Just do it.

By N.V. Subramanian (13 August 2012)

13 August 2012: When a movement like India Against Corruption (IAC) fails, it brings sadness. There is little to celebrate when good people like Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, Akhil Gogoi, etc, flounder for want of direction. If IAC persists in becoming a political party, then it has no chance. But if it remains a movement, then there is hope it can overcome setbacks and re-contribute to cleansing politics, provided it makes corrections.

IAC has a good thing going in the Lok Pal law it wants enacted, which is being blocked by the ruling dispensation. Laws by themselves cannot change corrupt thinking, but they provide a beginning. The fact that a Lok Pal law has been delayed so long magnifies its urgency, and makes suspect all those (or most of those) who oppose it. Congress and its corrupt UPA government most oppose a strong, workable Lok Pal law, and, therefore, IAC should be clear who is for its campaign and against.

Up to its anti-Congress campaign in the Hisar by-election, IAC was clear about its strategy. Because of IAC, Congress did worse than expected. Congress tried to play down the IAC factor in defeat (although it stared in the eye), but its vanquished candidate was so livid with Kejriwal & Co. as to threaten them with violence.

Rather than capitalize on the Hisar victory, which drove terror into the hearts of Congress leaders, IAC turned hyper-sensitive to media criticism about its alleged "opportunism". IAC was called anti-Congress, and to counter the charge, it spurned assistance from parties in the opposition such as BJP. In the Khadakvasla election, IAC kept formally away under media pressure, but the opposition repeatedly reminded voters of Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement to defeat the NCP-Congress candidate. Thereafter, IAC completely lost the plot.

The point is simple. IAC had no need to be defensive about its anti-Congress campaign because Congress as the party of government in the Centre was (and is) blocking a strong Lok Pal law. But IAC in its anxiety to appear politically correct fell into the trap prepared by Congress and the so-called liberal media with its paid news. IAC's goose was cooked when Kejriwal began to appear in news TV debates, unable to distinguish genuine and friendly advice from misdirections and skulduggery. You cannot be serious, purposive and integrated and still remain in limelight. For India Against Corruption, the television medium became the message. In consequence, it lost sight of its goal, people drifted away, and the fickle media deserted it.

Politicians and a section of media share a common agenda, at least in this country: Use and throw. Anna Hazare and his good people fell to their machinations.

Is it too late to revive IAC?

No. But past mistakes cannot be repeated.

To start with, a political party is a bad idea. The surest way to kill IAC is by turning it into a vote-gathering machine. It won't last six months. On the other hand, IAC has more than a good chance of success if it goes back to basics, and starts where it left after the Hisar election. If it is serious about a Lok Pal law, it must target the main party at the Centre which is opposed to it. There is no other way.

To be sure, IAC will be vilified as anti-Congress, pro-BJP, pro-Hindutva, pro-RSS, anti-national, pro-big business, anti-poor, pro-US, and so on. It must quietly and coldly turn its back on such motivated criticism and move with ruthless precision and resolve towards its objective. If political parties choose to ally with it, that's alright. It must accept all genuine partnerships but never lose focus.

Like the great archer of Mahabharata, India Against Corruption should "only see the eye of the fish".

N.V.Subramanian is Editor, www.newsinsight.net and writes on politics and strategic affairs. He has authored two novels, University of Love (Writers Workshop, Calcutta) and Courtesan of Storms (Har-Anand, Delhi). Email: envysub@gmail.com