Gandhian stroke: Anna says won’t join party

NEW DELHI: The government’s continued silence and deteriorating health of fasting members have prompted Team Anna to end its fast at 5pm on Friday evening.
The decision came on Thursday afternoon after a steady build-up throughout the day at Jantar Mantar, starting with an appeal made by 23 notable citizens to end the fast and consider a political alternative.Retired navy chief Admiral R Tahiliani read out a letter in English and actor Anupam Kher in Hindi, asking Team Anna not to expect anything from the establishment. It had stonewalled the demands and had no political will to bring the guilty to book, they said.
“Instead, we call upon you to focus your energy on creating an alternative political force that is democratic, accountable, ethical and non-violent,” stated the letter, signed by retired chief of army staff V K Singh, former chief election commissioner J M Lyngdoh, former Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde, retired secretary, government of India, E A S Sarma and others.
The appeal was made soon after girls tied rakhis on the hands of the members. Joining them on the dais were actors Kher, Archana Puran Singh, Parmeet Sethi and Ranvir Shorey. Shocked at the Centre’s apathy, Kher said he had come to put sense into the government. “Such arrogance that there is not even a word of sympathy. When neighbours get unwell, we ask them their well-being. These people are in power and they have remained silent!”
Throughout the day, Team Anna members asked citizens to send their views on the two appeals. Around 3.30pm, when Anna came to the dais, anxious supporters swarmed to the LCD screen. A frail Anna, also on fast, thanked the people for supporting the fast and said the time had come for ‘vikalp’ (an option). “It’s clear now that the government has no will to bring Lokpal. So now we have to look at the other option we have. But that option will succeed only on the basis of what kind of a leader we choose. It has to be a person who really loves the country and has the will to serve,” said Anna.
He spoke about the rights of communities and the importance of gram sabhas. “Soil, water and air of a village belongs to the villagers. The gram sabha’s permission is the most important. The Vidhan Sabha should also hold a strong place.” But Anna maintained that instead of actively joining the party, he will push for a just candidate from outside.
The decision met with mixed responses from the 5000-plus crowd. Some cheered, while some were a little sceptical. Arvind Kejriwal, fasting since July 25, called on people to send their views on setting up the party. There’s a complex process ahead to ensure that the person nominated for the party also doesn’t become corrupt and misuse power, he said.
R K Gandhi, a retired electronics engineer who came on the insistence of his children living abroad, felt that going political is the logical conclusion. “Even Indians living abroad feel it is time for Anna to move to a hardcore political movement. I am sure that he will get good public support.”
Partho Chakraborty, a retired bank officer who has been attending Anna’s protest since last year with wife Shanti, had specifications ready for Anna’s party. “It has to be a good combination of young, enthusiastic activists and some senior people. Building a political party will keep the pressure on the ruling government.”
However, not everybody is happy. Ramesh Kumar of Indirapuram said, “I have always believed that Anna’s political non-alignment has been their strength. To correct the system, it was important not to lose oneself in it,” he said.