I was away in the US when the Anna Hazare movement was at its peak, so I missed the on-ground excitement. Seeing Middle India come out in numbers would have been a good sight. A fight to the finish for what is seen as a right cause against a corrupt, bumbling government always makes good story. Of course, the point to note is that a fast never killed the First Gandhi, and a fast will not kill the clone.
So, let’s play this out. The government gives people a Lok Pal Bill with lots of clauses they like, and the people are thrilled that their street fight has yielded results. The seemingly unwinnable battle against the Ravan of corruption has been won. The media has loved this because of the spurt in TRPs. Everyone is happy. Maybe, the Congress is a bit sad because their image has taken a beating, but public memory is quite short and the next elections are a long time away. And of course, they can now claim to be the party that give the Lok Pal Bill to the masses.
In the background, the politicians and bureaucrats can continue with their business as usual, now that this distracting interlude is over. After all, the control they have on the economy has not changed, which is the key to making money. With Middle India is euphoric about the win and now seemingly content that India is well on its way to being free of corruption, the magic formula of Monopoly + Discretion – Accountability = Corruption can now be given it’s due attention.
The Fight is over. Who won?
Continued tomorrow.
