Anna Hazare hunger strike undermines democracy, says Rahul Gandhi
The scion of India's most powerful political family has praised a reform activist for galvanising anger against corruption, but condemned his hunger strike as "a dangerous precedent for a democracy".
The comments, by Rahul Gandhi, a ruling Congress party MP, were his first foray into the government's standoff with Anna Hazare since the 74-year-old activist began a fast 10 days ago.
Hazare's action has brought tens of thousands of supporters, angry about endemic corruption, onto the streets.
Gandhi's speech came a day after an emotional appeal by the prime minister, Manmohan Singh, for Hazare to end his hunger strike, signalling a government attempt to take control of the corruption debate.
Hazare had demanded that parliament pass his stringent version of a bill creating a government watchdog. He appeared to slightly soften his stance on Thursday after Singh offered MPs a debate on several proposed drafts of the bill, including Hazare's.
He said that if MPs passed a resolution backing some of his demands, pledging greater transparency and including low-level bureaucrats and state officials under the watchdog's oversight, he would begin eating again.
"My inner conscience tells me that if there is a consensus on these proposals, then I will break my fast," he wrote in a letter to Singh on Friday.
The activist, who has lost 15.5lbs (7kg) so far, said he would continue protesting even if he ended his fast, to push for other demands including giving the watchdog power to investigate the prime minister and judges.
On Friday, parliamentary officials were trying to work out procedures for introducing the competing bills.
Gandhi thanked Hazare for articulating Indians' anger over corruption, but called his hunger strike a "tactical incursion" into government functioning aimed at undoing the checks and balances of parliament. "Today, the proposed law is against corruption. Tomorrow, the target may be something less universally heralded. It may attack the plurality of our society and democracy," he said.
Gandhi said Hazare's protest gave the false impression that the creation of a strong watchdog would end graft in the country. "There are no simple solutions to eradicate corruption," he said, proposing policies including government funding of elections and parties.
"To eradicate corruption demands a far deeper engagement and sustained commitment from each one of us," he said.
Meanwhile, some of Hazare's allies began raising concerns. Swami Agnivesh, a respected peace activist, divorced himself from the protest, saying he was puzzled that Hazare was still fasting after Singh had agreed to debate his proposal.
"That was a great moment in our history, where the representatives of our nation got up to salute [Hazare] and appeal to him to give up his fast," Agnivesh said. "To carry on, carry on with his fast, even after that is not something I am able to understand at all."
Retired judge Santosh Hegde, a Hazare associate who uncovered a multibillion dollar bribery scandal in the mining industry, said he also was disturbed by the demands being made on parliament.
"I have been a judge and I believe in certain democratic principles. And to me, it's very difficult to digest," he said, according to the Press Trust of India.
The tone of India's media coverage, which had been strongly supportive of Hazare, also appeared to be shifting following Singh's speech. "We believe Anna should acknowledge the PM's gesture and call off his fast," the Times of India wrote in a frontpage editorial.
Rajdeep Sardesai, the editor-in-chief of the IBN 18 television news network, called Hazare a hero but also said he needed to abandon the hunger strike.
"You are now an icon for millions. Please don't allow a personality cult to shadow your ultimate gift of common sense," he wrote in the Hindustan Times.
But Medha Patkar, one of the protest leaders, said the government had not yet given protesters the concrete victory they wanted. "It is not enough to have made a point," she said. "What is needed is a result."