There is a wave of mourning across the country on the demise of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. Anna Hazare, who has been the face of the India Against Corruption movement, also paid emotional tribute to Dr Singh. He described Manmohan Singh’s personality, his contributions, and his memories as living forever.
Manmohan Singh: A memorable personality
Anna Hazare said, “One who is born has to go one day. But some people leave behind memories and legacies that will be remembered forever. Dr. Manmohan Singh was one such person. He gave a new direction to the country’s economy and with his work took the country forward on the path of progress.
Hazare said about Manmohan Singh, “His thinking was always for the welfare of the society and the country. He played an important role in strengthening the country’s economy. It was the result of his foresight and decision-making ability that the country took the path of economic reforms.”
Two meetings during the movement
Anna Hazare recalled that when he was agitating against corruption and the appointment of Lokpal, he met Manmohan Singh twice. He told,
“Whenever I met him, I found that he was a person who took immediate decisions. He used to take right and balanced decisions. From the meetings with him it was felt that he really thought about the welfare of the society and the country. His thoughts will always be inspiring.”
India Against Corruption and Anna Hazare’s movement
Anna Hazare had led a historic movement by appointing Lokpal and taking a strong stand against corruption. In 2011, his fast and agitation at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi created a stir in the entire country.
- The impact of this movement was also seen in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and other states.
- The movement attracted widespread attention from the media and public.
Rise and differences of Aam Aadmi Party from the movement
This movement led to the foundation of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), although Anna Hazare was strongly against the formation of a political party.
- After the movement, Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal parted ways.
- Hazare believed that forming a political party would amount to deviating from the basic objective of the movement.
- Even after this, Anna expressed his frank opinion on the issues of corruption in public life.
Anna Hazare’s impeccable image
Anna Hazare, a resident of Ralegan Siddhi village in Maharashtra, turned towards ordinary life after the movement.
- He stayed away from any political position or prestige.
- His thinking was that by giving political color to the movement, the chances of it going astray increase.
However, Anna has many times raised questions on the policies of Arvind Kejriwal, such as the Delhi liquor scam. Despite this, Kejriwal has refrained from ever commenting openly on Anna.
