All the maneuvers of congress leaders in last few days have come only for grabbing the credit of instituting anti-corruption bill called Local Bill that the country as whole saw going to the credit of Anna Hazare.

Even if Congress and Sonia don’t like Anna and Ramdev to get the credit of bringing the national issue of corruption and black money stashed by unscrupulous Indians in foreign banks, the countrymen are not fool to give the Congress the credit.

Looking back it appears that series of scams first demoralized the UPA 2 and then put the government on the defensive. PM appealed to Anna and then yielded to his demand to include members of civil society in drafting committee and that also through a notification. He could have requested Anna only for the matter of inclusions in act that they wanted. In case of Ramdev PM again took a childlike approach by sending four of his ministers.

As it is clear Somia and Manmohan have different views on many issues these days. After the airport flop attempt by Manmohan’s team, Sonia brought in party and Digvijay to take the initiative in her own hand. It was Sonia that made the Delhu police to go for midnight police operation against Ramdev that the whole country watched. Ramdev was crushed. All investigating agencies have gone after Ramdev. Digvijay Singh has suddenly become the most visible face of Congress. It was he who accompanied Sibal to Manmohan’s residence before the press conference of ministers in drafting committee after the meeting with the members of the civil society on June 16.

Congress first excluded the opposition, be it BJP or BSP, to avoid any credit going to them and invited social for the drafting committee to give an impression of accommodating the will of people. And now with many accusations against the members of civil society Congress wants to grab the credit to its own fold.

Congress must understand that civil society contributed significantly in the making of the Indian constitution. It’s necessary for any good government to take civil society on its side to get the menace of corruption and black money killed. Let the Congress not make it a game to build its own image just to win the next election. It’s not only its allies such as Mamata and Omar Abadullah but even the opposition must make to participate, contribute and share the credit to make the image of country regarding corruption respectable among global community.

Congress is keen to strip the duo-Anna’s team members and Ramdev of the tag of “civil society representatives”. It’s shortsightedness.

It’s unfortunate that the nation has not got the views of the trio- Sonia, Manmohan and Rahul, that is effectively ruling the country today through any address to the nation or televised press conference. Do they think themselves too big or are they afraid? Why should not the nation hear them in a debate on the issue of corruption and black money that is of critical national importance?
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PS: As Shekhar Gupta of Express writes, “This has been a remarkably unique period in our political history, where three seniormost leaders of the establishment have not been speaking to us, the people, as a matter of policy and strategy. It is not working.”