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 milton frank on -
natasha yeah that's a very good possibility, but as you mentioned it will need some kind of press support, if our intention is to show solidarity and generate more awareness.
king... such an initiative will absolutely need to leverage the press and guys like you and anand would be critical in this regard. welcome aboard buddy.
ram, i was hoping to avoid piggybacking on another regular run and instead have a separate dedicated one so we don't force anything down the throats of those that don't want to be a part of it. but your suggestion of bandra-ncpa may be the only way out because we do not have too much manouvre on dates as this will have to be a weekend run and with hyderabad this sunday, that realistically leaves us with just the following sunday. or unless we run with ganesh's idea of doing this later to sustain momentum when it may start to wane generally.
if we have to do t-shirts then bijay is our prime mover. else we can just make do with gandhi topis and scrawl our messages across them. different messages.
valigator yeah, we'll need to plot some common strategy, but that's why online is the best as we don't need to meet physically.
bhasker, that was a beautifully passionate appeal. spoken right from the heart. i hope it reaches out, because as khushru says, numbers will be critical.
khushru is talking to the group he is involved with. there is a good chance they will be supporting us.
keep the ideas and suggestions coming.
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Permalink Reply by Santosh Thourani on -
Brilliant Idea... Count me in 500% on whatever you decide... I am in it even if it is a walk and surely in for a Bandra-NCPA or even more if required. Will try to spread the word also...
Agree with Valigator : lets meet at Aarey this saturday (wont miss this time for sure) and frame a strategy and as Ram/Bijay suggested-we will have to act real fast....
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Permalink Reply by kaushik on -
IM IN!!!
Let each of us promise to bring 5 to 10 friends along with them. This could probably give us a number with which we can make this happen(20 of us each 5 =100)
but you gotta hurry up!! looks like Govt will Oblige to accept Anna's request in a day or two!
Any one of us should take it up and let others follow!
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Permalink Reply by Michael Dsouza on -
Yes this is good idea, we will need a lot of banners, Gandhi Topi & the tri Color, sure if just 5 start running you will find 50 at the end all running with you, tell me the place i will be there or better still arrange for a bike & i will give you the memories.
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Permalink Reply by milton frank on
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doesn't look like we are anywhere near approaching critical mass. neither have we got any clarity on police permissions, and still awaiting support from groups (khushru still working on that). so unless someone can come up with a brainwave, maybe we'll simply double up the bandra-ncpa run by running the distance in gandhi topis.
if someone can come up with a better grandplan that will be really appreciated.
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Permalink Reply by Manoj Haveri on -
Count me in for the numbers. I will join.
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Permalink Reply by Kingshuk Mukherjee on
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Hi Milton,
How about getting Milind Soman or maybe Rashesh Shah - Founder -Chairman - Edelweiss Group or Gagan Banga - CEO, Indiabulls or Mr. Vaidyanathan - CEO, Future Capital Holdings more the number these Big SHOTS / CELEBS more publicity we can get..but we have to get them on board, we can do this by inviting them to RUN for a noble cause like Anna Hazare's Jan Lokpal or Anti-Corruption, they too will get their bit of PR. The good thing is they are all serious long-distance Marathon Runners. We need to chalk out a plan tomm. at Aarey where I will be present. Let me know
Regards,
Kingshuk
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Permalink Reply by Bijay Nair on -
Glad to take Tshirt initiative ,if u want me to do so.
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Permalink Reply by Ranjit Nair on
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Will be there too for my first run with RFL. Running for such a good cause is added motivation.
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Permalink Reply by milton frank on
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now that anna has won it for us, maybe we double up the bandra-ncpa run on 4th sept as a victory for anna run? anybody else willing to run bandra-ncpa in a gandhi topi? valigator, can you organise?
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Permalink Reply by milton frank on
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king, any plan B now that the dynamics of the protest has changed? as of now i'm thinking of a silent bandra-ncpa run with gandhi topis. if you can come up with a big ticket one, go for it buddy and post it here!
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