Can Kejriwal sail through without Anna?

Anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare has made his stand clear that he is not in favour of forming a political party and even barred his once trusted aide Arvind Kejriwal from using his name or photo during his campaigns. The split in Team Anna surely comes as a shocker to many but the veteran feels that politics will not deliver a better future to people. Will Anna’s decision to part ways with Kejriwal hit his political ambitions? Speak Up finds out.

Team Anna got deviated somewhere down the line
Social activist Anna Hazare was not right when he said in July, this year, that he will take the political path to achieve the goal to bring in the Jan Lokpal. He started the agitation to bring in a strong Jan Lokpal and it should have remained the same way.

The Anna team deviated from its motive or goal, which the people of India have witnessed. Now, he has taken the right decision by not taking the political route but I feel the move comes a bit too late. I doubt whether he will get the same massive response from the public that he got earlier because the movement has somewhat fizzled out.

The movement that was started by Anna throughout the country was a huge success because of the combined efforts of his team involving Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and others. I think Team Anna got deviated somewhere down the line. Already the movement is dying and even if Anna sticks to his older approach, it won’t be a success.

Anna should have just focused on the single agenda of fighting against corruption and educate people about the same. Corruption is not only in our political system but the common man is equally part of the practice as he responds by paying bribes. So Anna’s approach should be of wiping out corrupt practices starting at individual level.

Sanjay Karwade, Doctor and Volunteer, India Against Corruption

Political party of IAC will have to start from ground zero

The India Against Corruption (IAC) movement was a success because of three reasons — Firstly, it was the need of the hour as a series of scams were tumbling out of the closet, Secondly, the movement offered a concrete solution, which is Jan Lokpal Bill and thirdly, Team Anna had a tremendous credibility with Anna being the ‘brand’ demonstrated by his honesty, simplicity and sacrifice.

However, the movement lived its natural life as it was a one-point agenda and corruption finally is not the root problem but a symptom of ‘bad governance’. Team Anna soon realised that it needs to create a ‘political alternative’ as mentioned in their own words and therefore the idea of forming a political party took shape. Moving from a one-point agenda based mission to forming a political party is a huge leap. A political party has to be in perpetuity and not a limited life movement.

By distancing himself from the political option, Anna has inflicted a big blow to the political alternative. With no visionary leadership by our political class, Anna would have been an ideal role model for ushering good politics in our nation. Guess, that opportunity is gone with this decision. The political party of IAC will have to start from ground zero. How soon can Team Kejriwal and company achieve this, only time will tell.

Krishnakumar Iyer, Spokeperson, Professionals Party of India

Anna’s decision to not take political path is right

When Anna started his fight against corruption, he himself declared it as a movement with no intention of turning it into a political agenda. Fighting against corruption as a political agenda and making it a people’s movement, are two different ways of fighting for righteous goal. Now when Anna has declared that he will not walk the political path, he is right. He would not have succeeded had he formed a political party. Now he has to make sure that his movement against corruption remains till the very end.

The political leaders succeeded in creating a split in Team Anna. For example, when Arun Bhatia left his movement and joined politics to fight corruption and bring in a clean governance, he failed. Arvind Kejriwal moved from being a bureaucrat and joined Anna’s  movement. Now he is floating his own political party and could meet the same fate of failure.       

Dilipsingh Vishwakarma, President, Apan Punekar

There is no need to be part of politics to have control over it
Anna distancing himself from the political option is right, however, he hating the political path altogether is not correct. What he started is a political movement, whether we accept it or not. Anna and his team must understand that in keeping equal with politicians and their agenda, the movement must have clean politicians with them.

Even Mahatma Gandhi kept himself away from active politics, but worked on his agenda through political movement. There is no need to be part of politics to have control over political decisions. The same is being proven by Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray and Congress president Sonia Gandhi who are not part of the political system but still control it.

Anna should have supported Arvind Kejriwal and other clean political leaders. I do not agree with Anna’s decision to not allow Kejriwal to use his name henceforth.

BB Somani, Coordinator, India Against Corruption

Anna should mentor Kejriwal, others like him

I feel Anna is confused about his goal of fighting against corruption and bringing a strong Jan Lokpal. He and his team themselves realised through the course of movement that a change can be brought only through the political path.

Anna should have supported a good candidate like Arvind Kejriwal, who knows what he is doing. I feel Anna’s decision has come under the influence of his immediate group members.

There is a saying that an administrator can never become a reformer and a reformer can never become an administrator. Anna should have been a mentor to Kejriwal and others like him and not distance himself completely. He started the movement against corruption and his support is very essential. He should listen to his inner voice, instead of others around him.

Sushant Pol, Student and volunteer at Art of Living