THE NEW CIVIL SOCIETY
(Published in 'The Hitavada' dated August 31, 2011)
By Kartik Lokhande
The latest crusade against corruption and for passage of a
strong Lokpal Bill, could be interpreted in a lot many ways. The movement led
by eminent Gandian Mr. Anna Hazare definitely had a specific and well-defined
goal of wider public interest, which was well served, though the battle, as
said by Anna, is just half won. Still, there are several successes of the
movement. There are several angles.
Some may say, the Parliament was ;forced’ to pass a Sense of
the House Resolution on Lokpal Bill. Some may say, the people who gathered at
Ramlila Maidan and across the length and breadth of the country made the
elected representatives realise erosion of faith in them. Some others may say,
the movement was made successful by overwhelming participation of younger
generation and it indicated that Indian youth were willing to participate in
the process of nation-building. Some may even criticise Team Anna for ‘holding
the democratic system to ransom’. However, one fact remains undebatable – rise
of a new civil society.
So far, especially in post-Independence period, only the
Left-leaning anti-establishment groups or activists were termed as civil
society members. As the problems faced by the citizens worsened, some groups
went on to become radical and their intellectual supporters emerged as civil
society activists. Most of these groups were opposed to the Government, and
favoured either this segment or that segment, championing various causes.
Everyone’s cause was limited to a specific goal concerning only a segment of
India’s wider democratic set-up. And, the anti-national forces cleverly made
use of this divided civil society to further their own goal of balkanising
India.
Against this backdrop, Mr. Anna Hazare’s movement must be
given deserving significance as it gave birth to an all-new civil society, a
civil society that united activists from ideologically diverse groups towards a
common goal that favoured a strong nation. Members of Team Anna earned
credibility through political non-affiliation and commitment to a cause that
transcended caste, religion, segmented approach. The biggest success of this new
civil society is that it united people, especially youths, from diverse
backgrounds with patriotism at their heart. It also woke up middle-class from
its ‘chalta hai’ or ‘what can we do?’ attitude.
This new civil society must also be credited with demolishing
so-called legitimacy attached to ‘India bashing’ by litterateurs and
intellectuals with Western mindset. There were a lot many foreign-educated
people who felt more honourable in joining the league that found nothing right
in India. For them, it was more fashionable to support anti-national elements
like Maoists than believing in bringing change through democratic and
non-violent means. The members of new civil society have re-affirmed faith in
democracy, clean character, bloodless revolution, and India itself. Salutes to
the new civil society.
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