Thinking beyond Anna Hazare

Anna Hazare - like many across India and around the world, I must confess I had no clue of who this person was until a few days back. He became a prominent public figure when he started his “fast until death” movement demanding the government of India for a joint drafting of the Lokpal Bill.

“Truth stands, even if there be no public support. It is self-sustained” - Mahatma

But for Anna Hazare’s “fast until death” had both truth and public support. Mighty internet and traditional “streets” were used as a platform for supporting the ultimate cause; a few others even started a fast in different cities across the nation. Everyone prayed their heart for the success of this movement lead by Anna Hazare and we indeed did succeed. But the great man himself says

"In this fight against corruption, India has won, not Anna. You have shown we are united. But the fight must continue."

When this movement started all the patriotism that we have for this country came popping out like champagne and so did it when we heard the news of government obliging to the demands. Our educational and cultural systems works in a way that it nurtures the seeds of patriotism in our hearts. Every Indian, immaterial of the million ways that divide him from his fellow countrymen, wants India to be called a developed nation and this has become a start of it.

I really wonder how many of us who came forward to support this movement would be ready to do the little that we can do. Often I have come across conversations in the past like "What difference is it going to make if i do it right? The whole of India does it wrong." But is that what patriotism is all about?? - doing something the wrong way because the whole of the country does it wrong.

I know now there are a few who are wondering what he can do about it. Trust me there are many things, in fact loads and loads of stuff that we can do to make India the India that we want to see. Things as simple as not dropping even a chocolate toffee wrapper on the streets, following traffic rules, getting bills for every small thing that we buy and a loads and loads.

When there was someone who was fighting to make India a corruption free nation all of us joined hands to make the movement a success. But what we - the citizens of this country- do not realize is that we do not need someone to lead us to make this change in our country.

"Be the change you want to see in the world" - The Mahatma

Remember it was this one man's movement that gathered the momentum and critical mass required to make a change in this country. One among us may become the Anna Hazare of tomorrow!

Jai Hind!!!

Signing off

Another Indian hypocrite who is working towards being less hypocritical with every passing day.