Hazare stance disappoints youths

Published Date: August 21, 2011

“We are all against corruption but we do not support the way Hazare is blackmailing the government,” said Rakesh Singh, former president of the Indian Catholic Youth Movement.

Corruption cannot be removed with a magic wand. You cannot push the government and get an anti-corruption law passed the way you want it, he added.

His comments came just before Hazare left jail today to begin his 15-day public fast at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi.

The activist launched his protest on August 16 against certain points in a proposed anti-graft bill which would see the prime minister and the judiciary being exempt from corruption probes.

The protest triggered his arrest along with around 1,300 supporters, which in turn sparked mass protests across India.

Christeen Chiramel, a young Christian lawyer, said Hazare wants to stop the bill being passed through parliament.

“I don’t support the approach adopted by Hazare,” she said.

Chiramel said not that many people know about the bill or the issues involved but many are “blindly following those leading the protest.”

She said youths were not represented at any time during the bill’s drafting.

Singh echoed Chiramel’s comments and said that youths were being treated as “poster boys” in the protest.

Young people make up the majority at the rallies but the protest leaders do not even think of making them part of the campaign decision-making process, he said.