Past few months have been extremely eventful for India. The mass and the media have been busy with the filth of corruption. Team Dhoni brought some cheer for the country with their cricket world cup victory, Anna Hazare revolted against the dishonesty of the Indian polity with his Gandhigiri reminding Indians the real issues and now the death of Sathya Sai Baba is sweeping Indian society.
The common factor? The tri-colour that soared high at Wankhede, at Jantar Mantar and now to be used for the state honours of Sathya Sai. While every Indian is still busy with cricket and watching Sachin Tendulkar both at the IPL and in Puttaparthi we missed him at Jantar Mantar with Anna. This is true not only for him, but for the entire Indian cricket team that made the country proud. An opportunity lost by the team India that could have heat a master stroke with Anna’s delivery with Indian Political League is in a week position.
If joining Anna was tiring after a month long cricket campaign Twitter and blogging is not. If it was, why the men in blue pounced upon to their IPL campaign? And while Sachin can visit Sathya Sai in Puttaparthi for his last images then why not Jantar Mantar where the new revolution against the cancer of corruption took place? How could the entire Indian cricket team miss the episode?
Indian cricketers are known for their corporate alliance and have stayed away from politics. But in 2009 they showed their protest against the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan players in Pakistan and in 2008 expressed support to their coach Gerry Kirsten on the sad demise of his mother by wearing black arm bands. Why not the same at IPL? Why not for India? While Anna’s fast jolted the government at centre things could possibly be political for team India as their road to ICC runs through BCCI.
While India is basking in the glory of cricket victory it should be born in mind that large parts of the country is facing the heat of political dishonesty and the pocket of the common Indian is being used to shower money onto wealthy cricketers. A one line statement by the Indian cricket team in support of Anna’s movement would have done more for their billion followers. This could have possibly set the stage for their post-cricket career, but Bollywood and corporate sector has better and lucrative offers. The players have not denied their iconic status and from being called the ‘god of cricket’ and will not deny national awards like Bharat Ratna.
But the players are not to be blamed completely as one of the biggest jokes about democracy comes from senior political leaders of the present government. According to Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar the recent movement at Jantar Mantar could undermine the process of democracy. How could a peaceful (Gandhian) movement harm the democracy? May be the Lok Pal bill has many more hurdles to go through.
