Social Movements and Social Change

Ram Puniyani

All over the World and in India as well in 2011 we witnessed the uprisings to protest against injustice. In Arab world it has been against tyrannical dictatorial regimes to bring back democracy. In the US and many other European countries where ‘Occupy Wall Street’ has been the major one, the people are protesting against the socio-economic disparities which are due to the present system of economic structure. The Occupy Wall street movement is very profound in the sense that it brings to our attention the basics of the system, indicating about the deeper malaise in the system. In this movement most sections of people are participating (We are 99%).

In India also this year was a very significant as people rose to protest against multiple issues.  The usurpation of peasants’ land for so called development has been the major issue and it manifested itself through agitations like the one against POSCO, in Orissa. The other upsurges combined the concern for ecological preservation and protest against the nuclear hazards as in Koodankulam and Jaitapur. Currently there is a great amount of land alienation for large number of people. The protests in this direction has been significant but under projected by media. Similarly the long standing protest-fast of Irom Sharmila for repeal of Armed Forces Act brings to our notice the atrocities committed by army in places like North east in particular while Kashmir has also seen similar problem.

What came as an overwhelming upsurge was the one led by Anna Hazare. Here combination of several factors played their roles and made it spread far and wide. In this movement IT-MBA generation and some other sections constituted the core support base of movement. There was also a parallel phenomenon of movement against black money by Baba Ramdev. Anna Hazares’ main insistence was to bring in Jan Lok Bill drafted by his team, but it appeared as if it is against corruption and that those who are not supporting his bill are for supporting corruption. His movement has been supported by various elements including the religious gurus like Sri Sri Ravishanker. The major mobilization for this was done by Corporate controlled media and the RSS.

The overall scenario is that people are suffering the economic injustices, social inequalities and political marginalization. This Anna upsurge is focused against corruption alone, it does talk about corruption being the major cause of peoples’ suffering, but at the same time it underplays and bypasses the deeper issues which result in corruption. The corruption is very much there, but it is a symptom of the deeper disparities at economic and social level. Corruption is there due to the power centralization and lack of transparency in the system. Anna movement is in contrast to Occupy Wall Street Movement. Anna movement focuses. or rather hyper focuses, on the symptom of corruption with the result that the deeper inequalities of system remain unseen.

All social movements have a complex dynamics.  While people have genuine aspiration to bring to fore their real issues, many of the movements remain trapped at the symptomatic level and this tantamount to bypassing the core issues. Anna movement is a case in point. Here while Team Anna has brought to our attention one issue of our society, it has at the same time undermined many other issues and tried to denigrate the parliamentary system. It has deliberately focused on corruption of one political party alone. It has twisted every argument to talk against one party, there-by playing the role of electoral trumpet for the other major political party, which happens to be the political child of RSS, the major mobilize of Anna movement. It seems as if it has a contractual obligation to promote the BJP. At the same time those who bring this observation to the notice of society are deliberately branded as stooges of ruling Congress, which anyway has done enough mistakes to let Anna movement assume the present dimensions. 

The Arab uprisings are trying to bring democracy-parliamentary system; Anna movement in contrast is trying to create a parallel oligarchy, presenting Anna himself as being above parliament. This Anna movement has put all sorts of pressures to denigrate the parliamentary system and the elected representatives of the people. While one feels that mass movements, social upsurge, are the key to change and are welcome, all upsurges do not necessarily lead to social betterment. One recalls the Ram Temple movement which unleashed the era of violence and marginalization of minorities in the country. This one, Ram Temple movement, focused on identity issue. Anna movement focuses on symptomatic issue. What is common in the identity issue and symptomatic issue is that both bypass the deeper social issues of inequalities and the issues related to rights of marginalized.

The issue of Ram Temple was not the issue of marginalized sections though many of them were roped in by social engineering. Similarly the dalits and minorities kept aloof from Anna movement as they know it is trampling upon their deeper concerns.

Anna movement has been highly projected and made most visible, while the ones' around POSCO, Jaitapur and Koodankulam have been underplayed and Irom Sharmila has been mostly ignored. The issues involved in these protests are very crucial to our marginalized sections of society, also these issues are neither merely related to identity neither are they just the symptomatic one’s. That’s one of the reasons as to why corporate controlled media underplays them. These movements affect the life of society, in a deeper sense. That should explain that those for upholding status quo in society will highlight and go ga ga about anti corruption movement which has been presented as a spectacle. At the same time the other movements have been practically underplayed as they question the deeper issues related to the system and question the status quo.

All said and done, the mass upsurge being experienced here is a sign of maturing democracy, despite vested interests trying to deflect the movement in authoritarian direction. Surely change for better should be the norm and social movements questioning the system are the engine of social change. Unlike Anna movement these movements base themselves on the democratic principles and are inclusive in their approach.

All protests in India should have awakened our conscience but unfortunately, only one of these, the Anna movement, has been given primacy. We need to do course correction and give due importance to other protests also, which is their due.

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Bhagavad Gita and Anti-Corruption Movement - A Bunch of Thoughts

Kesahava Shet Revankar

(Here is an interesting take on the on-going anti-corruption movement. The author, an octogenarian, was an officer with MIG Aircraft Division, HAL, Nasik, and now spends his time between Kundapur (Karnataka) and Dubai)

This article is an attempt to show the parallel between Anna Hazare of Jan Lokpal Bill (JLP) and Krishna of Bhagavad Gita. Anna Hazare belongs to Mahratta caste and is being supported by the Saffron outfit called BJP, who primed him with a slogan "Jan Lokpal" and using him as a spiritual Leader to come to power. Krishna who belongs to Yadava Caste was a folk- hero darling of milkmaids and later became a shrewd, flamboyant, manipulative politician among Aryan kings (If at all this is History). His name is used by the parivar of Vedic /Sanskrit scholars, promoted him as Vishnu’s Avatar with divine power and put words in his mouth to implement their agenda through the document - Bhagavad Gita.(BG) The circumstances too are similar. While the Sangh Parivar wants to grab power by hook or crook, the Vaidic Purohitshahi wanted to perpetuate "Chatur Varna" & the Brhaminic supremacy over the entire Hindu society. Both are Political Agendas.

After the banishment of Buddhism, Hindu society became increasingly supernatural centered society -lured by abstract, magical, and divinely approved Brahminic ceremonial purity. Such a society provides a fertile ground for mushroom like growth of charlatans, Babas of double Sri types, fake spiritual Gurus, predator-astrologers, self deluding Yoga-packages and ever increasing priestly-shenanigans. Modern science has placed in their hands gadgets like cell-phones etc, but the minds are firmly set in the medieval times Such a society encourages some clever individuals to invent modi operandi to create spiritual facade around them.

The evils of mankind are caused by the Individual's self-transcending identification with groups whose common denominator is low intelligence and high emotionality (Arthur Koestler). Anna Hazare found at the right time, a self-transcending cause of 'corruption' and got the backing of such groups who were fueled by a political force – the saffron outfits. These groups have short memory and are totally blank about history.

Just before Anna announced his resolve of fasting, he was accosted by a lady reporter from a TV channel. During the conversation he was heard uttering, as though mumbling to himself, a few words from Bhagavad Gita -"Sambhawami.Yuge Yuge”. Krishna had said that whenever evil becomes predominant he will appear millennium after millennium to restore morality. Krishna never came even after 3500 years as promised. Perhaps Anna Saheb might have thought to himself that now is the right time to do something Big.

As regards Anna Hazare, he comes from a humble background of Mahratta caste, joined Indian Amy, came out and settled in his village Ralegav Siddhi. Seeing the conditions in the village his Army discipline prompted him to bring about some reform. Hundred others, men and women, did become sensitive to social issues and have done significant service in the rural areas. Anna Hazare took up issue of corruption and found success in a few cases of corruption in his state. One significant fact is that all the while he was leading an absolutely simple life, may be reading Bhagavad Gita in Marathi and taking part in singing Bhajans in a temple. This has created a halo around him and people started touching his feet wherever he went. When the mega-corruption cases came to light and the government .succeeded in sending half a dozen prominent men behind bars, the saffron front were frantic to snatch some credit to themselves and found Anna the right choice to stage a huge agitation. They unleashed their cadre of RSS and ABVP to mobilize and lift Anna on the national Arena. Thus a team of Father, Son, and a Holy Ghost and two archangels was formed which created a high decibel cacophony with the Mantra "J.L.P Bill“ to give an impression to the masses that this will banish corruption overnight.

The overflowing of self-righteousness becomes hubris of spiritual kind which has made Anna Saheb loose his track and his later utterances showed that he has lost his mind also. There are 70000 villages like his village which are dens of superstitions and a large section of society in towns and villages has sunk to a frightening depth of obscurantism in recent past. He should  realise that corruption is ingrained in the Hindu-Psyche. From childhood to the grave Hindu has to bribe Gods through priests, for every desire and problem, and every God has given a package of rituals to the priests. Marking of  Hindutva on the forehead has become a fashion, so much so that in a  few years it is feared that their grey cells may turn Saffron

Let me quote what Dr.Prabhakara Kamath, a practicing psychiatrist in USA, has written in March 2011 (www.nirmukta.com). “Since God is invisible, first made him visible making an idol of him (what is MAYA, the cosmic illusion, is brought down and formed into a legion of deities by our crafty Purohiths} put him on a pedestal and built a structure over him to protect him from nature. In the morning wake him up from sleep by ringing bells and beating drums. Then bathe him with abhisheka, deodorize him with sandal wood paste, dress him with silk pithambara, adorn him with flowers and jewels, entertain him with songs and dance routine, praise him with mantras and bhajans, warm him with Aarthi, feed him with rice, coconuts and bananas, offer him smoke of yajna, take him for a ride on palanquins and chariots, bribe him with donations so on and so forth. If these activities are not plain stupid, what is it? Thus deluded by brahminic shenanigans, millions of people visit these temple-casinos hoping in vain that these Gods would some how fulfill their desires and protect them from evils of life. And the Brahmins operating these temple-casino-complexes are having a good laugh at the stupid people lining up to get a darshan of their stone idols while the priests are lining their own deep pockets with cash. It is disgusting to see well adorned modern rich ladies bringing home made butter and curds and smearing them on the stone "phallus" in Shiva temples. Most of the ancient tribal people were worshipping both male and female reproductive symbols in stone as fertility rites Hebrew Heathen Religion-Chap. 8 describes the cult in full details. Later this 'Phallic Symbol' of Hebrew tribes became the symbol of their supreme God, “Jehovah”. In India, people are still practising this tribal cult.

Since Anna Saheb is not able to read BG with critical insight, only ‘Sambhawami Yuge Yuge' inspired him. So. It is necessary to tell him the truth. The renowned historian Damodhar Dharmanand Kosambi has come to this conclusion that the "Gita with all its brilliant Sanskrit and superb inconsistencies, is a book that allows the reader to justify almost any action while shrugging off its consequences" Even though some profound Upanishadic thoughts are scattered here and there, ambiguities and contradictions galore. Listing them chapter by chapter is out of scope of this article. Only a few are mentioned here.

The first chapter itself is a 'license' to kill to Arjun. Bhagavad Gita rationalizes and justifies killing of one's near and dear ones glorifying the duty of a kshatriya. What a pervert philosophy to come from a divinity! All the saints and prophets spoke of Humanity as one but, Bhagavad Gita justifies Genocide .In Chap.4:13, Krishna says "Even though I created "Chatur Varna" (Four Castes), I can not roll back" giving an eternal warranty clause to the Brahmins and Kshatriyas. The consequences were tragic. The four castes divided into thousands of castes. Division always brings conflicts. Thus we see now thousand conflicts, thousand loyalties, and thousand mutinies. Chatur Varna killed communion within each caste and across castes. Community building was rarely seen in India. As individuals become self-centered their concern is only for own family and their gods. Krishna's Chatur Varna killed egalitarianism and compassion within castes and between castes. Shudras were made to obey the Divine mandate that there is salvation in servitude. [Chap.18:44]. As they can not dream of a better life their creativity and productivity got destroyed over time. As each caste followed their Kula Dharma (caste based occupation) and Kula Deva (Family Deity), what was inherited at birth got transmitted to the blood-line and this became part of the person himself. These castes remained stagnant for centuries. That is how social "entropy" increased over 2000 years. The result of which is the present heart rending poverty in many parts of the country. Even if the State injects thousands of crores of money state could not bring about negative Entropy.

Krishna tells in Chap.9:32-33 that women, Shudras and Vaishyas are of sinful origin (papa yoni). They have to surrender to him and sing bhajans all their life to deserve a place in His abode (Vaikunta). But Brahmins and Kshatriyas were already blessed. The author forgot that these two are also born to women. How absurd is this?

When Bhagavad Gita was presented as the Divine mandate by a conclave (Parivar) of Vaidic Priests there was no debate, as rulers found that ruling of their kingdom was made easy, when 80 percent of the populace was condemned as Shudras and their servitude was guaranteed. There was no Media and whatever Priests said was law. Now the very same forces have bought the Media to create an avatar of Anna. Mainstream Visual Media has given the impression that they are intellectually bankrupt and are only obsessed with the TRP and are subservient to their corporate bosses.

Hazare should now go around the country and exhort Hindus not to bribe the Gods. Instead of mixing bhajans with politics and making it a cocktail of spiritual fascisms, he should pray to gods to divest their hoarded gold and cash worth a trillion rupees. for the welfare of the poor. He should realize that no other people in the world spend so much money, time and energy on an illusion of immortality created by Brahminism.

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Babri Demolition to Anna Hazare - Changing Strategies of RSS Politics

Ram Puniyani

This December, Babri demolition act completed its 19years. On the occasion many a Muslim groups demanded the reconstruction of the masjid. This demand is just but is mired in many a complex legalities and is trapped in the politics in which there are many diverse players. One again needs to clarify that Hindutva is not a religion of Hindus. Religion of Hindus is Hinduism. Hindutva is the politics of RSS; it is a politics with sectarian vision. This is the vision of affluent upper caste- elite aiming to abolish democracy. Hindutva aims to bring a nation in the name of Hindu religion where the upper crust of society can rule as per the norms prevalent in feudal society. The trick involved here is that these norms of feudal society, the birth based hierarchy, is presented as a glorious tradition and in given the modern language and form.

Demolition of Babri Masjid was a demolition of a national monument; it was also the beginning of a phase of politics where the communal undercurrents of Indian politics menacingly came to the surface. It was a signal for the violence against minorities at a higher pitch. It was a blatant insult of whatever Indian Constitution stands for. It was also the first major step for communal parties to come to occupy the seats of power in the Centre.

After the initial sacking of the BJP Governments in the states where it was ruling, the polarization caused by demolition and post demolition violence went to frightening level and the communal party, BJP, which was at the margins of political structure, came to the fore as the major opposition party. Its parent organization, the real controller of Hindutva politics, RSS, started becoming more respectable and the social thinking was further vitiated with the biases against minorities. In due course the other minority the Christians were also brought under the firing range of the communalists leading to the ghastly burning of Pastor Graham Stains and later scattered attacks on Christian missionaries working in Adivasi areas, leading to massive Kandhmal carnage were witnessed.

For the first time BJP, the party inherently committed to the anti democratic notion of Hindu Rashtra, grabbed the power at the Centre in 1996, when all other parties correctly refused to ally with it to share the spoils of power. But that changed soon enough and other political parties, obsessed with power opportunistically started sharing power with those accused of Babri demolition, those whose affiliates incited not only the demolition but also the violence against minorities in different guises. The coming to power of BJP at centre opened the floodgates of the political space that goes with power, and the task of RSS progeny, VHP, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram got facilitated. The state apparatus, police bureaucracy got more communalized.  The education was communalized more openly with a tinge of promoting faith based knowledge at the cost of the scientific temper and rational thought.

 This also paved the way for further victories for BJP. The success of RSS propaganda is not merely that it targets the minorities; its bigger success is that it instils the fear in the mind of majority about the ‘threat’ of minority. There is a ripple effect of this process and then a section of ‘middle of the road elements’ also start turning over to support the Hindutva parties. Karnataka opened the floodgates of BJP for its entry into South. The political ideology of BJP and its group is gaining ascendance.

 The Babri demolition led to multiple processes, denial of justice to victims of violence became structural, and the minorities started being relegated to second class citizenship. The demonization of minorities has by now gone to extreme levels. Christians are also being meted out the same treatment, particularly in Adivasi areas. This process of demonization of Muslim minorities later started being created around the issue related to terrorism. US propaganda after the 9/11, in which US created monster of Al Qaeda was the central force, brought immense disrepute to Islam and Muslims. US media coined the word Islamic terrorism, and the politics for control over oil resources was taken to absurd ideological manipulation and a religion and a religious community were subjected to immense targeting. In India also the propaganda against Muslims was taken to much worse levels with the global phenomenon of terror, falsely and cleverly attributed to teachings of Islam and Muslims.

 Now the RSS-BJP politics is entering the new phase. Having reached the acme of anti minority polarization, it has found the Anna Hazare movement as the new vehicle for its politics of undermining democratic institutions to bring in a parallel authoritarian structure where the Lok Pal plays the big brother. Though this sounds innocuous and is presented as a step to solve the problems, this is likely to create a new institution, beyond the control of democratic norms. Few people and groups who are calling the shots and asserting that they are ‘The People’, ‘Anna is above Parliament’, will rule through proxies of various types. This Anna movement has polarized the social layers according to those who look at either identity issues (Ram Temple) or symptomatic issues (Corruption) as the major issues while undermining the problems of dalits, minorities and other deprived sections of society. Identity issues or issues focused around symptoms, which are meant to preserve the status quo of political dynamics, and that’s what politics in the name of religion is all about. That’s what Christian fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalism or Hindutva, wants.

 Now since Ram Temple appeal is fading away, those for social-political ‘status quo’ have jumped to the bandwagon of Anti-corruption. This is a shrewd move. Marginalized sections do feel left out from such ‘I am Anna’, ‘We are the People’ type of assertions, the message is that only the ‘shining India’ will have the say in the shaping of the nation, while the deprived India, will be permanently on the margins.

In a sense the RSS-Hindutva politics is constantly changing its strategies to communalize, polarize the society and to distract social attention from core issues. While initially the Rath Yatras and communal violence have played their role in polarizing the nation along religious lines, now the social issue, corruption, is being used to further strengthen the hold of politics aimed at retaining social inequalities.

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Sri Sri Ravishankar and Art of Politics

Ram Puniyani

 

Ravi Shankar

AS ELECTIONS in Uttar Pradesh are nearing, so is the number of travels by spiritual gurus. These gurus are giving their discourses against corruption. (November 2011). The major ones amongst them are Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (Sri Sri). Sri Sri has shared space with Anna and played a considerable role when the government had arrested Anna. Sri Sri came to play the role of an interlocutor between Anna and his followers, during his prison stint. As if by a divine design, yoga guru Ramdev and Sri Sri have suddenly realised this menace of corruption and have plunged themselves head long into the anti corruption movement.

So, the teachings of Ramdev have a supplementary dose of anti corruption teachings added on to it. Similarly Sri Sri’s ‘Art of Living’ has now the additional flavour of anti corruption sermons. While this is going on, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh has alleged that Ramdev, Anna and Sri Sri are team members of RSS. Ramdev is known to be close to BJP and had also toyed with the idea of floating his own political party. However, Sri Sri never talked on similar lines, and has maintained that he has nothing to do with politics. According to him his UP tour is a mere extension of what he has been doing, making people take oath against corruption.

And, now Digvijay Singh has gone hoarse, claiming Sri Sri has a political agenda and he is Team C of RSS. Does Sri Sri have no political agenda? Or is he a part of RSS pantheon? Surely one can guess that Sri Sri may not have attended the Shakha bauddhiks (intellectual sessions conducted in RSS branches, known as Shakhas) and might not have worn khaki shorts and saluted the saffron flag in RSS shakhas. But yet, Sri Sri is surely a part of a scheme to influence electoral politics. Having said that, let’s understand that electoral politics is not the only form of politics influencing the society; it is also done by social movements and awareness programmes.

Bills cannot be passed on the streets and not under pressure. The government had accepted and is furiously working in that direction. Despite that the threats from team Anna are on and team Anna actively worked against the ruling Congress in Hisar elections. It seems there is more to the Anna upsurge than just the JLB or anti Corruption issue. They are having a deeper agenda, and Sri Sri is very much a part of it. Earlier the bill for Right to Information, NREGA etc were brought in, anti Corruption bill is in the offing, than why such a pressure from Team Anna and associated gurus. This just reconfirms that there is more to Anna movement than meets the eye.

The political agenda of this movement is much deeper than what is apparent at the surface. One needs to question whether under the garb of spirituality a particular type of politics is being strengthened. Sri Sri had a phenomenonal rise during last three decades. To beat the stress of today’s working youth, Sri Sri has devised Sudarshan Kriya, based on the breathing exercises from the past traditions of India. Today, he is in league with many a God-men, people like late Bhagwan Satya Sai, Asaram Bapu, Baba Ramdev, propagating values of a particular type. While these godmen are selling tranquilising therapies, ‘keep fit regimes’ on one side, on the other they also support the prevalent social dynamics in the society. The ‘deeper changes’ to ensure the rights of weaker sections of society is what we should strive for. On the contrary the type of politics,  which comes in the garb of religion, propagates the values which are opposed to the politics of affirmative action for weaker sections of society. The godmen are rubbing shoulders with the Nitin Gadkaris. Narendra Modis, Ram Madhavs and the like. So logically they are the one’s touring the state where election is due and they know on whose side they are canvassing in a subtle fashion. Such type of politics, laced in color of religion, is tied to the apron strings of a Hindu Rashtra, which in turn is being spearheaded by RSS.

WHILE SPEAKING on the eradication of corruption a noble sentiment, there is obvious rise of parallel movement of Anna and initiatives of Godmen on the issue. There simultaneity is striking. RSS chief claims that he talked to Anna Hazare to take up this issue. It is appalling as to how this triad of Anna Hazare, Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri realised the need for anti Corruption movement all at the same point of time? And, of course, the RSS rushed its swayamsevaks in this movement all over the country without a minutes delay. Mere coincidence? No way! While talking against corruption is good, the question is why is there no talk about female foeticide, atrocities against dalits and violence against minorities? The spiritual guru, one hopes, is aware that these issues are prevalent in our society. Why no support for ‘right to food’ issue, or why no support to eradicate communal violence? And last but not the least how come there is such a perfect match in what Sri Sri believes and what RSS-BJP want on the issues related to minorities, reservations for dalits, etc?

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Is there a communal angle to Anna Hazare Upsurge?

Ram Puniyani

The nation heaved a sigh of relief when Anna Hazare broke his fast (August 2011). The breaking of the fast with coconut water offered by a dalit and a Muslim girl was an attempt to project as if Anna’s upsurge represents all the sections of society and is not just having a narrow social base of elite middle class. Now as the matters stand a large section of dalits and Muslims are standing up to raise their voices against the ‘Anna claim’ that it is an inclusive upsurge. Congress in its frustration said that Anna Hazare is an agent of RSS, how far is this true?

A survey conducted by an agency, post Anna upsurge, showed that the episode of Anna fasting has changed the political equations quite a bit. One, the BJP support base has expanded and that of Congress has declined. Two, the popularity of Rahul Gandhi has taken a beating and that of Anna Hazare has zoomed up to the sky. Enthused by these developments, the professional Rath yatri, whose Rath yatras led to the process of demolition of Babri masjid, massive communal violence and polarization of Indians along religious lines, has jumped into the band wagon of anti corruption movement and has declared that he will take out an anti Corruption yatra. Life has strange paradoxes. BJP, where ever in power has been as corrupt as possible and now with this rath yatra, on one hand Advani is throwing his hat into the race for being Prime-ministerial candidate for BJP in forthcoming Loksabha elections, and on the other hand BJP by supporting the permanent aspirant for prime-ministership, is also trying to show as if it is really above being the allurement of corruption. A case of nau so chuhe kha kar billi chali haj ko!(After eating 900 rats, cat is trying to strike a pious pose) Team Anna after feeling that they have gained legitimacy in popular psyche is now planning various train yatras in states facing elections. The Kejrivals and Kiran Bedis do know who will electorally benefit from their efforts.   

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Irrationality of Anna's Camp Followers

Carvaka

One of the most distressing aspects of the ongoing anti-corruption movement in India is the absolute lack of skepticism among a significant section of the camp followers of Anna Hazare (and, is there any need to say,  among the followers of the contortionist Baba Ramdev). In their effort to get others in their bandwagon, some of them write nonsense email messages and others forward them without applying their mind.

 

These seemingly educated class of agitators who network through SMSes, emails, and online networking pages, seem to believe that with the implementation of Jan Lokpal Bill (mind you, no other version), our country will literally turn into a heaven on earth.

If you doubt my statement, read the following mail I received from a colleague on August 25, 2011. My email ID was part of a Group Mail consisting of not less than 175 members. It took me a few hours to reply to this group, by which time I am not sure how many would have forwarded this absurd mail to their contacts and the latter in turn to others. 

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Anna Upsurge and the Social Movements

Ram Puniyani

Anna Hazare’s second fast (August 2011) in Delhi, demanding the acceptance of his teams’ draft for Janlokpal bill has raised many different debates about the nature of this upsurge and how the social action groups, engaged in the process of struggle for Human rights of different sections of society, should relate to such movements.

Anna Hazare's hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in Delhi (Image courtesy: wikipedia)

Just to recall the first such fast was taken by Hazare was undertaken in April 2011, on the issue of Jan Lokpal Bill. Around that time there was a competing movement by Baba Ramdev for getting back illegitimate money stashed abroad. While Hazare withstood the pressures of state to resurface again, Baba Ramdev collapsed soon enough and tried to run away wearing women’s clothes.  Hazare’s, ‘Team Anna’ has diverse people, engaged with different social issues, including reforms in judiciary, bonded labor, communal amity etc.

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