Satyagraha - 2011

As Baba Ramdev's satyagraha-lila enters a do or die phase, the civil society movement matures to yet another level.

From the very beginning the anti-corruption campaign had an open invitation to madhatters of all hues.

Anna’s sane voice got risked of getting drowned in the ensuing rabble-rousing.

Amar Singh vs Shanti Bhushan was a made-for-media fight.

While civil society enthusiasts and satraps tried to showcase it as a second fight for independence , UPA tried to cope up with it’s demand in a flatfooted manner, and then threw all sorts of spanner in the works.

Enter Baba Ramdev. Baba with his list of preposterous demands and naïve approach was a sitting duck from day one.

Lacking political acumen he proved a soft target for the government.
The rabid Right found in him a readymade vehicle to ride onwards.

Few pointers emerge from the whole anti-corruption drama.
· Role of a proactive opposition is being increasingly being grabbed by the civil society.
· Government is totally confused in its handling of the civil society activism.

· In all probability, corruption won’t ever be on the backburner

· The opposition will ultimately ride the tide of anti-government sentiment triggered by the movement .

· Nation might be heading for a newer mode of agitation and social change

· Civil Society movement will give birth to a new brand of honest, political leadership

· Finally Civil Society will emerge as the non-formal ombudsman of the nation.

So in all probability the mad hatters party may not be all that bad for the country.