Anna Hazare’s movement is beginning to falter. To pretend otherwise would be indulging in self deceit. From the outset I was skeptical about the movement’s success. This was largely because I considered the Lokpal demand a misconceived, over simplistic red herring to divert attention from the actual exposure of corruption that was proceeding satisfactorily. Instead, by offering this magical and somewhat nonsensical palliative to banish all corruption a public, sick and tired of the prevailing situation, was successfully inveigled by corporate media to be diverted from corruption cases. 

That the movement was a diversion masterminded by very, very big powers was indicated by the original blessing given to it by the National Advisory Council (NAC) team headed by Mrs. Sonia Gandhi. It should be kept in mind that Hazare’s endeavor got worldwide publicity. A little earlier Europe had celebrated the “Year of Gandhi” in memory of the Mahatma. The Hazare Team’s instant success appeared to be the result of a prepared script. But soon things went awry. Baba Ramdev, the Sangh Parivar, and elements within the cabinet not really sympathetic to the NAC and Mr. Hazare, swung into action. Baba Ramdev’s unscheduled dash by helicopter to Delhi and presence alongside Mr. Hazare at Jantar Mantar scuttled at the last moment Mrs. Sonia Gandhi’s planned visit to the spot to offer sympathy and juice to the fasting Gandhian. 

After that things went out of control. The running commentary offered by Mr. Digvijay Singh did not help. Indeed, the Congress general secretary’s statements did much to gladden supporters of the Sangh Parivar by pushing the movement into its lap. Mr. Digvijay Singh is too intelligent not to have realized the political impact of his statements. The question of whether he acted through misplaced zeal to serve Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, or whether Anna Hazare’s long stint of working under him in the State Planning Commission when he was Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister indicated devious undisclosed strategy, had best be left to conspiracy theorists.  Due to the rocky dialogue with cabinet ministers, public pronouncements of support by the Sangh Parivar and the divisions among the Team Hazare members who seem unfit to successfully run a mass movement, the Hazare endeavor began to flounder. The public anger aroused against corruption will not abate. But public confidence in the movement’s goal of eradicating corruption is beginning to erode.

The immature statements by several members of Team Hazare, the visible rift among them, and Anna Hazare’s effort to distance him from some of their utterances, did the rest. The foregone result of the Hisar by-poll will do little to restore confidence in the movement. Instead Hazare’s decision to stay away from all criticism of the Congress until the end of parliament’s winter session is only weakening public confidence in the movement. The final clincher of course comes from the latest news that contacts between Mr. Rahul Gandhi and Mr. Anna Hazare have been created. A dialogue between the two is expected to follow. So it seems to be full circle back to square one. The original nexus between 10 Janpath and Mr. Anna Hazare might well be re-established. That might further confuse all erstwhile supporters of the movement. However, my skepticism about the movement’s success does not arise from any of the failings listed thus far.  Nor does skepticism arise from the Supreme Court admitting a petition alleging financial irregularities in Mr. Hazare’s Trust. Doubts about Mr. Anna Hazare’s ability to deliver arise from causes more fundamental.

Mr. Hazare suffers from the failing of all modern Gandhians. He is busy replicating the symbolic rituals of the Mahatma without recapturing any of his substance. Mahatma Gandhi did not need the advice of advertising experts from within or outside the nation. He was a master communicator. He had a unique message to deliver. He used rituals and symbols with uncommon skill to empathize with the public. He was an original. The spurious replication of Gandhiji’s symbolism without any really original message to deliver will not work. To eradicate corruption the Jan Lokpal is a non-starter. Mr. Hazare’s decision to observe maun vrat, day of silence, is unlikely to impress the youth. These ancient gimmicks will only gel with an older generation and corporate media under orders to perform. If there is a genuine new Mahatma Gandhi out there somewhere he might well be wearing jeans and working on his computer. There is a new world. There are new problems. There is need for new solutions. The four decade old proposal to create the Lokpal is not the answer. A fasting caricature of Mahatma Gandhi who does not hesitate to demand that the corrupt should be hanged is not tomorrow’s leader. The situation demands revolutionary change. That will only come from revolutionary ideas.