Anti corruption campaign: Hope alive, while campaign dies

Despite the organisers’ best hopes, neither the ‘weak’ Lokpal Bill being passed nor Anna Hazare’s deteriorating health had roused the ‘patriotic’ feelings of the thousands that had gathered at Freedom Park in August. Day two of Anna’s fast to bring a strong Lokpal was not able to garner the huge support it had expected, raising questions as to whether the movement has lost its momentum. Both organisers and supporters continue to hope for the best even as Anna called off both his fast and the jail bharo movement, which saw 12,932 registrations from Bangalore, on Wednesday evening.

The few who gathered at Freedom Park continue to nurture hope. Anna calling off the campaign was a positive development, according to Triyodi Pandey, an economics professor. “Although the Bill is weak, the fact that we have come this far says a lot about the campaign.”

For Praveen, an IT employee, Team Anna and the government are on two sides of a chess game.

“We have made our move now. It if for the government to react,” he said.

“Although the government can afford to make a wrong move with the resources they have, we cannot afford to do so. We need to plan our every move carefully. Considering the Team Anna consists of intellectuals who know what they are doing, I’m sure they will come up with a well-planned course of action,” he said.

Sathish Shetty, a techie, continues to hope that there will be a strong Lokpal.

“We will continue fighting for a strong Lokpal,” he said.

When asked if he thinks that the government will listen to Anna and his supporters, he said, “They have to. We elected them. At some point, they will have to come to us and ask for our support.”

He added that he does not think the poor crowd turnout is an indication of Anna’s campaign losing steam. “Just because people are not here does not mean they don’t support Anna anymore. It is obvious that everyone wants corruption to end and this campaign will do that. There is no question of people withdrawing support,” he said. 

Ahuja Shetty, a homemaker, said: “It took 10 years of struggle for the RTI to be passed. This movement is only 10 months old.”
“Of course, this is not the end,” she added.

The weak version of the Bill being passed is a disappointment according to Seshashayi, a retired bank official and volunteer for the campaign in Bangalore. Nevertheless, there are a number of achievements during the course of the struggle, he said.

“It is the achievement of the campaign that the bill was at least introduced in parliament. Although weak, the issue was discussed, which is hardly ever done,” he said. He added that while the government takes its time to pass a strong Lokpal Bill, we will make use of the current bill to reform society. We will bring it alive by using it,” he said.