The Little Girl walked up with a glass of Coconut water, with a spoon of Honey in it, Move to the side, let us get the moment right screamed out one of the many cameraman’s who had gathered in the Ramlila maidan. One would wonder if the doctors were monitoring the health of the aged gandhian as the photographer’s or the gathered media men were?. Every passing minute and hour of the fast , was monitored like the pulse machine attached to a person who is fighting the battle trying to figure out which end is better, winning the battle against death and end up as a living vegetable, or losing once soul and figuring out whether he would land up in hell or heaven, either ways one thing was for sure, he would meet his compatriots and friends in Hell, and he would not find a place in Heaven, which was reserved for those abnormal souls, who the world term as Nice, kind and large hearted people.
Yes ok,ok that’s fine now..Please give the glass of water, amid the flash of lights from the trillions of camera’s that were lined up, yelled out a voice, I turned round to catch the person, throwing the diktat’s but then the author of the voice disappeared amidst the thunderous applause and cheer’s of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” , Anna Hazare hum aapke ke saath hai, as the gandhian sipped into what might be the only form of glucose which he would be able to taste and give his well rested salivatory glands some exercise.
The Doctor’s moved in fast, amidst cries of keeping him in the hospital for the coming few day’s to monitor his health. As people from the Lokayukta’s shouted, this fast is just the beginning and there is many more to come. I wondered, hmm could Munna Bhai have given so many “Jaadu Ki Japies”, which this gandhian was subjected to in the 12 days of his fast. Every single person wanted to be in the dias, again only “The Rich and the Famous, could make their way up there to the Dias”. When I opened up the newspaper on the eve of the morning when the gandhian broke his fast, I could see a beaming photo of many a actor, alongside him, putting up a victory sign, maybe he was there cause “There were too many a people in white’s, so that he could make some business for their movie”, which certainly didn’t set any of the cash registers ringing. Well these are just a few of the many people who wanted to make the most of the moment which belonged only to the gandhian.
The Ruling government spokesperson said that the gandhian was holding the government for ransom and that he was blackmailing them for getting his demands met. But then were the demands of the gandhian, his sole lone voice. Here was a man, who could have happily retired and spend his old age with walks in the park. But then this astute gandhian decided to ensure that the government woke up from its slumber sleep and walked some aisle down the lanes of the country to notice the poverty and corruption that the common man was subjected to.
Why is it that the common man, who struggles to make end’s meet, always finds himself standing in a line, The line outside a Milk Booth, the Line in a Bus Stop,Admission to a School, to a Job, for registering a House, Car.. well the line just goes on and on and on…. And when he does reach his destination at the end of a line, he finds a board which say’s “Counter closed” or the personnel at the counter scratching his head and showing signals, which clearly puts forth the fact that, In life no matter how good,able,sincere or honest you are, until and unless you feed the Wicked Greedy Wolf.. You just won’t get across the Line.
I don’t know much about the Lokayukta, nor did I attend the freedom park or skip a meal to support the gandhian, but then I really wanted to know how many of the people who went out in support of the gandhian, ever took the time to sit and read what exactly he wanted for the people of this nation. Going to the Freedom park, painting the Indian flag in the face and wearing the Nehru cap which I am sure at the end of this campaign by the gandhian would be renamed as “the ANNA CAP”, became a trend for the people for most of them in the country. There were a notable few who knew what this movement was for, what it wanted to unearth, and the future that it wanted to give to the children of tomorrow.
I chanced upon a guy outside my Office who was decked up in the White T-Shirt.. which read “Main Anna Hazare, had a cool Ray-Ban navigator sunglass, and the Nehru cap nicely perched on top of his head to suit his style, yes I forgot with the curse that millions of IT guy’s have to carry.. yea a laptop. He came up to me and said, buddy join the movement, the whole country is into it, it’s the in thing now. Hmm I kind a did not appreciate him calling the movement as the in thing, cause there was this leader who had single handedly took on the government to tatters, and put to shame a few sadhu’s who commend themselves for being the founder’s of yoga, but could not get through a fast of 4 day’s. Well let’s not take names here. Hmm coming back I asked this guy, so you think this movement is worth it, and will the gandian get what he aspires. He replies “Yes buddy, imagine, 20 years we don’t have to pay tax, and then all item prizes will come down. I was amazed at the kind of immaturity and ignorance that the guy showed, and the many more who had probably learnt the line of 20 years without tax by heart.
India a country were the divide between the Rich and the Poor is far greater than the mighty Ocean that separates continents of the world, would need much more to bridge the gap. All the money stacked up in the numerous Swiss banks, might be the reason that the Economy of Europe is still in place, one would take a look and wonder if the Economy of the Great European Countries is because of the industries there, or because of our lovely neta’s who love to stack up cash there.
This Way or that, the gandhian has succeeded in uniting the country from the Himalayas to Rameshwaram, I could see the genuine joy and effort and the honesty in many a people’s eyes as they supported the gandhian, a friend in Kolkata who ensured she particiapated in every lokayukta meet, or to the smile in the eye’s of a year old son of a friend to see the movement the gandhian had spearheaded in the country.
The Country was One and it was United. But the Bigger Question is now that the Government has relented has the Battle been Won, or Just the Blue Print for a Greater War Cry, Revolution just got Approved… Well it is for the People of the Country to decide.
- Subbu Anand
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