Monday, August 22, 2011

The Tribune-Chatterati-22nd-August-2011

"Annacalypse: It’s less of politics, more of raw people power"


It’s not so much about members as it is about sensing the public mood. It's not so much about details and clauses as it is about democracy and free speech. The Ramlila Maidan, carefully prepared for Anna's fast, is only the staging ground for a movement that has travelled well beyond Delhi. And that is what has made Raisina Hill feel nervous as hell. Every capitulation by the government, indeed even every conversation is magnified into a retreat.

Twenty-four by seven media coverage has extracted and magnified every fault line of this new battlefield that is the redone, repaved Ramlila grounds. While team Anna has skillfully expanded its narrow Lok Pal platform to the wider anti-corruption one, the government's silly actions have unwittingly allowed it go this further.

Today the septuagenarian on fast has also become a symbol of democracy--not something that he had marched out of his village in rural Maharashtra to achieve. Indeed bringing a government to its knees in this manner has made him a folk hero. It's less about politics and more about raw people power.

Comparisons with the Mahatma may be unfair, but Anna has ensured that the simple old man now has a brand image much bigger than anything seen in the recent times. Even as the doctors monitor his health, it's Anna's confidence, clarity and courage that inspire people like the dabbawalas in Mumbai to go on their first strike in 120 years. Being a seasoned activist and agitator, Anna moves in a methodical manner. His pre-fast check up at 'Medanta', a hospital in Gurgaon, ensured that he would have a baseline record of not just vital functions but also bodily marks to preempt possible roughing up by the police.

A free fully equipped ambulance is also parked by 'Medanta' for any emergency. After all Anna has an IRS officer Kejriwal, a police officer Kiran Bedi, a law minister and a lawyer in the Bhushans', all retired but today devoted full-time to managing the Anna movement. Crowds at the Ramlila Maidan are not the only things that the government will be watching nervously. It's the spread and depth of the people's movement and the feeling elsewhere, that they worry about today. Rattled Congress spokesperson and ranting ministers haven't helped Manmohan's image.

A government beleaguered by rampant corruption, inflation, policy paralysis and terrorism has turned an ego battle into a very public headache.
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"Unfair male attention"

To get male attention in India has never been a problem. Lecherous looks and being teased on the roads of Delhi or anywhere is the done thing. It is usually said by cops also that if you do not want to be teased or glared at, you should not be dressed as 'sluts'. Sexual crimes they say are usually provoked by women who dress inappropriately. It was a Canadian police officer who started to use the word 'slut'. This is what outraged the women who marched in London and Latin America dressed in tiny clothes. This was a message that however women may dress in bikini or sari, they do not or should not get lecherous looks.

Delhi being the "rape" capital and also in a recent survey was the world's fourth most dangerous place for women. This was perhaps the right place for this walk. It was nicknamed as 'Besharmi Morcha' and even in this humid weather last week, women in full force protested against undue attention bestowed upon them by men. The message that was loud and clear behind this 'slut walk' was whether it is simple dressing or provocative dressing, women deserve security and no harassment.

The modern women of Delhi who marched though were dressed in everyday decent clothes. It was a good turnout as women in this country are moving out of their homes and working at BPOs, clubs and doing night shifts. They do have to fight the shameful behaviour of the hungry frustrated men.

It is a good start or maybe a message for men to be more careful next time and control their wandering hands, lecherous looks and degrading comments on women.

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