Anna Hazare’s movement concerns masses as corruption is an issue that touches most Indians.
NEW DELHI: This is with reference to Jyoti Malhotra’s article of August 29, titled “The ‘ganwaar’ politician”. As far as comparison of Anna Hazare with Irom Sharmila is concerned, the latter is campaigning against the misuse of India’s Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). The reason why she did not get enough support and publicity in the media is because the AFSPA does not affect the lives of people outside of the states where it is implemented.
Therefore, people in general may sympathise with her but to expect people to come on the streets in solidarity with her and that, too, in large numbers is asking a bit too much. While on the other hand, Anna Hazare’s movement concerns masses as corruption is an issue that touches most Indians and that is why so many came out on the streets to support him.
Of course, the media played an important role but to say that the movement was a created by the media is to deliberately downplay the whole issue.
Sonam Shyam
Published in The Express Tribune, August 31st, 2011.
