THE RADICAL HUMANIST

THE RADICAL HUMANIST

With the rise of corruption in India Anna Hazare and his team comprising of eminent lawyers, activists had launched an anti-corruption movement way back in the year 2011. This movement had become successful in various parts of India with many people including youths supporting this movement. This movement started with one of its main demand of establishing a strong and independent Janlokpal, an anti-corruption legislation and enforcement body. The movement became so successful that on December 27th 2011,the government took the issue in the Lok Sabha which is the lower house of the Indian Parliament and passed a controversial Lokpal Bill which was named under title of Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill 2011. But the government passed the bill with certain amendments according to the needs of the government and not what these activists demanded. The Bill when it came to be discussed in the Rajya Sabha during the budget session in February this year did not get passed as the Government did not agree with the demands of the Anna’s team. Therefore Anna Hazare again relaunched the movement and as a mark of protest he decided to sit on hunger strike on 25th March 2012 for one day. But still nothing happened and therefore again an indefinite fast was undertaken at Jantar Mantar by the Anna’s team on July 25th2012. But what comes surprise to many was that they decided this movement should be tuned into a political party. Anna by taking the decision of joining electoral politics said that he wants to cleanse politics. He will not join the politics but will support the candidates chosen by the people. Further efforts would be made to keep the functioning of the political party transparent adding that people would be given a chance to select their own candidates and all the donations and spending public and challenging other parties to do the same• According to some they have used Anna to garner legitimacy and gain in time both of which would not have been possible for them to achieve. Anna has given them a boost in their political ambitions.

 • Secondly in India any political party is based on a dominant caste. Usually the leader of the new formation belongs to the numerically dominant group. Unfortunately for Team Anna, the dominant identity of its prominent members is class, not caste. Further, the politics of interests they seek to pursue will exclude those who define their identity in terms of caste.

            The question now rises is that whether by forming a political party is not a unique way of doing so? The present political party which Anna and his team are going to form should be true to what they proclaim that is the political party should be democratic, accountable, ethical and non-violent and capable of leading an electoral revolution to democratize and decentralize power and make the power structures of the country and more accountable to the people. Whether such a party will be formed is to be seen