04.11.11 MACCS
Indian anti-corruption campaign falters
The leading light of India's growing anti-corruption campaign is coming under
increasing pressure, with concerns over internal infighting and the future
direction of his group. Nonetheless
Anna Hazare, the charismatic civil society activist who has led the months-long campaign,
has been criticised by figures from within 'Team Anna'. Two of the movement's
top
leaders resigned, saying that it had become too political rather than focusing
on its initial objective of tackling India's endemic graft.
Meanwhile, two of Hazare's aides came under fire for their own alleged
corruption, which further undermined the founding vision of the campaign. Kiran Bedi, one of India's first top female police officers, has been accused of inflating
her travel bills, while Arvind Kerjiwal tried to keep a government payment which he was due to return on quitting his
post as a tax official.
The two officials who resigned complained about the movement's decision to
contest a by-election against the candidate of the ruling Congress party.
Although
the strategy to move into the electoral sphere worked - the Congress candidate
was
soundly beaten – it has polarised supporters of Team Anna, many of whom are
committed to working outside the political system which they hold responsible
for
much of India's corruption.
Seeking to shore up the movement, on 4th November Hazare quit a 20-day vow of
silence (which he began to keep up his strength after a hunger strike against
corruption) to pledge reform and revitalisation of the movement. He also
repeated
his threat to contest upcoming elections across the country.
Hazare acknowledged that mistakes had been made in the composition of Team Anna.
"The movement started suddenly and we did not have time to think about the
structure of the core committee,” he said. Nonetheless he said that the movement's core group would stick
together.
Analysts are now speculating whether the movement will run out of steam and
disintegrate if the government passes a bill in December which would set up an
anti-corruption ombudsman. The Lokpal Bill was Hazare's initial objective, but he now accuses the government of seeking to
water it down by planning distinct laws for protecting citizens and
safeguarding
whistleblowers.
Sources; Times of India, Reuters