David and Goliath

I am back on the blog after almost a year, so obviously there is so much to share, but I will begin with the debate on the Anna Hazare's recent head on collision with the UPA government. As the days go by, the two are getting entangled in an dramatic battle, which may not find place in history books, but will remain in the minds of people for a long time.

Without any doubt, I can say that seasoned politicians and long standing Congress members unleashed ,together, the worst attack on the Indian democracy. They used political means to subdue a rather apolitical and desperate attempt of the people of this country to be heard and to protest against dilution of the Lokpal bill, which has been found wanting on several counts. The personal attack on Anna and team by leveling charges of corruption and questioning their sources of funds and the uses of it(a meagre two and half lakh rupees), was a typical political trap, which unfortunately Anna and team fell into.

Hon'ble ministers Mr. Sibal and Ms. Soni 's address to media showed signs of defeat and desperation, in addition to being so immature that they almost hurt public sentiment and added to the public sympathy that surrounds Anna Hazare's campaign. The UPA thinks that the act of fasting to demonstrate protest against something is undemocratic and unconstitutional. Well!, Mr. Sibal must remember that his party has lost its right to point fingers, the day Kalmadi was found guilty and A Raja was arrested.

The Congress Spokesman Manish Tiwari has yet again proved that he is an expert at shooting himself in the foot. Everytime he says something, Congress stock would dip by a few points, and this time his attack on Anna Hazare has only given a fillip to Anna's image. The Congress leaders, together, seemed like a bunch of desperate losers against a man, who stood for the people, to subdue his popularity and trying helplessly to prevent this movement from reaching the scale and seriousness that it deserves.

Team Anna, on the other hand is not adept at handling this political attack, and is unaware of the fact that the Congress has actually launched this offensive to deviate them and divert the attention of the people of this country. They quickly reacted and offered statements in defense, an act that weakens their spirit.

It's anybody's game now. Will it be Team Anna's tactics of Fast Unto Death or Congress' relentlessly making personal attacks, it is the people who have to decide. Right now, Anna seems like the David who's up against the Goliath. But People of India can turn the tables, if they join the movement, this David can become more gigantic and powerful. Whether that happens, only time will tell.