Thank God! I’m NOT Anna: Dalits’ Fight to Save Democracy

Untouchability is nothing but slavery. Tell a slave, he is a slave he will revolt. – Dr B R Ambedkar

In my last article – Jan Lokpal Bill: A Dalit’s Viewpoint – I asked my readers to vote on the poll, where I had asked a question, “Do you support Jan Lokpal Bill?” The polling ended few hours before and here are the results. I got 153 vote and 107 people said No, 35 said Yes and rest were either undecided or don’t care about such bills. Now, assuming if everyone who visited and voted on the blog was from Dalit community, it is very much clears that about 70% Dalits don’t support Jan Lokpal Bill. (In reality, all Dalits are against Jan Lokpal Bill) But, I don’t understand how Anna is claiming that he has the support of 1.2 billion Indians. This is just a misleading statement by Anna and his team to which media is giving wide publicity or they don’t consider Dalits as Indian. Don’t you agree that if you’ll telecast a lie 100s time it will turn into truth?

Empty grounds of Ramlila ground, where is the movement against corruption? (Photo credit: To the original photographer)

On 2^nd day of Anna’s protest there were 300 supporters and 50 reporters to cover them. Here are the few of the pictures from Ramlila ground Delhi (taken on dated 21/08/2011, Saturday at around 6pm) and where media is claiming that there are lakhs of people gathering for second independence movement? Where are the people? Empty grounds are telling us the truth, where the national-wide-movement-against-corruption is going on? My another friend who was there at the Ramlila ground to check the reality of this drama told me that there were very few people and those were either ‘love-birds’ coming for picnic or ‘street beggars’ coming to get the free food and shelter provided by the Anna and his team. Money for all this is coming from the anti-reservation people and fascist Hindus from outside India and from many of the NGOs run by Arvind Kejriwal. As I said in my previous article that it’s just media’s movement not Anna’s movement, now you can see the same through the pictures.

When you are protesting with Anna and his team that means you are calling ‘yourself an idiot’ i.e. when you, yourself have elected the members of parliament with the power of vote given to you by Dr Ambedkar and afterward rejecting them it nothing but calling yourself an idiot. Another is another interesting fact to note that these so called upper class (caste) people those are protesting with Anna have always skipped to cast their vote, they think voting as useless and time wasting activity but afterward claiming that netas’ are corrupt is ridicules. It’s poor who always choose the netas not the so called upper class (caste) but you won’t find any poor person with Anna. Where do these so called honest people disappear when a corrupt politician files nomination? Why don’t they protest at the time of their filing nomination?

When people asked Anna to contest elections he said he will lose his deposits because poor people sell their votes. Doesn’t it mean that Anna is saying poor are corrupt? That means if about 70% poor Indians are corrupt as per Anna’s words then for whom Anna is fighting for? Probably for businessmen and manuwadi people who never let poor people come forward.

Anna and his supporters are saying that poor and Dalits will get benefited the most of this bill. Can anyone tell me which of these people was Dalit; D Maran, Kanimohzi, Kalmadi, Neera Radia, Ambani bros or Tata and Unitech directors? Who was Dalit from these? None and they say Dalits getting reservation are corrupt. When most of the jobs are in the hands of so called upper caste people then how can Dalits be corrupt? Do you think Jan Lokpal bill will benefit uneducated poor Dalits? I don’t think so; the poor Dalits won’t even know about this bill in their lifetime, they already don’t know anything about their human rights. It’s naive to think that it will benefit them the most. I see this bill as a protective layer for these corrupt people and this bill is harmful for the democracy.

Check out the another picture from the Anna’s protest and clearly shows that the movement is also to defame the BSP and Mayawati’s status and is completely anti-dalit. This is what they call second independence movement abusing, shouting slogans against women and Dalits.

Movement against Mayawati?BSP? (Photo credit: To the original photographer)

Check out the 3rd point. Caste-wise census is important for us as it will decide our share in planning and development. Why these people are afraid of this? (Photo credit: To the original photographer)

Arvind Kejriwal runs a NGO named Kabir and Kiran Bedi also run NGOs, this is the reason NGOs are kept out of the Jan Lokpal Bill? I also don’t understand why Hindu temples, private institutions, NGOs are not covered under the Jan Lokpal Bill? At almost every Hindu temple there is a back door entry to earn extra money, many of the businessmen, NGOs are also corrupt but the thing is these business and NGOs are run by so called upper caste people. Why media, which is biased, is kept out of the Jan Lokpal Bill? But how can these people keep media inside Jan Lokpal Bill, media which covers Anna and his team only? Anna and his team have also to be loyal to media in return. Is this is the reason because these all are kept out of Jan Lokpal Bill?

There was a funny situation on the T.V. when one of the anchors asked students protesting with Anna and his team that why they are protesting? Students replied, “Fees are very much higher in private colleges and there is corruption in private colleges.” But these ‘innocent fools’ don’t know that Jan Lokpal Bill don’t cover private institutions!

I also wonder why people from corporate world, people from bollywood, media and civil society are only involved in this movement against corruption. Why can’t I see people from law and academics fields? People from law and academics fields can present the true picture of this movement and can make everyone understand the flaws and repercussions of Jan Lokpal Bill.

Anna and His Team – Behind the Mask of Divinity

At the time when Raj Thackeray was murdering democracy by attacking non Marathi people in Maharashtra, Anna Hazare supported him. How can a true leader or someone with little bit of brain support such heinous crimes against humanity and democracy?

See the room in which Anna was kept inside the Tihar jail and I have no doubt now that he has not been taking any energy drinks or power capsules during his fast as said by in the documentary on Anna Hazare: The real story.

There is also a question on how a mobile phone was brought into the Tihar jail and Anna talked in-front of that mobile camera? Doesn’t Anna know bringing mobile phone inside the cell is a crime? If any other common person would have brought that mobile then he would have been facing terrorist charges, why Anna was left without such charges? Anna says he is a common man but he was given VIP treatment at Tihar jail, why? Why didn’t he refuse to use that fully furnished room at Tihar jail?

Shanti Bhushan once said, “Ab ham nayaa Sanvidhan banaayenge.” (Courtesy: Lokmat newspaper 17Aug). If to overwrite the constitution of India is the real motive then why they are hiding behind the mask of corruption?

Arvind Kejriwal is one of the prominent members of Youth for Equality, organisation which led anti-reservation movement few years back. Arvind Kejriwal played a vital role in that movement and how can we trust him?

At Anna’s village, Dalits live in the outside the village segregated. What will happen to Dalits all-over the India if such a person will lead India?

At Anna’s village, Anna rules as a dictator and have orders of not to watch T.V. for more than 30 minutes but this restriction is not applicable when Anna is fasting! Isn’t it ridicules?

At Anna’s village, no other person can go on fast. Fasting is reserved for Anna only!! Anna’s rules in his village is no different from the Taliban’s fascists.

When Prashant Bhushan was asked why people from anti-reservation are coming and shouting against the reservation at the anti-corruption rally he said, “We can’t stop them.” Are they true leaders? I doubt.

Bahujans Lokpal Bill

On 24^th Aug, 2011 Dr Uditraj led the mass rally under the banner of “Save the Constitution” and Dr Uditraj said, “There should not be an attempt to make a super government over an elected government, corruption is a social problem rather than a political problem.” (Video)

Dalits protesting against the Jan Lokpal Bill (Photo credit: Soumik Mukherjee)

From the starting, Dalits have protested against the Anna’s movement. Dalit-Bahujans organisations all of the world are demanding to introduce Bahujans Lokpal Bill and today (26/08/2011) at 3pm Dr. Uditraj and other Dalit leaders will meet at Press Club of India to announce a “Bahujans Civil Society” and introduce the idea of “Bahujans Lokpal Bill”. The team will also demand following things:

There should be representation of all the communities in the Jan Lokpal selection committee.
There should be representation of all communities in officer (Lokayukt) of Central/State’s Lokpal Act.
Like Public Sector Company (PSU) private company, NGO, Media group should bring under the preview of Article 12 of constitution as ‘other authority’.
Religious Trusts, Maths, Mandirs, Waqf Board, Churches, Gurudwaras etc religious entity should also bring under the preview of Lokpal Bill or there should be religious Property Accountability Bill like Judicial Accountability Bill.
The Head of Lokayukt should be on rotational Basis.
If it is proved that any member of Lokpal is a political biased he/she should be removed immediately.
The office of Head should not be more than 2 years.

My Final Thoughts

“How long shall we continue to deny equality in our social and economic life? If we continue to deny it for long, we will do so only by putting political democracy in peril.” – Dr B R Ambedkar

People in India are born by giving bribe and then die with giving bribe! From name selection of the newly born kid to starting a new business we Indians pay bribe and at the time of death ritual ceremonies takes place only if you pay dakshini – bribe. I wonder after passing Jan Lokpal Bill, Dalit women will no longer be paraded naked because she protested the rape. Anna and his team is misleading Indian masses through the power of money and casteist media. People who are protesting with Anna and his team are either naive or misguided as hunger strikes should never be the right way to promote a policy agenda in democracy. We can fight against corruption keeping our-self within the limits of constitution by bringing strong laws and acts and more importantly implementing those laws effectively. How many of people protesting refuse to take a bribe or how many of these people have already used the existing laws against corruption? But these are the people who are claiming that constitution of India has failed, how come when you never used it? I believe there are already many laws in our constitution those can protect us from any kind of corruption, we need to use and implement those laws effectively. Anna’s demand to pass Jan Lokpal Bill drafted by unaccountable and unrepresentative people is a threat to the democracy and Dalits are fighting to “Save the Democracy”.

If Hindu Raj does become a fact, it will no doubt, be the greatest calamity for this country. No matter what the Hindus say, Hinduism is a menace to liberty, equality and fraternity. On that account it is incompatible with democracy. Hindu Raj must be prevented at any cost. – Dr B R Ambedkar

Few Excerpts from Other Articles

I’d rather not be Anna

“It was Mahatma Gandhi’s vision that every village should have one chamar, one sunar, one kumhar and so on. They should all do their work according to their role and occupation, and in this way, a village will be self-dependant. This is what we are practicing in Ralegan Siddhi.” Is it surprising that members of Team Anna have also been associated with Youth for Equality, the anti-reservation (pro-“merit”) movement?

Ambedkar’s way & Anna Hazare’s method

During the 1920s and the 1930s, Dr. Ambedkar combined mass mobilisation with legal methods in the anti-untouchability movement, but never allowed unconstitutional and coercive methods to take hold, despite instances of violent attack on “untouchables.”

Dr Ambedkar went on to add that bhakti or hero-worship in religion may be a road to the salvation of the soul, but in politics, bhakti or hero-worship is a sure road to degradation and to eventual dictatorship.

Tired of Democracy?

In fact, corruption can only come to an end when the millions of ordinary people of India fight it: by refusing to indulge in it, by taking action against the small local corrupt officials and powerholders they come against, by taking out morchas, taking action. This is the way out –not “Guardians” chosen by Magsaysay Award winners.

Against Jan Lokpal Bill and the Politics of Hunger Strikes

If we are to allow that hunger strikes and street protests do better than constitutional methods, then how would you decide issues where there are sharp differences? If two Gandhians go on hunger strikes asking for polar opposites, do we settle the issue by seeing who gives up first? What if competing groups escalate the agitation to violence against each other? Should we condone civil war?

This is a fascist movement, says Mahesh Bhatt

The Anna’s movement is fascist. Anna Hazare is selling a fake dream like we filmmakers do; the reality is different. Anyone who disagrees with him is branded a traitor. – Mahesh Bhatt

A Lokpal Critique

The fact that the Anna Brigade does not even want to think about following the electoral route, but is dancing around a melodramatic movement, blaming the bribe takers, but getting support from the bribe givers (the corporations and the media they sponsor) really points to the intentions of the movement not being wholesome, towards the development of the society. Instead the obvious intent of transfer of actual transfer of power from the electorate that is the cornerstone of a democratic institution, to a bureaucracy that does not answer to the people, seems to be the sole motive behind this well publicized movement.

Why Are Dalits Not Enthusiastic about Anna’s Movement?

‘India against Corruption’, the outfit behind Anna’s movement, claims that it is the voice of the 120 crore people of India. But, when the tens of crores of Dalits, Adivasis and religious minorities have evinced little interest in the movement, how can such erroneous claims be made on their behalf and on behalf of this movement, too? One of the reasons that Dalits, Adivasis and religious minorities feel ignored by the movement is precisely this sort of behaviour on the part of the men behind this movement, self-proclaimed ‘people’s leaders’ who are projecting themselves as the messiahs of the masses.

A few questions for Anna worshippers

Why do the media handle Team Anna with kid gloves? Why are no tough questions asked? Why is there no healthy scepticism about their credentials, their methods, their world view, their logic, and their thoughts? Why this cloying worship of Anna Hazare? What if he turns out to be a flawed God?

The Anna Hazare Show

“Two reporters told him that since the Pune Cantonment elections were to be held on that Sunday there would be no space in the newspapers. So it was mutually agreed between the journalists and Anna that he would give up his fast on Monday at 1 pm.”

And that was what he did. Now, the media wants a revolution and there is a good chance that Hazare will not disappoint.

Lalu Prasad leads OBC charge against Lokpal

MIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi raised fears of “mob rule” targeting Muslims. He said, “They can gather people and seek a terrorist law to target Muslims. If we set a precedent now, it will bring mob rule.”

The Making of an Authority: Anna Hazare in Relegan Siddhi

At the risk of heresy: Why I am not celebrating with Anna Hazare

Not a very civil coup