If it's blackmail, I'll do it again: Anna Hazare
Lokpal Bill: Civil society members present draft
See photo Up close, Anna Hazare makes for an unlikely firebrand. He's gentle and smiles a lot, even - in fact, especially - if someone is asking him a hostile question. At 73, he doesn't hear too well, and frequently needs to have queries repeated to him, often in Marathi.
As he sat down in the TOI editor's room, rifled through the day's edition, commented on the TOI-Crest cover story on social activism, and got into a free-wheeling discussion with the journalists of several issues, it was apparent that technical details about law or administration don't interest him much; he tends to turn monosyllabic when they come up.
When he does speak at length - typically on big-picture issues like corruption, rural development or decentralization - his voice acquires an intensity even as it takes on a sing-song cadence. His wisdom is folksy, and there's an almost childlike innocence and spontaneity to many of his statements.
Sample this: Many people have accused him of blackmailing the government through his fast, we asked. "Yes, so?" he shot back. "As long as I'm alive and as long as it benefits the people, I'll keep blackmailing the government. What's the problem?" he chortled gleefully.
He also readily acknowledged that he himself didn't anticipate the kind of popular upsurge that he saw during his Delhi fast for the Jan Lokpal Bill. "I still don't understand it...if my fast had continued for three more days, the government would have fallen," he declared matter-of-factly. From someone else, that might have seemed like boasting. In his case, it's simple: he truly believes it.
Just as he believes that corruption has reached a point where it was affecting one and all, the rich and the poor. "The government, too, seems to know this. It sensed the depth of popular emotions on the issue raised by us and quickly agreed to our demand for a joint drafting committee for the Bill."
Ask him about the failings of the present system and he quickly brings up a subject dear to his heart -- rural reforms. "We focus on the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabha but have completely omitted the Gram Sabha. In fact, that's where the real power should lie. Just as ministers are accountable to the legislature at both the central and state level, the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch should be accountable to the Gram Sabha. Decentralization is going to be my next big focus area."
He proudly talks about the changes he brought about in his own village, Ralegan Siddhi. "There used to be 40 liquor vends there. Now, it has been 13 years since someone smoked or drank there. Almost 80% of people there used to go hungry. Now, we export vegetables. There wasn't enough water to irrigate 300 acres. So, we took up rainwater harvesting and now grow crops twice a year over 1,500 acres."
"All this wasn't done through any major government expenditure, or investment by some billionaire," he points out. "It just shows you what can be achieved through genuine autonomy. I believe our urban-centric development model is flawed. We need to rethink economic policy to focus on villages."
Inevitably, the conversation veered towards his controversial praise of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. "I was quoted out of context," he replied. "I was asked a question about rural development under Modi and Nitish Kumar and I said that I have heard that they have done good work. But I also clearly said that I am against communalism and anything that divides the nation."
"Since then, I have received many letters and emails saying there is corruption and mismanagement in Gujarat's rural development programme," he added. "I don't know if there is any truth to this. But if there is, then I withdraw my statement praising Modi."
In that case, what did he feel about B S Yeddyurappa? Anna wasn't aware of the controversy surrounding the Karnataka CM, and had to be briefed on it at some length by fellow activist Arvind Kejriwal. The moment Kejriwal stopped, Anna had a response ready. "Apni pehli sabha wahi bithayenge (we'll have our first session there"), he quipped. That's bad news for the CM.
He was also quick to point out that in Maharashtra, he had protested against UPA and NDA governments alike. "If one graduated in corruption, the other did a PhD in it," he joked.
Ironically, the man who looks like a doting grandfather chose to stay single all his life to focus on social service. So, we asked him if he thought young people should emulate his austere, bachelor lifestyle.
"Not at all," he responded. "I always tell youngsters, `Earn money but honestly and legitimately. If you acquire more than you need, spend some on a good purpose. Marry, have children and make them socially aware citizens. Adhering to a vow of celibacy is like walking on a knife's edge.
After all, even Vishwamitra succumbed to Menaka's charms. My only objection to having a family is that it can make a man very selfish, like the person who says that I don't care if your beard is on fire but I must have my bidi."
As he sat down in the TOI editor's room, rifled through the day's edition, commented on the TOI-Crest cover story on social activism, and got into a free-wheeling discussion with the journalists of several issues, it was apparent that technical details about law or administration don't interest him much; he tends to turn monosyllabic when they come up.
When he does speak at length - typically on big-picture issues like corruption, rural development or decentralization - his voice acquires an intensity even as it takes on a sing-song cadence. His wisdom is folksy, and there's an almost childlike innocence and spontaneity to many of his statements.
Sample this: Many people have accused him of blackmailing the government through his fast, we asked. "Yes, so?" he shot back. "As long as I'm alive and as long as it benefits the people, I'll keep blackmailing the government. What's the problem?" he chortled gleefully.
He also readily acknowledged that he himself didn't anticipate the kind of popular upsurge that he saw during his Delhi fast for the Jan Lokpal Bill. "I still don't understand it...if my fast had continued for three more days, the government would have fallen," he declared matter-of-factly. From someone else, that might have seemed like boasting. In his case, it's simple: he truly believes it.
Just as he believes that corruption has reached a point where it was affecting one and all, the rich and the poor. "The government, too, seems to know this. It sensed the depth of popular emotions on the issue raised by us and quickly agreed to our demand for a joint drafting committee for the Bill."
Ask him about the failings of the present system and he quickly brings up a subject dear to his heart -- rural reforms. "We focus on the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabha but have completely omitted the Gram Sabha. In fact, that's where the real power should lie. Just as ministers are accountable to the legislature at both the central and state level, the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch should be accountable to the Gram Sabha. Decentralization is going to be my next big focus area."
He proudly talks about the changes he brought about in his own village, Ralegan Siddhi. "There used to be 40 liquor vends there. Now, it has been 13 years since someone smoked or drank there. Almost 80% of people there used to go hungry. Now, we export vegetables. There wasn't enough water to irrigate 300 acres. So, we took up rainwater harvesting and now grow crops twice a year over 1,500 acres."
"All this wasn't done through any major government expenditure, or investment by some billionaire," he points out. "It just shows you what can be achieved through genuine autonomy. I believe our urban-centric development model is flawed. We need to rethink economic policy to focus on villages."
Inevitably, the conversation veered towards his controversial praise of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. "I was quoted out of context," he replied. "I was asked a question about rural development under Modi and Nitish Kumar and I said that I have heard that they have done good work. But I also clearly said that I am against communalism and anything that divides the nation."
"Since then, I have received many letters and emails saying there is corruption and mismanagement in Gujarat's rural development programme," he added. "I don't know if there is any truth to this. But if there is, then I withdraw my statement praising Modi."
In that case, what did he feel about B S Yeddyurappa? Anna wasn't aware of the controversy surrounding the Karnataka CM, and had to be briefed on it at some length by fellow activist Arvind Kejriwal. The moment Kejriwal stopped, Anna had a response ready. "Apni pehli sabha wahi bithayenge (we'll have our first session there"), he quipped. That's bad news for the CM.
He was also quick to point out that in Maharashtra, he had protested against UPA and NDA governments alike. "If one graduated in corruption, the other did a PhD in it," he joked.
Ironically, the man who looks like a doting grandfather chose to stay single all his life to focus on social service. So, we asked him if he thought young people should emulate his austere, bachelor lifestyle.
"Not at all," he responded. "I always tell youngsters, `Earn money but honestly and legitimately. If you acquire more than you need, spend some on a good purpose. Marry, have children and make them socially aware citizens. Adhering to a vow of celibacy is like walking on a knife's edge.
After all, even Vishwamitra succumbed to Menaka's charms. My only objection to having a family is that it can make a man very selfish, like the person who says that I don't care if your beard is on fire but I must have my bidi."
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