Going political Oct 6, 2011, 12.00AM IST Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has returned centrestage, though armed with a political and electoral agenda this time. He has warned the ruling Congress that he will campaign against it in five states going to polls next year - unless the government adopts the Jan Lokpal Bill in Parliament's forthcoming winter session. The Gandhian seems to have abandoned his earlier non-political stance, now identifying the Congress as a clear enemy. His readiness to enter the political arena contrasts starkly with the non-political movement against corruption led by him not so long ago, that had struck a nationwide chord.
By targeting the Congress as his main opponent, Anna appears to take sides in the political jostling for power in the states and at the Centre. His proposed campaign against the Congress is in danger of being perceived as tacit support for the BJP, the Congress's principal adversary. Anna, though, has tried to distance himself from the BJP. Besides criticising Narendra Modi for arresting Sanjiv Bhatt, he has publicly rubbished reports of BJP support. But the matter is complicated because of his sole targeting of the Congress. This has raised the question whether Anna is ready to overlook that the BJP too is mired in corrupt deals, especially in states like Karnataka which the party runs. Also, in a state like UP, Anna could well be strengthening the poll prospects of a corrupt Mayawati government, by exhorting the electorate to vote against the Congress. The real question here is whether Anna is helping the larger anti-corruption cause by giving his movement a political and electoral overtone. Let's not forget that it was the non-political character of his fortnight-long fast in August that had drawn large sections of people into the anti-corruption upsurge. It was this unique character of the movement that had jolted the political establishment and kick-started a necessary debate on corruption. Anna would also do well to remember that an important Bill like Lokpal can't be rammed through under threats. The government has to take note of the various versions of the Bill, now before the parliamentary standing committee. A threadbare discussion is needed before Parliament adopts the anti-corruption Bill. This takes time and Anna should not bully the UPA government into short-circuiting procedures. To avoid yet another critical showdown, the Congress too needs to expedite proceedings to facilitate the Bill's early passage. It, after all, has been hanging fire for 42 years. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/Going-political/articleshow/10248197.cms
