Thursday, August 18, 2011

What is the programme Anna?

The national capital is brimming with large crowds and police personel. Lots of people from several parts of the country are congregating to Delhi to be part of the anti-corruption movement. A Jan Lokpal bill is still being sought even though the government has promised that this will be discussed in parliament. The crowd post April is still there but there are also voices of cynicism about what is happening.

What on earth is attracting people, even if it is only a cross section of people in India? Is it only the anti-corruption drive and the call asking for people to spill on to the streets that is bringing out people or is it that this has become an event and a programme which needs to be attended for several reasons? Why do people attend television talk shows and debates? Some will genuinely be interested to talk on the issues on offer, others will be there for the media exposure (part of the 15 minutes of fame) and a big number will be there for the event or the programme! Is the anti-corruption protest also something like this with thousands of people actually there to be a part of the programme?

Those who are there for the programme need not know the entire sequence of events and what are the deep rooted things which surround it. They are there for the atmosphere, the feeling and the identification with people who have something in common with them. The middle class and upper middle class will definitely be comfortable to be together and corruption is such a common affecting factor that it will in all regards bring in the numbers. This could be the reason why India has seen several protests over the years but they never had the numbers. Every state has had tribal protests, dalit protests, and women’s group’s protests which would hardly even get a passing glance from passers by. Does this mean that their concerns were not concerns and did not warrant even a glance? It rather means that the people did not identify with their problems because they did not see it as a problem. In many cases these passers by would have been the perpetrators of the problem. But corruption is different. The same people who did not bother to look when genuine protests were held have suddenly become very active protestors.

This is a programme which has the likelihood to succeed not because it is a ‘just’ protest but because it is a well staged protest. In countries like India it is strange that true protests are never taken seriously, whereas well directed, managed and staged protests will mostly succeed. In this way, this is not a protest but this is a celebration of how people can be mobilized using the media, social networking sites and other traditional media forms.

A well directed programme is like a well produced movie. One has to follow the crowd. No one will have the courage to say that the movie is not well made when those others we are in contact with will say it is excellent. The anti-corruption movement I fear is also such. We can either say that it is a super duper hit or we can risk being made out into un-patriotic, submissive, stupid and slavish people. Now who would want that? I always like off beat movies and in this case too I feel this is too mainline Bollywood style and therefore likely to be lapped up by the affordable masses.


16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Priya Louis, facebook- I so much agree with this writeup Jerry....

Fr. Jerry Kurian said...

I am glad that there are also people with different opinions Priya. Thanks for the comment.

Anonymous said...

Chev. Thomas Daniel, facebook, 18-8-2011- just wait and c... all will be exposed..

Fr. Jerry Kurian said...

Chev. Thomas- Have to wait and see.

Anonymous said...

Paul, facebook, 18-8-2011- No doubt, Govt is corrupted...but as citizens who keep bribing and take short cut routes to get things done, can we curb corruption at our end first????

Fr. Jerry Kurian said...

Paul- I guess that is also very important for us to discuss at this stage.

Anonymous said...

Chev. Thomas Daniel, facebook, 18-8-2011- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4zRHEw21h8&feature=player_embedded Watch this video

Fr. Jerry Kurian said...

Chev. Thomas Daniel- Have to wait and see what happens. The video is interesting. I wouldn't go as far as to character assasinate anyone but people should also get to see both sides of things. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

George Ittycheria, facebook- Need to remove from roots not from top i belive .. See this video https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150727247570581

Anonymous said...

Chev. Thomas Daniel, facebook- Ittycheria, I do agree, it must be removed from the root. but we all want to c first remove it from the top.. by the time if it reaches in our level, we will be fulfilled our needs through corruptions.. Anna and his group is claiming that they r fighting for to end the corruption, same time the tax payers money is used to prepare clean and tidy place to stage the so called drama.. funny.. wait more demand will be in line...

Anonymous said...

George Ittycheria, facebook- Hi Thomas, I do stand for foolproof law from the our parliament !
Anything that can be fixed via a lokpal is just a cure for now, my view point I will opt for prevention ie gharpal (home pal ) if that in place there is no need of lokpal or jenpal
Kill corruption from roots …
Luke {16:10} He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.

Anonymous said...

Chev. Thomas Daniel, facebook- Lets hope our parliament will act properly, else that time we can fight for it.. Give them a time limit of 90 or 120 days.. if they do not act by that time, we have a reason for all this agitation.. after all they are the only one representing the people of India at this time. Me and you only selected them..

Fr. Jerry Kurian said...

George and Chev. Thomas- Isn't it interesting that there are so many viewpoints on corruption. You two have brought out several yourselves. Rooting out corruption from the roots, from the top, the anti-corruption movement as a drama, wasting of tax payers money, being un-corrupt ourselves (Paul), the real truth behind Anna Hazare, giving the government time to discuss the Lokpal bill.

Zach George said...

Hi Acha! I have taken a leaf out of ur book and started a blog..its called auto publié.. and no its not abt cars...plz check it out and convey ur thoughts..

http://autopublie.blogspot.com/

Fr. Jerry Kurian said...

Good going Zach. It is important that people hear different voices and the more the better. I am sure you have lots to say and what better way than writing in a blog. All best wishes. (I tried to comment in your blog but something is wrong)

Zach George said...

Oops! it is the cost of meddling with HTML...Have rectified it..Thankyou acha for ur support.