Why Is Anna Hazare Fuelling Wal-Mart Politics?

Wal-Mart, which symbolise capitalistic enslavement for the Indians, seems to be dividing India, world’s largest democracy, in the middle even as the Indian government is bravely defending its decision to allow Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Retail, a reform which opens a market worth billions of dollars the world’s major chains are desperate to enter.

The controversy is based on the perceived pros of the move, strongly supported by the government in need of urgent foreign investment to cover its budget deficit and maintain the growth rate of the country and the cons, put forth by an opportunistic and  motley combine of communists, communal parties and the women chief ministers of three states with over 30% of India’s population, who have no clue of the complexities of the issue or particular reason other than their bloated egos to object the move, claiming the government is only fooling people.

"To give an impression that FDI in retail will solve all problems like inflation, price rise and unemployment... whosoever is saying this is fooling people that FDI will get millions of jobs. It cannot happen."

The political stalemate has stalled the winter session of the Indian parliament with no work done or bills discussed or passed for nine working days when the government is desperately trying to push its reform agenda, mired in controversies from scams to corruption and an array of adverse factors affecting national growth.

Now, even Anna Hazare, the leading light for the new generation of India, blames that the government is using the political debate regarding FDI for blocking his utopian demand for a super cop (Lokpal) to look over corrupt politicians and judiciary of India including its prime minister and Chief Justice.  Anna also joined the fray and accused Wal-Mart of hidden agenda of colonising India like the British East India Company did two centuries ago.

"If people are saying it (FDI) should not happen, why are you insisting? The British came to India to trade and for 150 years, ruled us, enslaved us. Do you want to have a repeat?" he told a press conference.

However his critics feel that Anna Hazare, with a series of faux pas, is proving himself to be what he really is, an old man with an archaic view of India and the world, in a hurry to etch his name in history as the legitimate follower of Mahatma Gandhi. Since he ended his controversial fasting till the government and parliament accepted his demand to pass a bill installing the all powerful Lokpal, he and his followers have suffered serious credibility deficit and questions on their real motives.

It seems Anna’s comments on such a complex issue are not based on economic considerations but simply made to lend support to the elements obstructing the parliament from discussing and passing his Lokpal bill, while he blames the government for it.

Supermarkets everywhere have created problems but India, to claim its place as a leading G20 country, needs need to behave like one and push for the benefits the government see in this vital reform.

The fact that Anna is just a human like others has been exposed by his own off hand  remarks about the slapping of his compatriot and Indian minister Pawar. People become great by inherent goodness, not by what others attribute to them.

 Article first published as Why Anna Hazare Is Fuelling Wal-Mart Politics? on Technorati.