Can we run for Anna? Can we run against corruption?
The cynics are calling it hysteria; the believers are calling it the second struggle for freedom. By the hour, by the minute, support for the truest of true patriots, Anna Hazare, and his fight against corruption is thankfully growing. The truth is: the last person Anna needs to do this for is himself. Make no mistake about it, he is doing it for us and our children.
How far are we willing to go in support of a man who is, as we speak, laying down his life for the country on this critical issue?
Yesterday, it was heartening to see the Mumbai running fraternity come together in the cause of what is dearest to our hearts - Running! Can we now come together, through what we love doing the most - in the cause of our country? I was delighted when Kavin led the singing of the national anthem before the race; doubly delighted to see Bijay and another runner traverse the entire distance with what is now the symbol of India's fight against corruption - the Gandhi topi. It got me thinking...
There are lots of fora we can join in this fight, and doubtless, some of us already have. But seeing the way how people are lending their support and generating awareness in their own unique ways, can we, of the running fraternity, do likewise?
Two ways... one immediately, is to join protest marches and rallies. I believe one of that happens on Saturday the 27th... what people are touting to be the 'biggest protest rally', which will snake its way from Bandra to Colaba. (Recd an SMS, but needs to verify). Could we, the running fraternity, join that morcha IN our running gear, but with one small addition - a Gandhi topi?
We think nothing about running 21K for ourselves. How about this time we walk 21K for our country?
Alternatively (or maybe even in addition to the above), maybe we could organise a 'Run for Anna, Run against corruption' ourselves. All of us in running gear, with the Gandhi topi, doing a long slow run. Maybe we could create special T-shirts with a 'Runners against Corruption' message printed for the run. Publicise it thru Facebook or whatever?
This is all very nebulous and at a drawing board stage at the moment. I am not even sure how to go about it. Not even sure if police permissions or anything is even required (Can someone check that?). I would think not, because all we will do is a peaceful silent run, like any others that we do. Thoughts, suggestions and inputs are welcome. Need people to play devil's advocate too. Maybe it's all a rank bad idea. Doubtless, without your support, it will go nowhere.
But if you believe in this cause (and we're really doing ourselves a great disservice if we don't), let's put our heads together and come up with something. This is not about a spectacle or a fashion statement, but about showing solidarity with the man who is doing everything really for us and our future generations.
Leave the cynics alone. Let them stew in their own fragile egos and ivory towers. The simplest thing to do in life is to shoot down everything by starting from a fatalistic premise: that nothing will ever change. Maybe it won't after all, but history will fault us for not even trying.
We all know the Jan Lokpal bill is not a panacea for all the ills that afflict this country. But it is a start. A huge start like nothing before. If it can bring about even 5% of change (and it surely will) that will be far, far better than nothing. The cynics will say: How does any of this - morchas, rallies, online support, running against corruption - help? Simply by bringing on added pressure on the government to heed the voice of the people, the mood of the nation. And to generate more awareness for the issue. Sure the real fight will happen on a different level even after the bill is passed; but to get there, Anna's current fight has to be won. Everything really hinges on this!
Buddies, let's not ask any more what the country can do for me, but what I can do for the country. Let's join the second fight for freedom. Destiny will not give us a second chance. And generations that follow will castigate us for failing them.
Never has the cliche been truer: Better to light that one candle, than to curse the darkness.
Your immediate inputs are solicited.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jitendra on -
Milton Sir: A very nobel idea.
But as far as I'm concerned, I think 'Peace March', 'Shouting slogans' will not work, this Govt is too deaf to hear it, and unfortunately this situation demands things to be done the hard way.
I feel participating in fast at central location (Azad maidan or any such location) in the capacity we can, is the way.
How can we do it: (This is not limited to only runners but common man can also do)
Participate in the fast on the day of 'Weeklyoff' I know it's really hard for many of us to 'Bunk' our job and show the solidarity, but in the population of above 2 Crore Mumbities, we'll have enough people on each of 7 days to flood the streets and let the politicians know that we mean 'business'
PS: I may be speaking out of my emotions or out of in-experience but this is what I had to say.....
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Permalink Reply by Natasha on -
Milton, I am really glad to see someone take an initiative of this kind.
Venkat, Dan and I have signed a petition to skip a meal during the course of Anna Hazare's fast. Maybe others have too, but I would not know about them.
Last time round, the 12M12m guys had dedicated their 4/12 marathon to Anna Hazare, and the Runner Girls did the same with the April GOR. Both were strictly informal, and apart from facebook messages, and a mention in blog posts, we hadn't done much more.
Personally, I think a run to show solidarity with the Cause is a great idea. While I wish I could offer to help with the logistics, etc, I really am in no position to do anything more than participate. But you can definitely count on my participation.
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Permalink Reply by Shyam Tallamraju on -
i am a huge cynic of this movement :) let us run for running sake.. why get politics into the picture? and no, i am not stewing any personal ego here :)
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Permalink Reply by khushru patel on -
Avery noble thought Milton and Iam with u all the way I may not be able to run due to bad knee but i'll definitively give it a go as far as walking is considered i did walk from bandra to santcruz and back on the 17th may be i can do the bandra to colaba walk also ,and please folks don't be fatalistic by saying this govt. will not change,at least lets give it a try .Milton has put across such a beautiful msg as only he can lets join in for the2nd freedom struggle I'll try and find out if we require police permission, but if we join the sat protest march then we just have to join in
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Permalink Reply by Bijay Nair on -
As always i am in .
I think , we may have a morning slow run on one ofthe off days . And we will invite people thru facebook.
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Permalink Reply by Ganesh Krishnan on -
Milton - a brilliant suggestion. I am all for doing something for the cause we all truly believe in. A run for Janlokpal bill will be unique. We should try to do it at a slightly later date when the public interest is likely to wane. This will help to keep up the momentum and also give us enough time to plan.
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Permalink Reply by Bhasker Desai on -
milton, i am 100% with you and your belief in this noble man's fight for a better cleaner India. and you so aptly summed it up with: better to light one candle than curse the darkness! never was a cliche more appropriate than in the efforts of this true gandhian and freedom fighter.
every day we run for ourselves...now lets run for anna and show our solidarity and support. this is no political movement, no ulterior motive here, it's all about the mass awakening and the right of every citizen to fight against corruption. to each one his/her own way of being there, we, as runners, lets run for a cause...
a week end sat or sunday will be more appropriate to run together since so many of us are in real world to be free on a working day. t shirt printed with your suggested slogan: runners against corruption...or... run for anna...or...we are with you anna...any such genuine honest feeling of support sounds a great idea coming from the running fraternity.
looking forward to the race against corruption, a race for a cause so close to anna's heart he is even willing to scarifice his life!! guys, time we showed little more patriotism than just nod our head of approval as silent spectator or at other extreme end spew a cynical arrogance..it's easy to be critical, lets for a change try to be a change agent for a brighter future for our country. we owe that to our children.
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Permalink Reply by Manish Rahul on -
Brilliant idea, Milton, am all for it! What better way to celebrate the awakening than a run, 'cause I guess if there is one thing that we are good at and enjoy doing - it's running and if it helps in creating or sustaining awareness, so be it.
Do count me in for the run and as BD suggested weekends are the best - Sunday sounds perfect, so that there's maximum participation from the runner community, 'cause many of us work on Saturdays!
I firmly believe that the wheels that have been set in motion by Anna and team will have a long lasting impact in the way people and governments view corruption! And, I can't think of any better way for our running community to contribute to this cause than what you have proposed. Let's do it!
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Permalink Reply by bina bhushan on
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Hey Milton, Great thought,,I just participated in an anti-corruption rally in my town yest. Police permission is required within city limits.
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Permalink Reply by milton frank on -
ok, appreciate the inputs all around - good (mostly, thankfully), bad or ugly. bhasker nutshelled it perfectly: 'no political movement, no ulterior motive here'. it's for a better and cleaner society. there will always be the naysayers and cynics - i'm sure they must have been skeptical in the time of gandhi as well.
but if we have to make this happen, we'll need numbers. was talking with khushru who is actively involved with the movement, and if we can find an optimal number, modalities can be worked out - one of the groups involved may support the run. however, just a handful of runners won't work.
like i said, it's all at a germination level, and active inputs and suggestions on how to go about this will be required. right now it's a blank slate, but together we can formulate some kind of workable plan. your continued inputs will be critical. let's hear suggestions and ideas on how to carry this to fruition.
khushru, since you are in touch with groups that are actively involved, can you give us some kind of roadmap?
needless to say, the starting premise for a proposed run against corruption will be optimal numbers.
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Permalink Reply by Rohit Bansal on -
Milton, excellent idea!
In fact, i wanted to suggest that we dedicate our BNP run to Anna, but thought against it as one cannot force it onto runners who may not want to associate with it.
But a run dedicated for this cause is a great idea to show our solidarity to Anna. And if we want to do it, let's not be bothered about numbers. There is this saying in Urdu -
mai akela,chala tha janib e manzil ko magar,log judte gaye aur kaarvan banta gaya
loosely it means, i started alone for my destination and people started joining and it became a procession. And that's what we have seen happening with this whole movement and also two days back in mumbai.
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Permalink Reply by Md.Mumtaz Qureishi on -
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