The Anna effect

The Anna effect

Several Urdu papers have displayed circumspection and wariness about Anna Hazare's movement, and some have sharply articulated their unease.

Mumbai, Kanpur, Bareilly, Lucknow and Delhi-based Inquilab has lashed out at Anna's cheerleaders. Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi has been quoted on the front page: "Anna Hazare camera ke peecche bhaag rahe hain (Anna Hazare is chasing cameras). The real purpose of the movement is to defeat the government." The paper has conducted interviews with some prominent Muslims, who conclude Anna's movement is "backed by communal elements and is an attempt to ruin the atmosphere in the country." The interviewees say that "corruption will not be removed by these types of protests and demonstrations, but by generating an environment in the country against corruption."

Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow and Dehradun-based Sahafat has written a tough editorial titled 'The bubble of Anna Hazare's campaign'. It says Anna Hazare violates the Gandhian spirit and principles. The paper says that "when the MNS's Raj Thackeray was busy sending non-Maharashtrians out of the state, Hazare supported Thackeray and even issued a statement in his favour." The paper harks back to the stand taken by some influential papers during the anti-Mandal riots in 1991, who were opposing reservation for the backward classes, and were "90 per cent of the 15 per cent of the population." The paper alleges, "these are the same people who said no reservation, only merit then." Hitting out further, Sahafat is of the view that "the RSS is backing this to distract from its purported links with terror being unearthed." The editorial concludes that "some unelected people cannot be given preference over an elected Parliament." 

Hyderabad and Bangalore-based daily Siasat on August 17 covers the police picking up Hazare. The editorial is titled: 'The non-serious action by the Centre', and comments on how the Centre is "more concerned about cracking down on Hazare's protest rather than cracking down on corruption."

... contd.

ALSO READ

Grey Wednesday

Me captain, you team: Very vain, very effective

For democracy and bijli, uninterrupted supply

Four years later