When the UPA government came into power, India went berserk proclaiming the decreasing age of the politician. The focus was on Rahul Gandhi, Sachin Pilot, Milind Deora, Jyotiraditya Scindia and the likes, who seemed weirdly out of place but welcome in the leadership. Everyone revelled in the representation of youth, and how Indian politics would change forever.
It surprises me then that today, two people who are revolting for national causes, paint a very traditional picture. The common man responds more to these two more than he does to Rahul Gandhi's farmer protests.
The reason is the cause. I haven't read a lot about the farmer protests, so I won't comment further on that. However, the demands of Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev are in sync with most Indians. If there is provision for the money stashed away in foreign banks to be brought back, who wouldn't want it. It's like telling a child that you have his chocolate, but making him cry for it, and still not giving it to him. Cruel. (Well, unless the child has bad teeth, in which case, get him treated, teach him to brush his teeth, and then let him eat the chocolate.)
I understand the government's apprehension to telecast the Lokpal Bill committee meetings live. The Indian media is irresponsible. Every word said by anyone's dog is dissected and twisted and edited to create sensational instead of accurate news. (I wonder what happened to the live phone conversation between India TV and the Cama House terrorist on 26/11?) However, when you take responsibility to lead a billion people, the least you can do is think before you speak.
The government has two and a half years left to rethink its ways. The Indian of today is difficult to please, because he has started to think.
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a good post!! As far as the fact that the common man reacts more to the likes of Anna Hazare than Rahul Gandhi, is because the young politicians have a very different approach to problems and I feel they aren't yet burning with a fire to change things. Traditional tactics like fast unto death have always worked for the Indian people and will continue to do so. However, it would take a lot more to change the irresponsible and sensationalist Indian media!
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