The Anna hazard
Hazards are all allegedly incidental, but here is one that is manufactured and marketed with malice towards all.
Anna Hazare is undoubtedly a hero (not just in the making, but already-made). I do not subscribe to the short sighted congress allegation on his credibility regarding corrupt practices, but, I do have serious doubts about his septuagenarian zeal to set the country right.
He may even rightly be righteously indignant but is he ‘the man’ and are his concepts ‘the formula’?
Where the government is adamantly aggressive about a nuke deal and astute enough to buy the opposition to ‘not oppose’, where a government usurps farmers’ lands for an industrialist’s benefit and beats up its own people who dare to oppose the move, where tribals are thrown out of hillocks that are sold for private mining, where water resources are given away almost free for multinational manufacturers, into that country is delivered the media-made savior. Into this country is imposed a righteousness that ends with a candle lit (not exactly) party.
And where the country has people who unflinchingly push currency into the greasy hands of a traffic cop, where time dictates that they pay to get what actually is ought to be done, where education is bought by the rich and where paying extra is a social flamboyance, into that country does a hero descend from up above through satellites. People need an excuse to be angry about dishonesty!
Anna Hazare therefore, is the need of the hour –for the media!
What has happened to India? Corruption prevails rampantly and at all levels. Gandhi is a name to be uttered irreverently and a picture to be collected assiduously. Public interest is the last item in politicians’ agenda, and no one cares. But these are not sudden tsunamis; they have been slowly cancerous for decades if not generations. Globalized industrialization and its natural element, aggressive marketing have always been clandestinely corrupt in their wooing of the newspaper-reading common folk. Licenses and favors, sponsorships and ‘sops’ are all elementary words in the current socio-political dictionary. Things have to be done, and have to be done fast. Profits cannot wait. Purses cannot be empty for the powerful and full for the public. If anyone murmurs a protest he becomes a cartoon, the cynic’s cynosure. The common man, wants things done quickly, his market manufactured dreams are racing against time. In this scenario there is always a need for mass entertainment that does not eat one’s own time and fortune. When there is no cricket telecast, histrionic anchors need to hit non-existent balls for sixers in the air. And here comes the need for a ‘anna hazare’!
I see the likes of ramdev and sirisiri flocking to flaunt themselves alongside this caricature for photo-ops, but then marketing is always a must for the money-motivated- self styled spiritualists; this is not my primary worry. I worry about the middle class who chose not to cocoon themselves in their couches and dare to spend some of their spare time in social activism.
The ‘middle-class’ always aspires to become the upper class. This is an inherent trait. When they see their erstwhile fellowmen who spiral to dizzying financial heights just by joining politics, they become angry. They want to vent their anger. They have to camouflage their anger born out of jealousy and envy. They have to when time permits voice their indignation at social evils. They find media-generated heroes easy to accept, for after all have not millions read about the exaggerated valor of these ‘discovered’ saviors!
What is wrong if people do wake up? Is it not time for the common man to voice his displeasure over disreputable governance? Do the public not need a focal person to rally around to raise slogans? And why not, if not, if why not… go on shrill TV anchors and aptly made-up opinionators on their ‘elite’ panels. The nation is fighting for its second independence shout headlines. Independence? From what? Who are the corrupt? Who gives the corrupt politicians the moral arrogance other than the uncaring public? Who does care in voting the right person? How many care to pause after reading the screaming headlines? who cares how much for honesty anyway?
The middle class is an inevitable and a considerably large part of the society. For any true revolution they need to unite and rise. If their angst is exhausted on publicity oriented, media orchestrated causes; they will not even bother to blink when there is a larger urgent need to revolt.
Anna Hazare may even be a good man, but right now he is bad for the country -simply because he is wasting the middle class angst and youth’s natural flair to fight for the right, because he is posing sufficiently for the media to hail him as a hero, because he hobnobs with malignant spiritual-merchants, because he is short sighted, because he is adamant and because he is not the projected image.
God save my country.
Tags: anna hazare
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Dr.Rudhran's blog 
August 17, 2011 at 8:49 pm
excellent article sir .. i just dont think there will be another revolution of any sort in the country .. if dats the case the flair to fight for the right by the youth would be right . Nevertheless, great article sir !!
August 17, 2011 at 8:54 pm
Good to read someone who’s not caught up in the Hazare frenzy.
August 17, 2011 at 9:05 pm
yes…well said dr.,
August 17, 2011 at 11:52 pm
Anna’s Drama is nothing newer than Gandhi’s somersault politics. The Middle class Maniac are portraying it as another independence.
And Its a shame that they have both Gandhi & Bhagat posters behind the stage.
August 18, 2011 at 12:27 am
Dear Dr.Rudhran,
Well written article in the need of time to understand what is being ignored by Hazare’s activism. The entire episode is acting as a vent for the common people, but who else is coming in the front to educate and organize them?
Would you also write something about the way the UPA government is handling the Hazare’s protests?
August 18, 2011 at 1:18 pm
I was shocked to see comments on Hazare’s arrest as ‘another emergency’ , ‘worst than Jallianwala Bagh’ and all. When I switched off the screeching TV set and sat with eyes closed, the hype faced a sudden death.
August 18, 2011 at 4:50 pm
If Anna Hazare is not the right man..then who is going tie the bell to cat and when…?
If you expect people to vote for the right(Good) Govt… It is never going to happen…. neither we have options :(.
August 18, 2011 at 5:02 pm
Dr Rudran,
Well said sir, corruption is at all levels, cultivated, nurtured, patronised by ever wanting public… If Mr Anna is so concerned about corruption, he and his team should visit atleast some govt offices on daily basis and ensure that the work is done by the public servants without offering lame execuses (for money) and done on time…
Media is to be blamed for all the hype that is created for every issue that crops up!!! in the name of democracy, it has become fancy to criticise the govt… I am not definitely for anyone who creates mass hysteria and takes advantage thru the hype.. be it Advani,(Rath yatra) or Anna…
August 18, 2011 at 5:43 pm
Must watch :
YouTube – Arvind Kejriwal Clearing-up JanLokpal Bill Confusion & Controversies
http://www.youtube.com
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FvPsveoIsNn0&h=zAQC66lQOAQDF0vfublwk7no0KJXk-AvVJIOuYGmsY6lXoA
August 18, 2011 at 7:42 pm
தானும் படுக்காம தள்ளியும் படுக்காம இருக்கறதுன்னா இதுதான்னு நெனைக்கிறேன் !
August 18, 2011 at 9:50 pm
I’m really confused. Reading hazare’s profile, he has been patriotic, was competent and intelligent enough to build a independent society in maharastra. People with proven track record like Kiran Bedi fully support him. How can he be called short-sighted in the midst of these facts. He is just asking to pass a bill which should have been passed sometimes around the seventies. Adequate time has also been provided to the government to come up with one. He was even open to amendments sometime before august 15.All these facts doesn’t seem to suggest him to be a unreasonable man.
.
August 18, 2011 at 11:41 pm
crap !!
August 19, 2011 at 7:58 am
You are right. Anna is credible enough for media to fan.
I don’t think a Jan Lokpal Bill can solve corruption & is something that is not needed.
What is needed is better enforcement of existing laws.
With lokpal we are adding another additional lock to their existing weak door. Or a better comparison will be that of a dying patient going for additional insurance cover… it will never extend his life!
August 19, 2011 at 10:32 am
So your basic arguments are:
1) Save your energy for something bigger n better: it would be enlightening if you could give some bigger n better causes for which the middle class should use their energy
2) The middle class is not only jealous of the rich class but also angry abt their own inability to rise: This seems to be a extremely cynical view of ourselves. While i do agree that we ourselves are corrupt and play a major role in the existence of corruption, we also need to believe that we inherently are good people and collective consciousness against corruption will change our ways
August 19, 2011 at 11:43 am
i second you on this post ..
i think that anna is dong the right job but the way middle class is dealing with it siply shows that they are venting out their anger…
August 23, 2011 at 10:34 am
//What is needed is better enforcement of existing laws.//
What is needed is that: thugs,vagabonds,twits like Rudharan should be kicked in their ass.
September 9, 2011 at 6:20 pm
shameless being faceless you pretend to dare!
August 24, 2011 at 11:27 pm
anna is real Indian. actually as we all know that if common people will do corruption there is sufficient lows to punish them. but our politician and all govt. high grade person will do the same all laws even C B I are failed to punish them.they are doing like puppet of politician. so jan lokpal bill must pass.with some amendment .
August 25, 2011 at 4:01 pm
Sir, can you pls make more specific clarity to your claim as to why you think Hazare is not the right man?
if not for him, who has questioned this government with such power? yes, i do not fully agree with the team’s tactics, but pls enlighten me on why you think he is not what he is projected to be? is this your perception or are you basing this on your intuition or is that claim made on a basis of facts?
thank you.
August 26, 2011 at 11:59 pm
Dear sir,
You either are a shameless relative of a corrupt politician or a corrupt rich ass yourself, or maybe both. You never had the guts to stand up and fight for anything good, and when someone is doing it, all you can do it fucking blogging shit about him.
A selfless man, in his seventies, is fighting for what he won’t enjoy for more than a decade or two. While you, sir, are busy writing shit and probably sipping coffee at the comfort of your home.
He is a hero and you are a whining loser. Now suck it up and deal with it. He has proven his guts. If you have any, answer this on the blog. Or maybe you are shameless enough to delete this comment and act as if it never happened.
God bless Anna Hazare. And if all the educated people started thinking like you, then God save my country.
September 9, 2011 at 6:19 pm
sick sycophancy
December 20, 2011 at 11:43 pm
Mr. Responsible Indian,
I think every man in his seventies is self-less. What made you to choose him as a hero? Do you know there are many people fighting for corruption in this country? Have you heard of Iron Sharmila’s pasting, have the nation arouse and stood with her?
Do you think the Jan-lokpal removes all corruption? If Anna is against corruption, why does he hobnobs with BJP leaders and those who are against INCongress? He is doing Anti-congress politics.
See, you and I elected the MLAs and MPs and the PM is our representative; so what does the word ‘civil-society’ means? If you don’t like your any of your constituency’s candidate, record 49-O in voting machine. Well, many of you got obsessed with this ‘anti-corruption’ and ‘Anna’ words. Just use logic and common sense. Please think twice, here Dr.Rudran clearly explaining the situation and causes.
September 9, 2011 at 6:25 pm
well the angry old man and his orchestrated jing-bang went on and on till they got nothing but a lot of media coverage…and now, anna-hero is angry that some questions are asked about his man-everday! the question anna asks is why rake up an old issue regarding his strong-man!! his supporters were asking why not rake up an old bill that was idling in the parliament for years!
i understand the sentiments of the common folk.. i just want atleast a few of them to pause and then follow whatever shadow that may fascinate them
September 15, 2011 at 7:15 am
I also felt like you when I heard about Anna Hazzare and my initial opinion strengthened as days go by. I recently watched “Neeya Naana” Vijay TV talk show, in that one person was referring the things mentioned in this article: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110827/jsp/opinion/story_14423092.jsp (I found this link in Wikipedia). The following paragraph is from that article:
//On the other hand, he found the approach of Anna Hazare “deeply brahmanical”. Liquor, tobacco, even cable TV were forbidden. Dalit families were compelled to adopt a vegetarian diet. Those who violated these rules — or orders — were tied to a post and flogged.//
If the above is true, your title is true. He is really a Hazzard.
October 8, 2011 at 10:43 pm
//God save my country.// சூழ்ந்திடும் இருளில் சுலல்கிறோம் அன்பே(Dr . Rudhran) சுடர் ஒளியே வழி காட்டு…….
November 25, 2011 at 1:05 am
the last para is 1oo% correct.
November 25, 2011 at 1:06 am
the last para is 100% correct
December 17, 2011 at 6:10 pm
Most of the people fall for the media campaign. We must try to instil values in our children and set examples to them. We must force them to accept the fact that change will happen and be permanent only if it starts from below and gathers steam. Not this way. People should read about what happened in the US when J.Edgar Hoover ran it. Thank you Dr for your article.
December 17, 2011 at 9:06 pm
Thanks for the post, it was a worthy read. I cannot agree more on what you have penned.The threatening disease here is the mentality of a social class that does not even want to spend time to critically reflect on the happenings around them, laziness to even form their own opinion…If someone says something the herd mentality of such a lazy class gives massive credibility & validity to what is being said and they become facts or the truth. Media is exploiting this weakness of a confused social class, that probably thinks it needs to jump to conclusions or just borrow it from someone….wonder what takes a person to such a dead state that is so unconscious about living on other peoples thinking & ideas. Given the economic downturn, even spending time to handle such drama is a serious hazard…
here is a link that might interest you.
December 27, 2011 at 2:51 pm
Dear Dr, It is good line of thinking that Anna is short sighted, but the question is “who is having a long sight at this point of time?”.
“What is needed is better enforcement of existing laws”, this is correct but we don’t find any way to make these politicians to do or allow to happen. Once they have become elected they dictate the nation in many things like allowing 100% FDI and in Lokpal and Lokayuktha.
I think it is not our part to do something to the nation is blogging these kind of articles. Hope you will not show your anger by calling me with a psychological term.