Afro Asian Business Chronicle

First thing first.  The arrest of Anna Hazare on Tuesday by the Delhi Police is highly deplorable for it is against the democratic principles adopted by the country.  On an earlier occasion, at Jantar Mantar, Anna and his associates had amply demonstrated their ability to keep their agitation peaceful.  On this occasion too, one could have banked on their ability to keep the agitation peaceful.

The Delhi Police are not to be blamed for they were under tremendous pressure from their political bosses not to allow Anna to hit the “fast” track.  However, it has turned out to be counter-productive for the Congress-led UPA government as it has not only attracted the ire of the opposition parties inside Parliament, but has resulted in Anna getting unprecedented support from the “common man”, the pet constituency of the Congress.

I do not go with the thinking from certain quarters that the second phase of agitation (fast for forcing the Government to accept Anna version on Lokpal Bill) as “second J P Movement”  as the present day government has not issued any gag order or restrained media from reporting fearlessly on what is happening  on the Anna front.

However, the present imbroglio on the Lokpal bill could have been avoided, but for the “immaturity” of the ruling coalition. The government, at the first place could have incorporated the major suggestions on the Lokpal bill from Anna Hazare and his team in the bill that was placed in Parliament and left it to the wisdom of the Members of Parliament.  By placing such a bill, it could have blunted the aggressive moves of Anna Hazare’s team.

Secondly, if the government felt that some clauses needed to be amended, it could have asked its own MPs or alliance partners to move necessary amendments.  This would have been in line with the government’s own argument that law making is the prerogative of the law makers and it should be left to them.

 S Satyanarayanan

Associate Editor

Afro Asian Business Chronicle