By Anshul Tewari:
He started alongside Anna Hazare, demanding a corruption free India. An India free from black money. Understood! Good intentions. Now I need not dig into the background of the movement that yoga teacher Ramdev had spearheaded a few months ago (I did write an article on how his movement was completely politicized and received highly interesting comments – you might wanna read), but as it comes across – his movement is well politicized with leaders of BJP and JDU openly supporting him, and vice versa.
From a fight against black money and corruption, the movement has turned to an anti-UPA movement. Now I personally don’t have issues in seeing an anti-UPA movement take shape, what I have a problem with is the logic that goes behind all this.
Let me take you back to when Anna Hazare had first come up to fight against corruption – all it was, was an anti-corruption movement. People came out and supported him in huge numbers. There was no mention of any politician or political party, but only of the system which was dying under corruption. India Against Corruption was formed, and Hazare, Kejriwal and Bedi were the epitome of righteousness.
A few weeks later, yoga teacher Ramdev joins in – creates a havoc, puts women in front of him, jumps from the stage, gets caught. Blah! A highly mismanaged move by the swami.
From that moment, the movement slowly and steadily turned against the UPA Government rather than against the entire system.
All politicians of the UPA Government were pulled into the ruckus, but the masters of corruption, such as one of the previous Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh (no names, no law suits) were kept out of the loop. Unnamed.
Fast forward to today – BJP Leader Gadkari and JDU leader Sharad Yadav join Ramdev. Subramaniam Swamy was already there and more politicians showed support. Ramdev began his march to the Parliament House – and I got stuck in Delhi roads.
I was in between the traffic for a good 3 hours before I decided to walk to the foot-over bridge, get on the other side, and head back home. With me was my friend who had an interview. And with us, were thousands of daily commuters who faced heavy inconvenience because of the revolution.
Sirens blew loud as ambulances did not find way to reach hospitals. A good part of the city got stuck for a good 3 hours – it was still stuck at the time of publishing this article.
The only thought coming to mind right now is – the person who claims to create a revolution in the country does not care about public life, about people visiting hospitals, about those who are stuck for hours – about the loss that the country suffers because of this epic move of his.
The thought that came to my mind later on was that this is one movement I just cannot trust. As I pointed above, from targeting what poisons the system, to politicizing the movement and going against one party, to infringing my freedom of mobility.
If yoga teacher Ramdev takes support from politicians and gives them a clean chit regarding their individual involvement in corruption in the country – then I’d rather not learn yoga from him.
If opposition leaders roam around with chests blown up and head held high – rejoicing that UPA is failing, then I’d rather not vote at all, because they are no less. BJP youth wing workers did molest young women in Mangalore a few weeks ago, just FYI, in case they forgot.
The entire base on which this apolitical movement has been based is deeply and entirely crooked. None over here are apolitical, and none here are free of corruption.
The need is not to latch on to a yoga teacher to take us to salvation – the need is to become an active part of our public system – and if you say there isn’t one, well then you are not trying hard enough. The system will not walk up to you. You need to get off that couch, stop sharing mocked photos of politicians on Facebook, and do something! For REAL!
So will you take it easy, blame others and move on, or will you think before you act, and take constructive solutions which really matter and are truly against the poison in the system, and not against individuals?