Has Anna lost his magical touch??

Anna Hazare, a name that came in association with 'LokPal bill' last year. Team Anna has been fighting against the UPA government and had promised the nation a corruption free environment. But it seems like this is little hard to achieve even after doing several indefinite fasts. Yes, the main question of this article is : Has Anna lost his magical touch? The support for team anna has diminished considerably from the last year. Anna began his fifth hunger strike but failed to draw the massive crowds that marked the start of his campaign. This time in 2012 crowd was very less as compared to 2011 in Ram lila maidan and jantar mantar. Just an year ago, ten thousands of people had supported him fighting against rain and sweltering sun and pledged for Anna Hazare's support. Have we moved on and accepted corruption as a part of our daily routine while team Anna is still fighting for it?

We all know how much Anna and his team are fighting against current UPA government members. Why should we support him or Jan Lokpal...the answer is simple: it will support you. But this time when he went on indefinite fast, the enthusiam from the public seems to be missing. Its not just the number of people who had come there and taken part but also about people who talk about supporting his movements are diminishing. While team Anna members deny from this fact and say that media has not given enough coverage for the movement and also claim that number of people attending it is not important but number of minds thinking and doing something about Jan Lokpal is important to them.

This time team Anna is demanding that there should be a panel of supreme court judges who should probe corruption allegations against 15 UPA ministers and that includes our PM Manmohan singh. While some ministers believe that Anna is just a creation of media and they have given enough highlight to him last year when government had to bend their head and said that they will consider Jan Lokpal. When will this Jan Lokpal bill will be passed? With the creation of Jan Lokpal there will be an independent body that would fight against corruption in the country and protect whistle blowers who have lost their lives for the nation. In 2011, during parliament's winter session Lokpal was passed in LokSabha but was turned down in Rajya sabha. The war against corruption is a long and time taking process and we all should stand together as a citizen of India to fight against it. Last year's agitation had attracted lot of youths to come forward and support Anna in his anti corruption movements. What happened now? Why are we slowing down? Is it the feeling that nothing can shake this government and that includes Anna's team?? This is because of loss of novelty and hope that nation can see Jan lokpal being part of Indian government. It might just be possible that last year Anna Hazare was a new face to the public who was putting his feet to remove corruption and also India had witnessed several big corruption cases like 2G scam, common wealth games scam etc. Also, the methods of non violence and indefinite fast was new to the public and it might have just attracted the crowd who were already suffering from corruption within their minds. People had a hope that Anna can change the government and force lokpal by winter session in Lok sabha. A sense of hope was engineered into people's mind. Anna has now become a routine for people and when they hear about his indefinite fast the reaction is " Oh one more fast...". So, Anna should take care not to appear again and again in the public for same cause and movement. This could make them believe that "If he cannot do it, even we cannot do it".

But the failure of addition of lokpal in december 2011 has also failed team Anna to revive this anti corruption movement. Now people are not getting that hope that this agitation might succeed. This is the fourth time he is on a movement but Anna's movements are becoming predictable. Government has shut its ear to his movements and are paying very less heed to the demands. They know that if they bring lokpal, directly country's PM is under investigation and that can be very demeaning. Looks like all the parties have come together unanimously and standing against Lokpal! Anna should know how to mobilize the momentum and shouldn't allow the protest to loose its edge. The media needs to give more coverage to his movements now when it is required more. We know the power of media can force the government to take serious steps.