Frustration comes to those who do not stand by values and principles and for those who have a herd mentality. If you have a proper aim and focus in life, you can never get frustrated; you can learn to conquer even death
Recently, Social Reformer Anna Hazare, was in the news for his 19th agitation in his last four decade of social mission, to implement the Lokpal and Lokayukta Law. Corporate Citizen speaks to him in Ralegan Siddhi on his metamorphosis from battling it out for the Indian Army to relentlessly waging a battle against corruption in the role of a social crusader
Anna Hazare: Four decades back, 40 liquor dens thrived in Ralegan Siddhi; there was widespread alcoholism and domestic violence because of that. The 2200 acres of land which comprise this village was barren and ridden with poverty. Youngsters were compelled to migrate to urban areas. It is the successful experiment of the watershed development which changed all that. Agriculture produce increased in leaps and bounds despite our being a drought area. Today, youngsters are self-employed through agriculture and dairy farming. From around 20 cows which used to give a mere 300 litres per day some years back; today, the village supplies 6000 litres of milk to the milk co-operatives daily.
Earlier, our youngsters used to travel six kilometres to break stones as casual labourers, but now they are on their own as agricultural and dairy entrepreneurs in their independent way. Despite our village being in a drought area, there is no unemployment. To the government, I would say that the solution is not in the cities, which receive generous funds. It is in the villages where agriculture has an excellent power to revive employment. Per head income in our village is Rs.4000. The development that we see in our metros has witnessed the destruction of nature which is not the right kind of development. Sometime or the other it is going to hit all of us through illnesses, change in climate and pollution; in fact, it is already happening.
It all begins from inculcating values right from school days. The school building, built purely through the shramdaan of the villagers, has 1100 students up to the secondary level. Mind you, we don’t take meritorious students. We admit students with bad character, those who are addicted to cigarettes and are beyond the redemption by parents. We offer them a conducive environment by waking them up early at 5 am for exercise and meditation. We inculcate good habits in them and brainwash them about the dangers of addictions to smoking, alcoholism and chewing of gutka. From primary school, we tell our children that no one has become a wrestler by these vices and that has helped in most of them growing up as adults who are useful for society. We build a sense of competitive spirit in them, by concentrating on quality education in school. For discipline, we have CCTV cameras in every class, which is checked at regular intervals randomly. We expose them to digital learning for which we have 80 computers in school.
Forty years back, the population of the village was 1700, today it stands at 2,300. So, naturally, there has been migration for employment, mainly because, many a time, two or three brothers share one acre of agricultural land, and the income together derived out of it, is not viable for comfortable living. However, most of the youngsters who migrate have done so through education that empowers them to become able professionals. We have youngsters in civil administration services, police services and in the teaching line.
Relatively, Maharashtra has lesser migration. The exodus from states like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Bihar have reached such levels that it is not just urban migration to Mumbai and Pune, but they have entered villages as well. All this is because these states do not provide agricultural-based employment in their communities. They must revive agriculture in a big way through watershed development to keep their youngsters in villages and help them become successful agricultural entrepreneurs.
We made all attempts to retain rainwater and topsoil. For that, I inspired villagers to give their sweat and toil for building various kinds of small mud dams to retain rain and soil. Such contour bunds were made on the hill slopes too. This increased growth of trees on the hills and its slopes further augments retention of soil and water that flows down is trapped in the various small earthen dams at the ground level.
Topsoil is the wealth of our village, and we cannot afford to lose it. It has more value than all other wealth, but everyone ignores it. We must remember that the topsoil is the earth’s food. Because we valued it, the map of our village changed for the better - the economy changed; there was labour for the hands and food for the stomach, encouraging reverse migration. Many villages in the country are replicating our experiment. We have had 11 lakh people visiting us in the last 12 years from different parts of the country. They take inspiration from our model and then implement it in their villages. Even several state governments have officially adopted Ralegan Siddhi’s watershed development. Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh governments are two examples.
Citizens of the country are fed up with corruption. Therefore, an autonomous agency to curb corruption is required. The peaceful and historical agitation from 2011 to 2013 to press the demand of promulgating the Lokpal Act was a reflection of the nation’s mood against corruption
Inspiring the Gen NextFrustration comes to those who do not stand by values and principles and for those who have a herd mentality. If you have a proper aim and focus in life, you can never get frustrated; you can learn to conquer even death. When I was 25 years old, I must confess that I too went through depression and wanted the right answers for purposeful living. While my mother instilled the correct values during my childhood, I wondered why, as a young man, everyone is in the rat race, running the whole day and acquiring materialistic pleasures. Some not only possess their wealth but also grab that of others too. I had thought of committing suicide, but one day I stumbled upon Swami Vivekananda’s book at the Delhi Railway Station. It helped me understand that human birth is given to work for society and the nation. He mentioned that there would be humiliation and much struggle, but one must carry on relentlessly in one’s mission. Consider the village to be your temple, the public as the be-all and end-all and serving it is akin to worshipping God. With these values strongly etched in my mind, I never get frustrated with any number of agitations. Due to my persistent campaigns, many good laws like the RTI Act, the Gram Sabha Act and so on came into force. I get immense happiness when people benefit from my campaigns.
Citizens of the country are fed up with corruption. Therefore, an autonomous agency to curb corruption is required. The peaceful and historical agitation from 2011 to 2013 to press the demand of promulgating the Lokpal Act was a reflection of the nation’s mood against corruption. I risked my life during that agitation. Thanks to the three-year-long agitation, the Lokpal Bill was passed on January 1, 2014. However, unfortunately, the Act has not been implemented even after a period of four years. Now it is clear that the present government does not intend to implement the Lokpal Act.
Moreover, whichever party is in the rule, it does not want an Act like the Lokpal Act to curb corruption. Thus, successive governments indulged in diluting the Act. While the former Singh government diluted Section 63 and weakened the Lokayukta system for the States, the Modi government amended Section 44 and diluted the provision under which it was mandatory for the ministers, MLAs, MPs and all officers to declare their assets. Thus the corrupt ones were given freedom to continue with their corrupt practices. I sent letters to the government on this issue, on 43 occasions. However, I did not receive even an acknowledgement for them, leave apart any action. Even the Supreme Court has rebuked the Government twice for its failure to appoint Lokpal. Still, the Government is not appointing Lokpal.
The Lokpal and Lokayukta are so revolutionary that their significance is over and above all the agitations that I fought until now. After Independence, corruption raised its ugly head. An ordinary citizen is finding it difficult to live peacefully due to increasing corruption. At one end, we are aiming to be a superpower, but at the other end, we seem to be helpless in curbing corruption that is stalling development. It is a fact that never mind whichever political party comes to power, none take the issue of corruption seriously. In such a grim situation, how can India become corruption-free? That’s the worrying factor. The Modi government had assured farmers of a fair system, bringing in electoral reforms and taking stern measures to curb corruption, in its election manifesto. However, he has not delivered on a single promise, which is a stab-in-the-back for citizens.
Morarji Desai and like-minded people, who wanted well for the country, brought in the bill of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayukta in the States way back in 1966 but it did not get passed in the Parliament. Thereafter, it was tabled in the Parliament, eight times, but was not passed. As per these laws, if any citizen gets proof of the corruption of current and former prime ministers, ministers and Class I, II, II officers in 2011, the Lokayukta has the power to investigate into them.
Anna Hazare with Dr (Col.) A. Balasubramanian, Editor-In-Chief, Corporate Citizen (file photo)
(Laughs). It is evident that he and others who were with me in the agitation have forgotten the reason why they joined in my nationwide campaign and instead, used me to seek power. One became a Chief Minister, the other, a Governor.
India is an agricultural dominated country wherein 65% of its people are dependent on the agrarian economy. However, right from Independence, successive governments have shown disdain for farmer and agriculture - the reason why the situation of farmers has become critical today. It is indeed shameful that thousands of farmers have committed suicide, over the last several decades. While they toil, somebody else enjoys the gains. Unless and until farmers get a fair price for their produce, they will not get relief.
The method of fixing prices of farmers’ produce by the National Agricultural Prices Commission (NAPC) is not proper. The central government unnecessarily intervenes in the price-fixing process of this Commission. Hence, like the Election Commission, the NAPC should be a constitutional authority and should function independently. This would curtail interference by the government. Let there be veteran agricultural experts in this commission. Besides, regarding agricultural produce, there should be no interference by the government in fixing fair prices for the sale of the farmers’ produce. In case, the farmer does not get the fixed value for his crop, there should be a law that the government reimburses the amount. The farmers are compelled to take agricultural loans at a compounding interest rate, which is illegal.
In comparison to the industrial sector, there is no augmentation of investment in the agricultural industry. There is no provision of pension for farmers above 60 years of age. The farmer should get a pension of Rs.5000 per month. The agrarian insurance is also not in order as it is a group insurance. Instead, the dividends should go to the individual farmer.
I have proof that Modi gave a waiver of loans and tax of industrialists to the tune of lakhs and crores but is not implementing the Swaminathan Report which will provide justice to the farmers’ toil. Agrarian distress has led farmers to commit suicide in recent years. The major causes of the agrarian crisis are unfinished agenda in land reform, quantity and quality of water, technology, fatigue, access, adequacy and timeliness of institutional credit, and opportunities for assured and remunerative marketing. Adverse meteorological factors add to these problems. Farmers need to have assured access and control over basic resources, which include land, water, bioresources, credit and insurance, technology and knowledge management, and markets. Successive governments have turned Nelson’s Eye to farmers’ distress. Is it not the right of the farmer to get a price 1.5 times of his cost? Is it not his right to get a pension, for the years of toil to feed the nation?
Youth is our national strength. We have witnessed history wherein Japan revived admirably after being blown to dust. If even one youth desires from the heart, to change the nation, he can create a social revolution. Unfortunately, he or she is directionless thanks to our job-oriented education
The central and the state governments have neglected villages, leading to youngsters migrating to the urban areas. The television has given youngsters a glimpse of the glitter of the cities, but their dreams remain a mirage due to unemployment of bad quality employment that adversely affect their health due to pollution and pathetic living conditions in urban slums. Ralegan Siddhi is an example of how work in the form of self-entrepreneurship comes through natural agriculture because of watershed development and soil conservation. A Std X passed youngster in my village is today earning more than what he would have made if he was a worker employee in any industry in aan urban area. Plus there are flexible hours of working when you are farming and are assured of pure air to breathe! The urban youngsters are victims of government apathy and are recipients of lousy governance in their everyday life, be it water supply, roads, public transport and food safety.
Youth is our national strength. We have witnessed history wherein Japan revived admirably after being blown to dust. If even one youth desires from the heart, to change the nation, he can create a social revolution. Unfortunately, he or she is directionless thanks to our job-oriented education. While the society and nation can remind him of the sacrifices of our freedom fighters, the change should come from each home. Parents should set values and principles of morality and truthfulness in their children. Every family should be the centre point of character building. Then, the tender mind will grow up becoming socially conscious. Those who live for themselves, die; those who live for society, they live forever.
Every industry should think of its workers as a family and feel it a duty to look after them and its family members. I know the agony of thousands of workers in industrial firms who are made to work hard in challenging conditions and are put on contract and paid less. Is this humanity?
Bringing change is in the hand of the voters, but they are undermining themselves and have forgotten the value of their vote. Therefore, they do not hesitate to take a bribe of Rs.500 or get a bottle of liquor or a treat in a hotel and give away their votes to hooligans who loot public money
Various facets of Anna's life in the ArmyThe decision was too sudden and undemocratic. Modi should have taken everyone in confidence as this was not only a national level decision but one that affected every citizen of this country. There should have been public debates with experts, and public opinion sought. It was indeed a bad decision as most of the SMEs have died. The government was confident that black money would come back, but by RBI’s admission 99% of the notes came back. So, where has black money gone? (He laughs).
Party politics is responsible for mega corruption cases such as VIP helicopters, 2G spectrum and so on. In the absence of proper evidence, culprits from all parties were declared innocent and were acquitted. People have become immune to scams, and it is this apathy that bolsters the confidence of evil. Hence, citizen alertness is primary to elect a good candidate.
Bringing change is in the hand of the voters, but they are undermining themselves and have forgotten the value of their vote. Therefore, they do not hesitate to take a bribe of Rs.500 or get a bottle of liquor or a treat in a hotel and give away their votes to hooligans, to the corrupt and the thugs who loot public money. The Constitution has given powers to the Parliament to make the future of the country bright. However, because of the indifference of people, instead of people with integrity and character, corrupt and criminals have started going to Parliament as representatives of people. It is a horrific situation wherein dictatorship of political parties is on the rise, putting democracy in peril. Voters should pledge to Mother India that they will vote for political candidates of integrity.
In the last six months, our anti-corruption movement is working to create an organization of volunteers who have taken such a pledge on stamp paper. In these six months, out of 168 Tehsil of 32 districts of Maharashtra, we have received pledge letters from 1834 volunteers, and the number is rising every day, which is a promising development. Even if we can get 15 youngsters in every tehsil to fight corruption, then considering that every district on an average has 30 tehsils, then we will have 15,000 youngsters at the district level, and with 30 districts in Maharashtra, we would garner 4.5 lakh volunteers.
This case study from the Food and Agricultural organization (FAO) deals with participatory watershed management at Ralegan Siddhi village in district Ahmadnagar. In recent years, the notion of sustainable development has emerged as a reaction to the highly technological and centralized processes that have governed thinking on development, the green revolution is a classic example.
Some initiatives in India have grappled successfully with this complex process, and different models of people driven development have emerged. The remarkable work by Mr Annasaheb Hazare in Ralegan Siddhi village has been summarised below.
By Vinita Deshmukh
