ANNA MOVEMENT’S CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE
The crisis of credibility is torturing almost every institution of the country at the moment. If Congress-led UPA is suffering from this malady, the Anna movement too does not lag behind. The movement at one time looked the greatest threat to the present government since the Second Revolution launched by Jannayak Jayaprakash Narain in 1973. But because of over-confidence the Anna movement did go through a period of eclipse since it shifted its dharna/fast from Delhi to Mumbai.
It looks when Anna and his team decided to campaign against Congress in elections to five State assemblies results for which were declared on March 6, it seems not to have done its home work properly. It had not taken into consideration the pros and cons of embarking on such a course.. It had also made it clear that it will go against the Congress only as a punishment for its failure to get a strong Lokpal Bill passed in the last winter session of Parliament. Anna had made it clear that while appealing for defeat of Congress the team will not support any particular political party or candidate but appeal for voting in favour of only those candidates against whom there are no allegations of corruption.
Initially the Movement supremo Anna fell ill. Later, the plans of the movement went hay-ware. It went clueless on the course of action its should take. It invited suggestions from public. Despite the bold declarations to go in for against Congress, it failed to make its appearance felt in the elections. Whatever it may be, the movement failed to make its impact felt in the ultimate results.
Whatever excuses the Team Anna may proffer, the facts remains that it failed to live up to its valiant declaration. It also raised public eyebrows on its going back on its declaration.
Three reasons are going round prominently. First, the Team became apprehensive of the quantum of support its campaign may attract from the people during the elections. Therefore, it developed cold feet on implementing its resolve.
Two, the Team developed fearful of violent response to its campaign.
Three, it gave rise to some rumours of compromise or understanding struck between the Team and the Congress. Even if it were true, the same seems to have now turned sour.
Whatever it was, the Anna Team should either not have made its valiant declaration to jump in the election fray during the five State assembly elections or should have stood by its word. Failure to do so has put Team’s credibility in doubt.
Failure to show its face during the recent elections has also put a question mark on the Anna Team’s claim that it made the deciding difference in the defeat of Congress in the Hissar Lok Sabha by-election last year.
