Corruption is dangerous. Definitely there should be struggles to see that the corrupt are punished and proper laws are made for this. But those fighting against corruption should not themselves be involved in questionable deeds and acts.
Baba Ramdev’s struggle against corruption is involved in several questionable acts. From the beginning the Government treated him like an emperor, in an abnormal way. There after the Government told that he gave a letter to them regarding withdrawal of the fast, even before the starting of the fast. The Civil Rights activist Aruna Roy criticised the arrangements of the hunger fast camp of Baba Ramdev as Corporate level arrangements. The religious fundamentalist like Sadhvi Ritambara appeared in the hunger strike camp. The way he behaved when he was arrested was also questionable. The way the RSS-BJP are supported Ramdev’s fast and the way they are trying to encash it makes Baba Ramdev’s fight against corruption questionable. It gives the impression that all the acts of Baba Ramdev in this regard are part of the game of Sangh Parivar. While several scams took place in UPA Government’s period, the previous NDA Government lead by BJP also involved in several scams. Besides this, Baba Ramdev himself is disputed and facing several allegations against the spiritual empire of Rs 15000 crores run by him. Several struggles took place regarding the conditions of the workers of his factories manufacturing drugs. Such person so much involved in communal politics cannot be treated as above politics. He cannot be termed as a part of the so called civil society.
What is this strange thing recently named as “civil society”? Does it mean that the political parties and their supporters are not part of the civil society? In fact “Civil Society” is the name given to NGOs(Non-Government Organisations) with undeclared incomes. It is to be noted that none of these anti corruption fighters are interested in the struggles on the issues of common man. They did not organise struggles against price rise, against the anti people policies of the Governments, against the neo-liberal policies and privatisation policies which are the root cause of corruption.
Civil Rights Activist Aruna Roy commented as below regarding this fight against corruption lead by Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev:
“In 2007, 25,000 tribal people walked from Bhopal to Delhi to demand settlement of land disputes. There were a few cameras. None followed them on the road to show the welcome and support they got all the way. They were not civil society, but the poor toilers! A Dalit leader said in a public hearing on corruption in Jaipur a few days ago that the middle class which assists the giving and taking of bribes is doing its “prayaschit” (repentance) at Jantar Mantar with havans and bhajans. A demand for democratic representation faces the responsibility of democratic practice. Civil society is a very poor term that conceals more than it reveals. In a country like India, where there are so many fundamental divides of class and caste, the term is even less appropriate. The MKSS has made a distinction between “civil society” and the people, very much as we distinguish between India and Bharat. This has always existed. The power of RTI was that people (Bharat) defined and pushed the need for the law. Civil society (India) obliged by helping fashion it, with sympathy and equality. In this case, the term might actually help explain the obvious disdain for the state and its institutions. While the poor in India sometimes see the state as a potential ally against a large force like a corporate group or the village landlord, this group was united in its lack of faith in the institutions of the state. That is why there was also a large segment that spoke with such contempt for politics and politicians.”
The ruling classes of India(capitalists and landlords lead by big capitalists) who are involved in all such corrupt activities do not want any change in the liberalisation-privatiosation-globalisation policies that are the root cause of the enormous scams. At the same time they want to see that the anger of the middle class against such mega corruption is channelized in ways safe for them and their LPG policies are not questioned by the anti corruption movement. They want Mahaatmas and Babas who are not interested in fighting against the LPG policies for this purpose. Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev help the ruling classes by not questioning and fighting against LPG(Liberalisation-Privatization-Globalization) policies and in turn the media lead by the big capitalists give prominence to them and make a big propaganda for them. At the same time the media of the big capitalists is taking care not to give any prominent coverage to the struggles of the working class and peasants and rural poor and trade unions against the LPG policies.
Definitely there should be fight against corruption. But it should not be allowed to be channelized in ways useful for the ruling classes. The fight against corruption should be linked with the fight against LPG policies. (Sources –“Prajasakti” Telugu daily dated 8-6-2011 and “Frontline” issue 9, 2011)
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