difficult to stand and read all the cartoons. The pee stank was so strong. My countrymen were merrily peeing on the adjoining wall (at right angles to the cartoon wall), despite the authorities had installed toilets just outside the gates. If that was not enough, consider this - the wall on which they were peeing was the side wall of a temple !

 

When you looked at eye level, you saw a sea of humanity, tricolours fluttering, loud and un-co-ordintaed slogan being shouted, but when you looked down, you felt sick. Muddy and uneven grounds with pools of stagnant water every few steps (it was raining heavily there). So difficult was to walk around; often having to jump around. This was Ramlila ground, where every year, Ramlila celebrations take place on a large scale and any number of political rallies take place every other week, so to speak. Could the Municipal Corporation of Delhi - MCD not have time pave it all these years ? You automatically turned your face down when you saw a foreigner try to negotiate the grounds. Yet, you just had to turn your face 90 degrees to see a massive (32 stories, I believe), super-modern, massive building just on the other side of the road. I was convinced it belonged to a top notch MNC. Finally, I caught hold of a smart, though grey haired police officer and asked him who building belonged to. He was surprised, but let me know it was the MCD HQ building and has been there for a few years. What a contrast and what a shame ! The guys (MCD is currently controlled by BJP) can't see the pathetic condition of the Ramlila grounds from their windows every moment of their working day ? And BJP is lecturing us how the entire mess in the country is because of the Congress.

Well, enough of the side-shows and tit-bits. Let's come to the main picture. Simply amazing. Huge number of people. I think the media is grossly under-reporting or ignoring the same. They talk of the crowd size at a given point of time. A static measurement, if you please. When I was there (it was afternoon; supposed to be at its thinnest), there were  at least 20,000 at any given point of time. Yet the actual crowd was far, far bigger. Probably 3 times the estimates. For, people are constantly streaming in and streaming out. Just like me. Families, the rich and the poor, handicapped people, I even saw an almost 100 year old villager, barely able to walk, just a loin cloth around him, panting very badly, came up to the main tent with the help of what I believe was his grandson. Whoever has been spreading the canard that it is a "middle class" phenomena needs to have his/her eyesight examined. I saw far greater number of very poor Indians from all over the country than the so-called "middle class". The enthusiasm was amazing. Slogans, patriotic songs and Bhajans (psalms) could be heard all around. The crowd did not fall silent even for a minute. When I was there, Manoj Tiwari, a popular Bihari singer was belting one patriotic song after another. And the entire crowd was singing with him and waving with their hands raised up (no space for any horizontal movement of the hands !) for full one hour. And that dynamics of a 62 year old lady called Kiran Bedi also ! She was waving a large size tricolour vigorously from one side to the other on the stage for that full one hour. Try doing it for 10 minutes ! Besides them was  a quiet,  old, dark skin villager, looking just like your or mine grandpa, sitting cross legged on a wooden cot, wearing a constant smile and often swinging his head or clapping lightly with the music, the gravity of it all : The Anna Hazare.

 

While the main crowd kept up with the stage, there were thousand side shows of patriotism, nationalism. Every group, some very small, entered the grounds shouting their own slogans and waving the national flag. So, in a sense, you also had a sense of cacophony. I saw a family consisting of a mother and 4 daughters (I presume) enter through a gate and immediately launch into "Vande Mataram" and other slogans. Irrespective of what slogans or songs were being sung from the stage, they had to let the world know how charged up they were - the total commitment for the cause and a huge number of (mostly handwritten) placards and painted faces greeted you.

 

So, overall, did I feel happy ? Or, proud ? Yes, immensely. This can happen only in India. It was an authentic Indian Mela. For a very serious cause. Where else in the world will you find such lofty ideals existing peacefully with physical filth; where else would you find feasting co-exist with fasting, where would you have such massive crowds with no leader, yet not a single case of violence. First time that I saw so many policemen and policewomen with not a single one carrying a lathi . Where would you find thousands to keep standing on their feet for 24 hours, for there was so little of dry space to sleep or sit. When I was on my way to the grounds, I stopped at a gas station to fill up. I heard one attendant telling another that he had returned at 3.30 in the morning. Presumably from the Ramlila grounds. It seems people like him were on duty upto 11 p.m. or so; then take the metro or some other transport, go to the site to support Anna and team; take the first available metro in the morning to reach home or work. What a commitment!!

 

I never saw Mahatma Gandhi (seen Vinoba Bhave though). But I got a great feel for what mass movements of those days were like. Let's all pray that this semi-literate man's health remains good and the SOBs in government and political parties see reason. Maybe, just maybe, we might yet see within our lifetime, India move up dramatically from the 87th rank amongst the most corrupt nations in the world. And  instead of gods and goddesses, start worshipping Anna's team members. The likes of Arvind Kejriwal ! They all have brought a lost cause to center stage. With their leadership, hard work over the years, zeal, sacrifice in personal life and with an intelligence that has completely outwitted the entire government and political class.

 
Till then, enjoy your TV show !
 

P.S. Just when I finished typing the above, I saw a news item in today's TOI that indeed "India Against Corruption" folks have stopped accepting donations, because they have already collected "60 Lacs (6 millions)". What a joke compared to what the politicians want to collect. I remember, when my state's former Chief Minister Chauthala was charged with illegally amassing Rs.1500 crores (1 core is 10 millions), his retort was "What is 1500 crores for a politician these days" ! And here are these folks saying a mere 60 lacs is enough to run this countrywide movement. Long live the New India!!!

Munirka Vihar
New Delhi-110067

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ALONG WITH ANNA HAZARE NORTHEAST INDIA REDISCOVERS THE TRICOLOUR

[It was a  rare spectacle to watch from some distance the tricolour flying in the trouble-torn Northeast India. Even the Independence Day and Republic Day witnessed very few flags hoisted in the region for many years as the separatist militants continue imposing diktats not to do so on both the auspicious Days. In the conflict-ridden Northeast, it  has been a 'routine exercise' to ignore (or reject) the tricolour whenever the situation permits to show some kind of public anger against the central government in New Delhi. Hence no demonstrator against New Delhi carries the national flag for it is understood as the symbol of union government. The historic Assam movement witnessed the worship of Gandhi but never adored the national flag. It was not acceptable to the people that carrying the tri-colour ( the Indian flag), one can raise voice against New Delhi.]

By Nava Thakuria

When the Gandhian  Anna Hazare ended his hunger strike (after fasting for 12 full days) following Indian parliament’s resolution for a stronger anti-graft law, he himself said it was a half-victory. But nobody denied that millions of common Indians rallied behind him for a Jan Lokpal and, finally the law makers had to bow down to public fury. Under the leadership of a 74-year-old Anna Hazare the demand for a public ombudsman who would have the authority to investigate and punish corrupt politicians and bureaucrats including that of Prime Minister’s Office, took shape as another freedom movement. The UPA government led by Indian National Congress initially overlooked the public sentiment and submitted a seemingly week anti-graft bill in the parliament. Some of the Congress leaders even made ridiculous statements that Anna Hazare himself was 'a corrupt person' and so he does not have the right to speak against corruption. The anti-corruption leader was also put in Tihar jail for some time, but soon the government faced tough protests, and was compelled to retreat.

Meanwhile, the civil society groups under the banner of India Against Corruption, which drafted a pro-people Lokpal Bill, have poured their support for a powerful anti-corruption law. Among many others, yoga-guru Ramdev, Art of Living preacher Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar also extended their whole full supports to the cause. Under pressure, Prime Minister Dr Singh had to open up his mind emphasising on dialogue with the Team Anna Hazare to bring an end to the difficult situation for the government. Dr Singh, while claiming that his government was seriously undertaking the matter, however, insisted that making a law needed time as the bill has to pass through various necessary steps.

The Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi parroted similar version and argued that he too wants to curb corruption. But unless common people’s participation in there, he said, a law alone cannot check the corruption in our society. Later, the head of the state government on August 26 declared that the Assam chief minister office would be brought under the ambit of Lokayukta following the parliament’s final conformity on Lokpal Bill. While Anna and his team led demonstration at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi, various groups organised demonstrations in all other important cities and towns in the country including the alienated Northeast region. Various socio-political organizations and people of Assam joined the movement and  continued relay hunger strike in different places of the state.

Members belonging to Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, All Assam Students’Union, AJYCP along with various other groups and political parties joined in rallies and candle lit processions. In fact, citizens from all walks of life expressed their solidarity with Anna Hazare Movement and responded to the call of ‘India Against Corruption’ for the cause of a corruption free India. They participated in relay hunger strike at Lakshidhar Bora Khetra in Dighalipukhuri locality since August 16 till August 28. The demonstrators shouted patriotic slogans and kept the national flag flying high all the time.

Interestingly this time the people of the region, United Liberation Front of Assam military chief Paresh Barua, National Democratic Front of Bodoland chief Ranjan Daimary and Karbi People's Liberation Tigers secretary general Nilip Enghi also extended their supports to Anna Hazare for his movement. The militant leaders sent e-mail statements to the media, and commented that the Gandhian Anna Hazare had led an important fight against corruption. Anna and his team comprising Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Shanti Bhushan, Manish Sisodia, and Akhil Gogoi etc., may not hit the target till date, but the uprising brought a 'good news' for the patriotic people of Northeast India also to their fight against chronic corruption in the state. The movement has made it clear that we can fight the government even after saluting the National flag.

It was a  rare spectacle to watch from some distance the tricolour flying in the trouble-torn Northeast India. Even the Independence Day and Republic Day witnessed very few flags hoisted in the region for many years as the separatist militants continue imposing diktats not to do so on both the auspicious Days. In the conflict-ridden Northeast, it  has been a 'routine exercise' to ignore (or reject) the tricolour whenever the situation permits to show some kind of public anger against the central government in New Delhi. Hence no demonstrator against New Delhi carries the national flag for it is understood as the symbol of union government. The historic Assam movement witnessed the worship of Gandhi but never adored the national flag. It was not acceptable to the people that carrying the tri-colour ( the Indian flag), one can raise voice against New Delhi.

In fact, the common people simply forgot that many great souls from the Northeast too sacrificed their lives for the cause of independence with the great reverence to our national flag. But the movement of Anna Hazare made it clear that the government is not synonymous with the national flag. So protesting  against the government does not necessarily mean the opposition (or hatred) to the tricolour. Rather every patriotic Indian should honour the national flag as it resembles our martyrs (of freedom movement) and definitely not the regime in New Delhi.

Guwahati, Northeast, India
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