To go on fast is a sacred act, done with utmost care and devotion, to the practitioners of many a religion. But this sacred act can be exploited to the hilt even by the not-so-sacred. As politics is a dirty game, the players of this genre leave no stone, fair or unfair, unturned to serve their vested interests. To them donning a robe of what they aren’t is not an act of sacrilege, following the path laid down by Machiavelli is their first duty, ditching friends and opponents alike is most loving to their hearts, and taking any measure to save their skins is always expected. Bygone are the days when leaders used to present themselves as servants to society. At least the ongoing ‘fast’ of Baba Ramdev can be seen in this backdrop.
The trillion rupee question is: what was the need for this saffron-clad guru to take a dip into the muddied ocean when the Government, following the immense public pressure represented by Anna Hazare’s movement, is already discussing Lokpal Bill to contain corruption rampant among the rank and file of the body politic? The Baba’s move seems to be an attempt to hijack Anna’s issue so much so that the latter is joining hands with the former lest his ‘love’s labour’ should be lost.
Whether Anna or Baba, none is as committed to the issue of corruption as one might expect. The fact is that the Sangh Parivar, whose history is full of anti-national activities right from the pre-Partition days and that has been receiving regular drubbings for quite some time, is in frantic search of some political issue that might prove vital enough to save their sinking boat. Earlier also, they have coined some such issues like Uniform Civil Code, Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi controversy, etc. And the nation is well aware of what she had to pay as a result of these controversies. They projected Anna with the issue of corruption. But seeing some right thinking persons joining the hands of Anna, they read their impact on the issue slipping, and hence the new projection of the Baba.
The Baba, as senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh said the other day, is alleged to be ‘more of a businessman than a sanyasi’. “Even to teach yoga, he charges Rs 50,000 from those who sit in the front seats, Rs 30,000 for the backseat and Rs 1000 for the last seat. What else is this?” Diggi said addressing a meeting.
It is not that corruption is not an issue worth consideration. Indeed it is. But the need of the hour is not political machinations but sincere, concerted efforts to root corruption out of every stratum of society, not political machinations. And you can’t succeed in doing so unless and until you inculcate a strong sense of accountability to the public and ultimately to the Lord of the universe.