Anna Hazare’s arrest has been the biggest blunder of UPA government

UPA government is trapped in between the devil and the red sea now with the arrest of the anti-corruption icon, Anna Hazare. Everything fell into line in favour of Anna when the Delhi police arrested him yesterday from his house just before his scheduled hunger fast begun around 7.30 am. It was not “weak and ineffective” like the Prime Minister commented on his arrest. The decision to arrest and sent Anna to Tihar Jail was the biggest blunder committed by the political managers of UPA government. By sending Anna to 7 days judicial custody drew more crowd to the Tihar jail. This foolish act actually favoured Anna and team rather than the government.

Why the government has done so? I feel that the politicians forgot the power of people in democracy. The power oriented politicians just underestimated or miscalculated the strength and power of civilians and might have thought that the true spirit of civil society can be controlled through Khaki and Lathi. It doesn’t work anymore. Anna is the face of the mass who are tired of the current corrupt bureaucracy. We need a change.

Now Anna is not ready to come out of Tihar even after he is formally released along with his fellow aides. With the overwhelming support of the public, Anna got the upper hand in the issue. He made it very clear to the jail authorities that he will exit Tihar only if the Delhi police gives permission to fast publicly without any pre-conditions. Moreover Anna wants police assurance in writing.

After negotiations, the Delhi police has offered him Ramlila Maidan, without any conditions, and he accepted his new venue but no consensus on the duration. The police is now ready to stretch the duration from 3 days to 3 weeks but Anna has asked permission for a month.

Even though Anna was not allowed to fast in any particular location, he has started his scheduled hunger fast from yesterday and continuing in Tihar also. Now he is taking only water and Doctors have been examining him in the prison. Today he was shifted to a new room but no Television of phone connection is provided in the room. He had so many visitors inside the prison including the spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and the civil rights activist Swami Agnivesh.

Anna’s supporters are pouring in from different places to New Delhi. Indians who are living outside the country are also extending their support to Anna to fight for a corruption free country. Today a crowd of more than 10,000 people marched from India gate to Jantar Mantar in different groups between 4 and 6 pm and more than 2000 people are crowded outside Tihar to show their support to their leader Anna.

Still the hard negotiations are going on between the Team Anna and the Delhi police on the duration of the fast. Lets keep our fingers crossed for the best. The government has to bend and no other go in front of civil society.

Update : August 18, 2011, 3:21 am

The breakthrough was reached between the Team Anna and Delhi police last night. Anna accepted an offer of staging 15 days hunger strike at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi. The meeting took place after midnight at Commissioner Gupta’s residence at Chanakyapuri’s Satya Marg. He is expected to be at the venue at 3 pm today.

Update : August 18, 2011, 10:27 am

Anna will remain in Tihar tonight and will be leaving to Ramlila Maidan for his 15 days hunger strike tomorrow morning.