An important piece for drawing out the contexts from which Anna Hazare has emerged.
–PJ
———–
The Making of Anna Hazare
By Mukul Sharma
“[This piece is based on my extensive field work on Anna Hazare and his movement in Ralegan Sidhi over some years and is also a part of my forthcoming book Green and Saffron: Hindu Nationalism and Indian Environmental Politics. MS]
The anti-corruption movement, spearheaded by Anna Hazare, and the passage of the Lokpal Bill have generated unprecedented interest amongst a wide spectrum of society about the ideas, politics and organisations of civil society in general, and Anna Hazare in particular. Hazare’s anti-corruption crusade merits attention not only for its importance in ensuring a corruption-free society, but also due to its multifaceted nature. Hazare’s politics however has to be seen in a larger framework and in a wider historical context. Howsoever laudable the goals of anti-corruption movement in India today, the movement is not beyond the categories of gender, caste, authority, democracy, nationalism and ultra-nationalism. Far from transcending them, the movement is transforming and being transformed by the implicit deployment of such categories. I wish to place Hazare in the larger context of his environmental journeys, where the elusive but crucial element is one of authority that is exercised due to a large degree of consent and conservatism. Yet, almost all accounts on him, largely celebratory in nature, do not examine the ideology and politics of his works. These are crucial not only to critically assess the present and the future of our anti-corruption movements, but also to interrogate certain brands of civil society activisms and environmentalisms.”
via The Making of Anna Hazare « Kafila.
this email had beeen doing the rounds and needs to be considered. Wonder if it will get to Anna Hazare and will he reformulate his stand and statements?
Subject: Shri Anna Hazare’s commendation of Gujarat
DATE: 11TH APRIL 2011
Respected Swami Agniveshji, Shanti Bhushanji, Prashant Bhushanji, Arvin Kejriwal
We do not have the Email number of Annaji. We request you to kindly pass on our following letter to him. We request you to do needful on this issue which is very crucial for downtrodden masses and social movements in Gujarat. You may be receiving many more such statements.
Rohit Prajapati & Trupti Shah
Dr Nandini Manjrekar
and Social Activists of Gujarat
Dear Annaji,
The statement reported in Indian express – “The kind of model that Gujarat and Bihar chief ministers have presented, that model should be emulated by all other chief ministers… I am saying this on the basis of the kind of works Bihar and Gujarat CMs have done in the field of rural development,” Hazare said during an interaction at the Press Club here today. – is unfortunate and does not reflect the reality of real Gujarat. We would like to draw immediate quick attention of our friends outside Gujarat is that Mr. Modi’s response to the Mahuva farmers’ agitation during the recent assembly budget session is a stark reminder of the stand of Gujarat Government.
Farmers, Women, Fishing Communities, Salt-pan Workers, Tribals, Dalits, Workers and Minorities all have been waging a constant battle with the Modi government to seek what is rightfully theirs, but it remains an uphill struggle for them in Gujarat. People’s movement in Saurashtra, Kutch, and Tribal areas in Gujarat only points to the contrary endorsement of Modi rule for rural development in Gujarat, Annaji.
Industrial development and development claims by CSR is one thing, while the claims of actual job creation in Gujarat, where unemployment continues to increase is yet another contrast. Annaji, we have ‘Job Killing Growth’ in Gujarat.
The success story of the two digit growth has masked the several digit realities of loss of livelihood, land acquisition, displacement and permanent loss of natural resources, which are treated as free goods in this process. The investment figure without the displacement and depletion of natural resources figure and the employment figure without loss of livelihood does not make sense.
Development-Induced Displacement in Gujarat 1947-2004 report prepared by Dr. Lancy Lobo and Shashikant Kumar of Centre for Culture and Development clearly indicates that there are 4,00,000 households displaced and affected in Gujarat during 57 years of Independence, amounting to 5% of the total population of Gujarat from developmental projects such as water resource related, transport and communications, industries, mines, defence, sanctuaries, human resource related, government offices, tourism and so on. This report further indicates that a total of 33,00,000 hectares of land has been acquired during 1947-2004 as computed from 80,000 Gazette notifications of the government of Gujarat and from Land Acquisition Departments from 25 Collectorates through RTI Act. This figure does not include the land acquired and people affected by the most controversial project Sardar Sarovar Dam [Narmada]. The acquisition of land was not based on the market value of the land but by bypassing the rule of law and even all the rules of market mechanism.
This figure of displaced also does not include the people who were dependent on land for their livelihood but were not the owner of the land. Thus real figure of loss of livelihood may even cross the figure of 50,00,000. We hope that this figure is not negligible for the Government of Gujarat.
Vibrant Gujarat summit is talking about huge investment but is silent on the issue of land acquisition and loss of livelihood because of the land “acquisition”.
Also, Annaji your endorsement of rural development is contrasts, the pollution map of Gujarat, which has contaminated land, surface water, and groundwater. Villages in Ankleshwar, Vapi, Nandesari and Vatva, Saurashtra and Kutch persistently remind who bears the brunt of industrial development. The groundwater has been contaminated in 74 talukas out of 184 talukas of Gujarat.
In Gujarat, one of the project the Final Effluent Treatment Plant (FETP). Touted by the Chief Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB), and various Industries Associations as a state-of-the-art solution the structure does not even meet the GPCB norms since 2006 even then the Chief Minister Mr. Modi of Gujarat inaugurated a pipeline of the same plant on 25th January 2007 and Centre and State Government invested more than Rs. 100 crores in the company. The explanation with the relevant documents for such an act was asked by us from the Chief Minister Office but the CM office replied that the documents are destroyed by their office and that is why they can not provide the information.
We have the Government who has not even care to appoint the members of Lokayukt in Gujarat State by giving all possible excuses.
We can share more information about the Gujarat. Annaji visit Gujarat to know the reality at grassroots level about ‘destructive development’ in Gujarat. We are ready for open debate on ‘destructive development’ of Gujarat based on facts and figure.
Rohit Prajapati & Trupti Shah
Social Activists of Gujarat
thanks for this! i will repost this letter so it is more visible.
Oh,
may be Anna’s work is not done. As he surges ahead, expectation of people would continue to grow from him.
A word for the government too. Just what exactly are you thinking when you are trying to shove an impotent law down people’s throats? And what makes you feel that threatening, crushing or insulting Anna will take away people’s need to rid India of corruption? Anna did not create an anti-corruption sentiment, he merely tapped into it. Crushing Anna will not take away that sentiment. It will just make it fester more. Right now, the movement is still controlled. By going back on your word, displaying arrogance and not listening to the people, you are risking the country’s descent into chaos. Be careful. Accountability is much easier to deal with than anarchy. Fix the Lokpal Bill now, please.
Finally, for the people of India, it is time to prove Uncle Cynic wrong. There is a bigger truth than his ‘nothing ever changes in India’. That truth comes from the Gita, which states “Nothing is permanent”. The Gita also says, “When the pot of sin overflows, something happens to restore order.” Now, it is up to you to determine if the pot of sin has overflowed. It is for you to say what it means for Indians to act out their dharma. And you, and only you, will decide if it is time to come on the streets.