MUSLIMS AND HAZARE"S TIRADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

MUSLIMS AND ANNA HAZARE’S TIRADE AGAINST
CORRUPTION
Dr K Prabhakar Rao

Anna Hazare’s movement against corruption has taken the country by storm and is shaking the foundations of the ruling party. A social activist who has struggled all his time after leaving army in developing the society has nothing to loose in this movement. He is not after power and position and this has been amply demonstrated over the years by his selfless work in society. The usual practice in Indian politics is to take up some activity in society affiliated to some political party and rise from a Galli leader ( Street leader) to the position of power through ballot. Of course, there are some exceptions in case of children of well known persons who automatically rise to political power by inheritance. In present political scenario, such men are many and day by day the figure is rising. While the committed workers remain only workers and bearers of flags and banners all their life, these lucky children of influential people become leaders overnight to capture power in political scene. The issue of sentiment is used by the party to win the seat when a leader kicks the bucket. Invariably a leader does not voluntarily retire and he likes to stick on to his position till he falls from grace or is taken away by destiny by the god of death. The Indian democracy has thus turned into a filthy rotten dynastic democracy. Some of the examples are :
Rajesh pilot, Madhav Rao Sindhia died in accidents and Indira Gandhi was assassinated and were succeeded buy their sons. Chaudhry Charan singh after death was succeeded to his clout by Ajit singh his son. Pandit Nehru was succeeded by his daughter Indira Gandhi who became PM. Marri seshidhar reddy became an MLA after the death of his father Marri Chenna Reddy former CM of AP. The son of sleeping PM Deve Gowda also became very strong political person in Karnataka. There are scores of MsLA in the country in different states with where wives or children have inherited the position. Now Rahul Gandhi is waiting in his wings to climb the throne at appropriate moment and all leaders in Congress party are singing his song. Very senior leaders of Congress party give statements that he was the most able and suited person to lead the country. Thus the political cup board in this country is full of skeletons and they are rotten and insect ridden. Of late, the corruption at high levels has taken such a monstrous dimension that even international communities are aghast at the turn of events in India.There has been great support in USA and UK too. Even Pakistan has been inspired by this movement. This is the shameful situation in this country. Anna Hazareji has stimulated the nation with his call for fight against corruption. People from all walks of life including school children who are inspired by his slogan. The response was most unexpected for the government. Every one is asking, “ What is wrong if voice is raised against corruption?”.The government came heavily on Ramdev Babas fast at Delhi citing threat to Baba. He was arrested and taken away to Haridwar. His supporters were dispersed at late night while sleeping using brutal repression. All this was covered by police under law and order control and sadly there was no great uprising from general public. Some how saffron flag was linked to the Baba. However, in case of Hazareji govt was a bit careful and whisked him away to a jail before the fast started. However after sensing danger and public reaction and loss of credibility that they hardly possesses, it softened up and released him with some agreements as a face saving measure. This was no doubt a victory for Hazareji and he is already fasting at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi.
Suppression of such voices in fact amounts to abetting the evil. The govt is trying to defend its actions under the garb of law and order issues and to prevent lawlessness in society. It claims that it is at the job of controlling the evil and is trying to pass a self proclaimed bill in Parliament that Anna Hazareji and team resent and rejected it. They want a jan lok pal bill that gives a wider power to the body. Secondly, stand taken by the govt was that it was the responsibility of the elected representatives to tackle this menace of corruption and control it and the civil society representatives could not dictate terms to it. Although in principle it is correct, the credibility of actions by the government and elected representatives are suspect in the prevailing conditions. Civil society in fact has no faith in the government and its leaders as leaders are suspect. The govt has failed to unearth black money at Swiss banks and cites some excuses from time to time. People suspect that all big and influential people masquerading as patriots from politics and industry would be exposed in such revelations. The govt has got serious dubbing with the exposure of scams one after the other and every day some new thing is being exposed. It is but natural that there would be reaction from society when things go out of control and there is no faith left in sincere efforts of those who have been entrusted with the task of governing. In the present situation, the confidence in official machinery has been literally lost in the minds of people. Each and every citizen in India has been living in a society where corruption has been promoted, nurtured and it has thrived at all levels for which the political leaders are mostly responsible. The entire political system has become highly corrupt and the process of elections after five years to state legislatures and parliament is completely submerged in money spinning and it’s changing of hands. Even elections to local bodies like Panchayats, municipaities etc are thriving on corruption. Coming to general administration, each and every Departmnet having public dealings, welfare measures and , law enforcing thrive on corruption. In fact no work can be got done in any govt office with out vetting hands. Officers arrange their postings by bribing. It is believed that important offices and posts are auctioned to the bidders. In all these situations, giver and taker both are to be blamed. There has been a great moral down fall at every level in society. There could be an occasional exception like a white a crow in the flock of black crows. There is an atmosphere of helplessness in society and this is the reason for the spontaneous support from all sections of society to Anna Hazares call for fight against corruption as a second freedom movement.The movent is against an evil and in India every person irrespective of caste creed or religions is seriously affected by it.
In such situation, call of Shahi Imam of Delhi to all Muslims is an unwarranted on and is misguiding. Shahi Imam Ahmed Bukhari's appeal to Muslims to keep off Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campaign because his supporters were raising chants of "Vande Mataram" is unwarranted, ill thought, ill inspired and ill conceivedBetter sense has prevailed on many Mulsim scholors and prominent Maulanas and Islamic scholars of Uttar Pradesh have reacted strongly to Delhi's Shahi Imam Ahmed Bukhari's appeal to Muslims. Leading Sunni cleric Maulana Abul Irfan Mian Firangi Mahli and well known Shia scholar and cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawaad said that since Hazare was not forcing Vande Mataram on anyone, there was nothing wrong if Muslims joined the campaign launched by the social activist He said that the issue was not about Vande Mataram but corruption. Absolutely there was no reason why Muslims should be dissuaded from joining this campaign when every one knew how corruption was eating into the system and making the lives of people miserable. He also cited that slogan was also used by MK Gandhi where every rallied around him irrespective of faith. He was the opinion that it was high time that the youth rose against the evil and thus extended support to Hazareji. Thus the narrow mindedness of Imam Buhari has been exposed. He also said that Anna Hazareji has not forced any one to shout Vande mataram and if Muslims joined the protest they might shout Allah o Akbar or they might remain silent. But they must extend support in the fight against corruption.
Thus there is an awakening too in other faiths to support Anna in his fight against corruption and all wise Muslims should therefore summarily reject call of Imam Bukhari who is trying to fish in troubled waters. They must rise to occasion and extend hand to their brethren in society in this important hour for nation building and cleansing of the system. It will be now or never. Hazares are not born every day. There is no difference between a Hindu or Muslim, Sikh or Christian, Buddhist, Parsi or Jain in this fight against corruption and repressive attitude of the government.

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