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Why Ramdev will be more successful than Anna Hazare


This may sound controversial for many but I think Ramdev has more chances of being successful in the anti-corruption campaign than Anna Hazare. Nobody can take away the credit and impetus created by Anna Hazare, however Ramdev has something that Anna dint have - the reach and the means.

Ramdev has been a familiar figure for many years now with his live Yoga classes. He has also used this platform to talk about several issues of social interest - not merely confined to corruption. He has dealt with lot of subjects from pollution, cultural changes, history, Ayurveda, food and of course health and more. The point is, Ramdev has a more holistic perspective in understanding and suggesting reforms than one-shot Anna Hazare. Also Ramdev has been at it for years now, everyday every morning, with repeats telecasts thus reaching out to people in their more impressionable suggestive times.

Ramdev presents more serious threat to government and corrupt establishment than Anna Hazare. This is clearly evident from the severity of reactions to Ramdev's fast, while Anna Hazare's fasts were tolerated. With the initial non-permission to fast at Ram Lila grounds, to later forcible evictions and demolition of structures, to witch-hunt on Ramdev and associates, to forcible police custody on counts of self-harm; government has taken much more harder no-mercy stance than against Anna. However, Government is unable to turn off the reach of Ramdev through television. And this is their primary problem and this is probably where Ramdev gets his encouragement to go at it again and again.

Ramdev has his pluses and minuses. Plus being he has been vocal about these issues for long time, even before it became fashionable to be an anti-corruption activist. He is clearly non-political with stated objective of staying off the turf, which Anna unfortunately was never able to emphasize this. And in hindsight Anna's skeptics have been proven correct. Time will tell on Ramdev. Another plus is his resources, which are deeper than what Anna's team had.

His biggest advantage is in his reach - his television show, his followers and his organisation across India. Everyday Ramdev shows up in living rooms of millions of Indian home taking his message of anti-corruption and social reforms.

One clear minus is Ramdev is considered a hindu organisation and hence has far less secular attraction for all groups. This is Ramdev's biggest flaw and something that would come to haunt him if government decides to use it against him. That should not be difficult at all, they have done this time and again, the weapons would come out when they are seriously cornered. [Prediction: Probably you will see something like very soon.] Saffronization of the movement would be a death knell to this movement.


Going Forward

Ramdev has to clarify his agenda for anti corruption. He should be able to provide evidences that he has been shouting from rooftops. Allegations, like Team Anna's, only add to rhetoric and drama but has no stable enactive consequences. Ramdev should make his movement more secular as much as possible. He should be able to bring several communiities and their representatives under the banner. He should be able to work with other interest groups like IAC, NCPRI etc.

If Ramdev can achieve these it would be a wonderful "Phase 2" in fight against corruption.

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