Ostrich Syndrome!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

A note on Ramdev's Protest and Govt. Response

Post Ram Lila ground atrocity, there are two distinct aspects to the anti-corruption protests in the country (who manufactured this distinction and why can be anyones guess). Manufactured or spontaneous, the distinction is a reality whether we like it or not; whether we accept it or not.
The two aspects are : One, whether we accept the blatant, cruel, "police-state mentality" of the state in curbing any sort of protest and secondly do we accept babas, fakirs, mullahs, sadhus, pastors et al to run the campaign against corruption with a tinge of white, saffron, green or any damn color of religion?
I think majority of Indians are on the same page as far as the first question is concerned. There is no room for justifying whatever happened at the Ram Lila Grounds on that fateful night. This time it was Ramdev, another day it could be you or me. Police state is not an option in a democracy. Protests form the basis of dialogue in a democracy. We know whats happening in neighbouring Pakistan in the absence of any thoughtful dialogue.
As far as religious color to anti-corruption protests go, this is where the contradiction becomes obvious. We all know that Ramdev's campaign, how so ever pure and vital, was being fuelled by the Sangh Parivar with an agenda which was different than what appeared on stage. Corruption and need to fight it is by no means debatable. What is debatable in this context is the communalisation of corruption. Communalising corruption is dangerous as the the common Indian is a deeply religious being, ready to digest what ever is offered in a holy wrapping. Ironically one of the agenda of the rabid Talibanis is to establish a corrupt free (Islamic) rule in Pakistan....not very different from the establishment of RSS's (or can I say Ramdev's) Ram Raj in a Hindu rashtraya.
It's time to see the difference between the hawks and the doves in this unfolding power struggle. The Monty-Man Syndrome through which the duo of Montek & Manmohan Singh have put this country is here to stay. Protests to cure any part of this syndrome will be throttled by all available force. Whether we want to fight this as a unified, secular camaraderie or leave it in the hands of agenda setting godmen is our choice.

7 comments:

Navin said...

Though I am not agree with you about Ramdev's fast was engineered by RSS, his fast was a drama. Ramdev is one of the best businessmen of the country. He knows what to do and at what time. So he did his drama. There was no maturity in entire episode. Unfortunately, the maturity level of our government was even poorer. But Dr Alam, don't you think that for this type of government Baba like persons are OK?
Jay Ho !

Navin said...

Read more on this issue at
http://navin-2010.blogspot.com/2011/06/just-another-drama.html

Deepak said...

Dear Mr. Alam, I think, your approach is too biased and self centered. You are tending to conclude the things with your limited knowledge or awareness. You are looking at the person not the cause. People are supporting the cause not the person and I think, everybody has a right to speak against corruption or any evil thing. Even If you are a mullah or sant, This does'nt stop him to be eligible to fight against corruption. I am proud of such people that they are coming out of their comfort zone to improve the system not like just blogging and finding mistakes in other's deeds.
You don't know the power of Satyagrah and Gandhian theory if You compare this protest with Talibans. Talibanis are violent people.
Baba Ramdev has never been violent. They give us faith to win with peaceful protest through fast, through candle march. I am happy, that at least people are aware to come in front against such things and Don't underestimate middle class people. People are very intelligent. They have sense to share the pain of poor as well as dare to come in front of mighty people.

Nagendra said...

Hello Mr Deepak,
I saw ur comment long back and wanted to comment back but somehow got delayed. In hindsight I think it was for good as now I can share more fact than earlier.
To start with, internet is a big place and you may get away with those irresponsible comments but you are suppose to have some basic decorum such as not to do character assasination and personnel comments as you have done here so as to have a healthy discussion. How much do you know about Dr Alam so as to comment something like limited knowledge etc?
Next Dr Alam has compared the end goal of Taliban's and Baba Ramdev or someone like Anna Hazare. He never meant that these protests are violent, but what inference should I make with statements of Arvind Kejriwal that we do not want to destablize this government. Are these Gandhiyan ways of peaceful protests or Talibani's ways of making or say.
You are seeing today the victory march of Mr Anna. Can you please tell me whether Gandhi has ever sone Victory march? Can you please tell when Gandhi had super duper famous heart specilist like Dr Trehan to check his BP and glucose level. Can you apprise us when Gandhi was hospitalized in Medicity, a five star hospital made to cater to the rich and famous, to treat his DEHYDRATION. Had even Gandhi ever allowed himself to be used for free goodwill to Dr Trehan's hospital? How many poors are treated at Medicity?
I simply feel ashamed calling myself: mai bhi anna tu bhi anna, as I can not afford to be admitted to Medicity even for serious disease leave apart for treatment of dehydration.
These are the danger of participating in such movements. There projected goal is clean, we all want to be associated with it, but there side goals are dirty. As you might have seen in this example. I do not want Kejriwal to be the Lauh Purush and Defense minsiter and Kiran Bedi as home minister just because there are doing soem latka jhatka on stage on name of noble cause such as corruption.
These are the dangers that are Taliban like, that Dr Alam had warned in this note. Even I was carriedaway with initially but now I can see the danger of such drama and so I do not support these Talibanization of my country and do not approve of these nonsensical ways of fighting dreaded disease currently hampering this country.

ABTC said...

nice post
keep blogging

sapna said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Packers and Movers

Horrible photo