Stand up! This is the second fight for freedom. The second fight.
This is our final fight.
And, I have full faith...
that the people of India will stand by me.
And,with the support of the people of India we will surely win this fight.
We will succeed.
We can see how powerful people can be.
Today, the government's regime is in danger.
The government is shaken because of people's power
And, the day when my hunger strike completes 3, 4 or 5 days their chair will be completely shaken.
Because people will no longer remain quiet.
The people of the entire nation will stand up against them.
This is the second fight for freedom. The second fight.
People have an intrinsic rage against corruption...
and they exploited this rage in such a way that
it was targeted only against Congress party's corruption
and the corruption of Manmohan Singh's government,
whereas, none of this was verified and it turned out to be a mere hoax.
And, with the help of this they formulated a well-thought move,
you can also call it a well-planned conspiracy with a motive to start a huge movement
which could collapse the government.
And, India will be known as Ramlila ground Tahrir Square.
During those days Hosni Mubarak's government was declining
which became an existing example.
I repeatedly told them, and especially told Mr. Manish at Ramlila ground.
I took him aside at the footsteps of Zakir Hussain college
and told him that Hosni Mubarak was a 39-year long dictator.
So, they could demolish the government with public protest.
But ours is a democratically elected government so we cannot demolish the government.
If the government feels threatened they can call the military.
And in 2 minutes the entire crowd will disappear. What will you do then?
So, I advised them to not get into this hassle of demolishing the government,
but Arvind Kejriwal was adamant.
They have spent 70 thousand crores for Commonwealth games.
Do we need Commonwealth games?
I started a campaign before the inception of IAC.
when I was working with Navbharat times.
During commonwealth games, there was massive corruption
and this news continued to make headlines.
So, I started this campaign know as 'Commonwealth Jhel'
to raise awareness among maximum people
that this is our hard-earned money, our tax money.
And, show them how the government was wasting it and how it was being misused.
So, with this motive, we started the commonwealth suffering campaign.
Commonwealth games, the Commonwealth scam and the people's movement against it.
That's when my book, It's Common v/s Wealth was published.
And thereafter, the India Against Corruption movement had begun.
So, when they were naming the movement, me and Shivendra were also present with some 8 to 10 people.
I was an active participant and witness in those meetings.
And, it felt that maybe we are inching towards bringing change in the country
this was a very crucial fight against corruption and pride of power, which will be fought by the people.
We were preparing for the fight. So, such was the atmosphere when IAC was formed.
And after that, the whole nation has seen the saga of the movement, the party, and descent of the party.
I remember that in the basement of an NGO at Gol Market,
we were approximately 10 to 12 people including Arvind Kejriwal.
So, a meeting was held there to discuss how we should initiate the Lokpal movement.
Once I spoke to Kapil and we both agreed that we must take this forward.
And, for this issue Kapil was already in touch with Arvind Kejriwal.
So, one day Kapil informed me that he and Arvind wanted to meet.
So let's meet up.
This was around October-November 2010.
So, we met and I got to know that the people of the civil society
want to start a campaign for the Lokpal bill.
It can be said that the 3 of us, were the co-founders of this campaign.
And, the 3 of us initiated the India Against Corruption movement.
Meanwhile, in his book 'My second inning's', the Ex-law minister of India, Mr. Shanti Bhushan shared...
the names of the people who first drafted the Lokpal bill, in August 2010.
So, in the first meeting itself, our movement India Against Corruption had begun.
Arvind Kejriwal suggested that we should do a rally in Delhi university
and all the 10-12 people present here will arrange 20 cars...
and we will take out a rally of approximately 2000 students.
I kept listening to all this, but I have a very pragmatic approach.
So, I told him after the discussion was over and everyone agreed to it.
I told him, sir, all these 10-12 people sitting here will not even bring their personal cars
and you are asking them to bring 20 cars each.
Everyone will give excuses and escape.
He agreed that I have a valid point.
So, what is the solution?
We need public mobilization for sure.
Then someone suggested, that we must connect with Ramdev ji as he has a huge following.
So, he can help with mobilization.
Arvind Kejriwal liked this idea.
But he said he didn't know Ramdev ji personally
But I know Mrs. Kiran Bedi very well. And, Mrs. Kiran Bedi knows Ramdev ji very well.
So, this way we got in touch with Ramdev ji.
And, the first task that we did through the rally was
on 14th November 2010 outside Parliament Street police station,
A big assembly was organized at the Parliament Street...
to register a complaint against CWG 2010 scams and submit it to the police station.
and for that the responsibility of arranging a public gathering was given to Ramdev ji
and the documentation responsibility was handled by Mr. Arvind Kejriwal's team
So all this started from here.
What did you feel then, that this will change the country?
Why did you jump into this? How did you connect to this and how were you involved?
Those days, I am talking about the year 2011...
Yes.
Every day the only news you could read in the papers was of corruption and nothing else.
Every day one after the other, and the news that affected me the most,
were the allegations of commonwealth games corruption.
And, later the Adarsh society scam and then 2G scam.
So one after the other every day
it was only about corruption and mismanagement
And the main issue was that even F.I.Rs were not being registered.
If you are getting complaints, then at least, the police should register the complaint.
But the police was not doing that.
At that time my conscience urged me and at the same time I got a request
to join them for registering a complaint with the police.
And, this is my domain so I agreed to go with them.
So we decided to go to the Parliament Street Police Station
And, if there are allegations of corruption please register and investigate it.
So, when I saw their resistance even for this,
I joined that group and we registered a joint F.I.R at Parliament Street.
And, I remember the A.C.P. came and accepted our F.I.R.
as they were against the government, because the commonwealth games scam was done by the government.
Hence no one signed it.
Now Arvind was upset wondering what to do next.
So he checked google to find out an activist in sports.
And, he got to know about us and our Clean Sports India movement.
So, he called me and asked for our signatures, to file a PIL petition against commonwealth games.
I didn't even take a second to think about it...
and I asked where and when should I come to sign.
When the Lokpal bill was being drafted with the people associated with the movement,
We had regular meetings.
So in one such meeting...
I remember in January 2011...
in which Mr. Mahesh Giri who is an MP from East Delhi.
He suggested that we should have a different name for this.
he meant for Lokpal bill draft, because even the government was drafting a Lokpal bill.
So, our Lokpal bill should have some branding or a different name.
So, he suggested that this is the people's Lokpal so we must name it 'Jan Lokpal'.
And, everyone loved this name. So this is... how the name Jan Lokpal was given to it.
Arvind had organized an assembly for India Against Corruption movement at Ramlila ground.
And we were discussing and planning to invite Anna ji for that assembly.
He asked me who should be the face of this movement?
So, I suggested Anna ji's name because I had worked with him earlier...
and he had a good reputation of fighting against corruption.
We had a long discussion about Anna ji and his attitude.
So, I revealed all the problems that I felt Anna ji had.
That he is a whimsical man. He is not a deep thinker and he never sticks to his point.
There is no guarantee that if he commits he will honor it.
So, Arvind started laughing.
But I said if you compare him with other leaders of our country Anna ji is a better leader.
Then Arvind and Anna ji met.
Just 3 days before the Anna movement,
he himself told me that he got to know about Lokpal bill issues
from Aruna Roy's committee
where he had to draft some issues and submit
to Sonia Gandhi and to the government.
One of the task was of Lokpal, which was mentioned in manifesto of UPA.
and they gave that job to Arvind.
Arvind was the junior-most member of their committee.
He himself told me all this.
And with the excuse of drafting it, he contacted other people.
Slowly he felt why should I make this for Aruna Roy's committee.
I should hi-jack this for myself as I have got a huge issue.
Aruna Roy also realized that he is snatching it from her, so she kept him away.
A meeting was held at Dr. Manmohan Singh's residence.
Where all of us were present including me, Arvind, Kiran Bedi, and Anna Hazare.
And he listened to everything very patiently.
His other 2 cabinet ministers were also present.
And, we told him that your government had promised to bring Lokpal...
so please include members from the civil society in the drafting committee.
He said, that this has never happened before.
Only cabinet ministers are allowed in this.
So, later he asked us to meet Pranab Mukherjee, the chairperson of group of ministers.
But Arvind avoided them and asked me to go for the meetings. And, I agreed to go.
So, the meeting was held at the Defense Minister A.K Antony's office and he treated us with respect.
Kapil Sibal, Salman Kurshid and one another minister Narayanasamy...
All 5 ministers sat down for the meeting, and I told them to include members from the civil society.
We had a lengthy argument, and they said it has never happened before so how is it possible now.
You please give your suggestions what else can be done, but we can't allow this.
I said we want to change the thinking, that only the government will control everything.
Our allegations are aimed at the government.
We are making this to investigate the ministers, including the prime minister.
All these big legislation’s are based on this.
Right to Work, MGNREGA, Right to Information and others.
After that they agreed that I was right, but did not accept my proposal.
And they sat down there and we were silenced.
Everyone remembers that during Anna movement you were the stage operator.
And I also remember on 5th April, a video message was released that Anna ji was going to come.
At Vijay Chowk where all reporters are gathered, we decided to shoot the video there.
Manish was working for Zee TV channel.
And today however their relations are, but Zee TV Chairman Subhash Chandra helped him a lot.
We can argue for and against the standards of journalism and its values
but he supported him as he was working on RTI which was a good cause.
He helped Manish by giving him paid and unpaid leaves and compromised a lot.
Even Rajat Sharma helped us for the movement through India TV.
The videos were edited and made there and he also gave suggestions.
This was at the beginning of the movement.
So, Manish brought a camera, a tripod stand, and one lapel mic.
And, just like your team, a similar team of 2-3 people came there.
So, there was one young boy who was handling the camera and lights.
So, I asked, "who is he?"
He said he had hired him for 10 to 15 thousand rupees as an assistant for his Kabir foundation...
and this boy has studied journalism. This boy was none other than the infamous Bibhav Kumar.
who later became Arvind's P.A. from the first day.
And in this party and protest, all the non-grass root work that was done
like character assassination of people, tweeting against them, humiliating their families or...
in a way you can say that Bibhav Kumar became the holder of all his secrets.
So, I made that video about Anna ji.
You can say that since 1977 revolution the generation of our country had not seen such enthusiasm.
The current system was functional which was either good or bad.
People either gave vote or didn't.
But a 17, 18, 19 or 24 year old boy or girl or even a 30-year-old man had not seen these things.
He has only heard stories about Jai Prakash's revolt.
Or the older men had memories of 1947 freedom fight.
After that, something like this was happening for the first time in the country...
that some boys and girls, full of energy were ready to do anything.
This created a frenzy among the people and the video became viral.
5th April, Jantar Mantar... we have to make India corruption free.
We can make tools out of rusted iron. We turn our tears into weapons,
if these politicians think we are useless, they are mistaken as we have elected them to govern this country.
Wake up people of this soil...
the time has arrived...
when their throne will fall...
and their crown will be seized.
Now, we will break free from all chains...
and these beasts won't be spared.
The wave of revolution has risen...
and it cannot be controlled.
Every household in the country has awakened
so, they will be forced to leave.
The corrupt men will be punished...
and the brave men will live in our hearts...
A meeting was held in the NAC office, maybe it was 3rd of April.
In this meeting there was a proposal to discuss how we can persuade the government to follow it.
All of us were there, Prashant Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal as well.
When I had to speak, I clarified that we want civil society members to be included...
in the drafting committee.
But the government is not accepting it.
We can give names to the government of people who are already a part of the National Advisory Council.
Like Aruna Roy.
Aruna Roy was presiding, a few other people and some of our people could be involved.
It will be great for them as everything is done.
Now what can the government say?
Suddenly, Arvind Kejriwal was shocked and told me that I ruined everything.
He was furious but he couldn't do anything.
So, I'd like to put it across in a way...
that Aruna Roy herself clarified that this is not in our mandate
that we became a part of the governments drafting committee.
We are an advisory council, so we cannot be a part of the drafting committee.
When she dropped it, he was very happy.
And later he taunted me saying from where do you get such ideas.
I told him that I was looking for a solution and I gave it.
Pass the Jan Lokpal bill...
This is what India wanted since a long time.
Sing with me!
On the 3rd day, around 10 P.M. when the protest was going on,
Mr. Kapil Sibal called and asked me to meet him for an important discussion.
So, I quickly went to Anna ji and Arvind. I asked them whether I should go to the meeting.
Both said yes so I went to Kapil Sibal's house where 3-4 other cabinet ministers were also present.
He said that we are ready to accept your demands so please tell Anna ji to announce
that the government has agreed to form a drafting committee.
So, Shanti Bhushan said that we need confirmation on an official written letter.
So, I conveyed this message to them. And they agreed to give an official letter and said...
but first speak to your people, and ask them what else do they need.
These people came up with new demands to create hindrances.
That Pranav Mukherjee will be the chairperson and Shanti Bhushan will be the co-chairperson.
I conveyed this and they agreed.
They accepted every demand these people kept.
So after accepting all demands, they agreed to give an official letter
and they wanted Anna ji to announce that after receiving the official letter they will end the hunger strike.
So, I came back and met Anna and Arvind
and there was a small room behind the stage where we sat down.
Even Kiran Bedi was accompanying me and we said Anna ji you have won.
as the government has accepted all your demands.
So please announce that once you get an official letter you will end the hunger strike.
And tonight I will go and bring that letter.
But Anna was quiet, and Arvind said the hunger strike will not end.
So, I asked why not?
He said things have just started heating up and the country is awakening.
Just wait and watch what will happen next.
I said whatever may happen, but if the government is accepting all your demands,
then what is the reason to continue the strike? Kiran Bedi too said the same thing.
How will we face the press when they ask us, what issue are we fighting for?
But he was adamant that we will not end the hunger strike at any cost.
Anna said that he can continue the fast for another 10-15 days.
But I was very disappointed, and I realized that this man has some hidden agenda.
So I folded my hands in anger and said, "Anna Namaste"
I did this and told him that from now on our paths are separate and then I walked away.
Then Kiran Bedi asked me to quickly contact Prashant Bhushan and call him here.
I said," Sister he lives in Noida and it will take half an hour for him to reach here."
And till then the suspense will increase. as the entire media is constantly questioning me, but I am quiet.
She insisted and asked me to give it a try.
And it was a coincidence that both father and son were at the Chelmsford club, which was in the vicinity of Jantar Mantar.
He said, "I will reach there immediately, within 2 minutes"
And, both of them arrived.
I told them that Anna and Arvind are being stubborn and refusing to end the hunger strike.
That day I saw Shanti Bhushan's aggressive side.
Oh, dear! even I got scared.
Shanti Bhushan said to him, "Anna they have accepted all your demands, so you must end the hunger strike."
Anna kept quiet and then said, "I can continue the fast for another 10-15 days."
Shanti Bhushan yelled at him in anger and asked, "Why do you want to continue?
Are you trying to blackmail them? I will do a press conference tomorrow and expose you.
You seem to have some other intentions."
He scolded Anna and now everyone was shivering in fear.
I had never seen Shanti Bhushan so angry.
Everyone was quiet.
Then Anna murmured,"We will do whatever you'll want us to do."
Next morning I was bathing and I got a call from Kapil Sibal's office and they said, "Come fast, we are ready."
So, when I reached there I was shocked to see, that it was not just a letter,
it was a complete Gazette notification which was prepared overnight.
And when read a little, I was even more shocked.
It was mentioned that a drafting committee will be formed,
even the names of the members were given and they had also set a deadline of 30th June
I came out, and rushed to them.
Many media reporters were waiting outside but Kapil Sibal and I didn't tell them anything.
And I came running and said,"It's done. We have got a gazette notification."
Now they had no choice as they accepted everything last night.
So, they called for juice and asked to do a few other things also.
When Anna ji was breaking the fast we started shouting slogans.
Victory to Mother India!
Chief of the house of Raghu, Lord Rama.
Up lifters of those who have fallen, Sita and Rama
Chief of the house of Raghu, Lord Rama.
Up lifters of those who have fallen, Sita and Rama
When during the first few meetings I saw their negative reaction,
I think I said in an interview or maybe I said it directly to them
that in such negotiations there is always a give and take.
So you should share the positive results and how much is left to be done.
Then only we can take it forward but if you reject it completely, how can we move forward?
He denied everything saying that this is not our approach.
He wanted to break all communication with them.
But it was my thinking and that's how I work, in the spirit of negotiations,
But I could see at every step that he is trying to break all ties and aggravate the protest.
His only motive was to collapse the elected government, and he kept trying to do it.
The 9 meetings of the Joint drafting committee did not achieve any positive outcome.
Because Manmohan Singh's government, was not in favour of the civil society's Jan Lokpal bill, and did not take it seriously.
Maybe, they wanted to bring the governments Lokpal bill draft so they were adamant.
We are going on a hunger strike on 16th August
And, this has nothing to do with Lokpal bill and corruption.
And even if it has anything to do with corruption,
then first give us an explanation, for whatever Yogendra Yadav said about you.
That day when Anna Hazare came on 15th August...
and when he was arrested before that we already got a whiff, that he will be arrested.
But Anna was in my car. I secretly took Anna in my Baleno car with 2 other people.
I hid them and was taking them to a safe house.
The safe house was a place, where we could hide Anna from the people to avoid his arrest.
But I don't know how the police got to know about this place.
This team is an expert in selective leaks.
Let me tell you this that in selective leaks, suppose Arvind Kejriwal steps out to spy on someone,
then he and his team can do a great job.
Because they had these sneaky habits of withholding information,
pretending to hide something and then leaking it out slimily.
They are very good at that.
Somebody tipped off the police, and then Anna was of course arrested
and Arvind Kejriwal went along with Prashant Bhushan.
I was in touch with Prashant Ji and I knew the place allocated for the movement,
I think it was Jai Prakash park, for which the police had given permission.
But we decided that we will not execute the task there.
When I went there the jailer told me
that...
you can't go to the jail again as you were released once,
so as per the rule you can't go back.
I said this is foul play.
You got me here to talk, but now you are saying I can't go inside.
So, I told him my intention, that if I can't go inside the jail, then I can't go outside as well.
I will sit in your office, and if you want to throw me out, then lift me and send me out.
Or else push me out of here, but I won't go by myself.
And, I slept in the jailer's office for 3 days.
After that, the government announced
and ordered them to send me to Ramlila ground.
Anna, you keep up the struggle, we are with you.
And, the next day when Anna was being released from jail, you won't believe this
even Kiran Bedi and Kumar Vishwas were there and it was raining.
The Ramlila ground was filled with potholes and with one flag...
everyone was singing the song Lokpal... Lokpal... stop this corruption...
written by Shri Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad. His team had given this song to us...
and it was like a gift which became a huge anthem for all of us.
Victory for Mother India!
Long live our revolution...
We won...yes we won...
When we sacrifice our lives to awaken the country...
we should die with the name of the holy Ganges on our lips, and the tricolor flag in our hands
we should die with the name of the holy Ganges on our lips...
In people's mind...In people's mind...
Long live our revolution...
Anna, you keep up the struggle...We are with you.
Anna, you keep up the struggle... We are with you.
For 13 days around 10 thousand to 70 thousand people were gathered there every day.
This was no less than a revolution.
And the people's movement was not only Delhi centric but also there in Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad.
And even people form the northeast in Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh participated for the candlelight march.
Under the guidance of an authentic person like Anna, the protest helped to fight a major disease.
And, this protest got great response from the people which is an auspicious sign.
We never had the hope that this protest will bring system transformation,
because I already knew Arvind as a social worker and I had seen his work.
He was definitely a determined and hard-working social worker.
But on a large scale, I don't see him as an introspective or wise thinker.
Neither I, nor the country saw him that way.
There was something extraordinary about the IAC movement,
which forced people from different classes to collectively come out of their homes and gather there.
Because we thought this to be India's Tahrir Square moment.
And there I met so many known people, who had come to see what's happening.
So, I have been a supporter of this movement for the fight against corruption, since then.
Lokpal is the people's guardian and it gives them great power.
Yes.
The main objective of Lokpal is to control governance and administration.
We should have clean governance and clean administration.
The prime minister must be bound within the limits of Lokpal for public interest.
This is politics. Isn't it?
And people should have control over it.
At that time a lot of people created noise and asked, "How can the people control the prime minister?"
From time to time...
these types of bills were introduced to control the politicians.
Lokpal name was given by Abhishek Singhvi's father Laxmi Mall Singhvi,
he translated the word Ombudsman to Lokpal.
This protest is not for Lokpal, it is a protest to give power to people.
And whenever the fight is for people's power it is our righteous duty to support it.
It's been 79 years, and you have got a lot.
What else do you need?
The problem is that Anna Hazare doesn't know much about the constitution
This is a real problem.
During Anna Hazare's protest, the 11th, 12th and 13th days were miserable for him.
Anna's health was deteriorating.
Medical advice was given by a council of doctors,
who said that Anna will fall seriously ill.
and he must take something to break his fast.
And you might be aware that the Joint session parliament had begun.
And quite some things had been agreed upon.
Out of the 4 conditions, Congress party was ready to accept 3 of them.
But Arvind was constantly changing his goal post and making it more and more difficult.
And, Anna's co-team of people from Maharashtra,the people whom he trusted and wanted to be with, were very worried.
And, some of us were also worried.
I remember there was a stage and below it, there was a space and we were always there.
In the front, there was a throng of the crowd and the media behind.
I was there and I remember, I was literally in tears,
I was talking to Medha Patkar ji also, that something might happen to him.
I am concerned that Anna ji may die and may lose his life.
But Arvind said nothing will happen.
He pressed my hand so tightly, silenced me and said, " Don't show your tears.
People should not see you crying, or they will think we are becoming weak."
To put pressure on them, but he didn't care for Anna.
And, that is when I saw Arvind's real character.
The same face, in which earlier I only saw innocence,
that day I saw intense abhorrence and cruelty in his face.
I saw, a kind of ruthlessness in his eyes.
A man without any scruples, without any conscience and emotions.
The way he reacted when not just me, but many others got together
and literally put a lot of pressure to break the fast.
Even Anna was scared, as it had been 12, 13 days and he thought how long can I stretch myself.
So, he sent his village people to meet Vilasrao Deshmukh, the Cabinet Minister then,
And he told him that, "I want to break the fast but, Arvind is adamant.
So if you give me an assurance letter, I will break my fast.
But please give the letter in Hindi or Marathi, so that I don't have to depend on these people to read it for me.
When Vilasrao Deshmukh came and was approaching the stage to give the letter to Anna,
Medha Patkar blocked his way with her hand and said," you cannot go on the stage."
He asked, "Why?"
She said, "No, because even you have been accused for corruption."
He said, "Sister please be patient. I was invited, so I came or else I wouldn't have come."
So, he went up and gave the letter and Anna read it.
Today three issues of Jan Lokpal,
have received support with regulations, from the parliament so...
I express my gratitude and congratulate all the members of the parliament,
and also the Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.
At 10 A.M., under everyone's presence,
I would like to break my fast.
Victory for Mother India!
Anna, you keep up the struggle, we are with you.
Long Live Anna Hazare! Long Live Anna Hazare! Long Live
Long Live Anna Hazare! Long live our revolution... Long live our revolution...
Victory for Mother India!
Mr. Kumar, please tell us about the first day at Ramlila ground, where a picture of Mother India was displayed.
And if we see Anna's background, his whole life he has been an Activist,
So, why was the picture of Mother India removed?
What is the story behind this?
You are asking about Ramlila ground?
Today even though I disagree with them,
I don't want to spread any lies against them.
So, I will tell you the truth.
So, in Jangpura at Prashant Bhushan's house we had a meeting.
We wanted to start the protest from the 19th,
and we discussed how the stage will be and Kumar will be the stage operator.
So, when I went there, Arvind sent a few other people with me.
Among them is one girl who holds a constitutional post today in Delhi.
So, she and a few other people were sent along with me.
And they told me that the stage background needs to change.
There will be a picture of Jyotirao Phule, Ashfaqulla Khan, and Maulana Azad as well...
instead of Mother India's picture.
Now I found this very strange.
I wondered what are we talking about?
So, I asked them why?
They said because last time the Muslims got a message that this protest is not for them.
They believe it is run by the RSS party, so we want to break that myth.
I said Muslims & Hindus both come to the protest.
In 2002, there were riots in Gujarat...
and even in 1992 & 1993 there were terrible riot's in Maharashtra.
So, we spoke about it as after the riots, Anna Hazare never expressed any sympathies and nor did he try to connect with the Muslims...
this is our complaint and the Muslims feel this way, which we had put forward.
Mr. Khan, do you support Anna Hazare?
As far as corruption and Lokpal bill is concerned, I have nothing against it.
Corruption is a big problem in our country.
We had raised a concern that in your 5 members team there is no Muslim.
So, If there would have been a Muslim member...
then the Muslims would get a message that they are not being neglected.
Let me be honest, whether it is "Victory for Mother India" or "Long live our motherland" slogan,
Muslims cannot worship anyone else except God...
and this is the truth and this is also taught in Islam.
God commands us, that we should not worship anyone else.
So, we cannot follow and shout these slogans.
We think about you and you think about us.
We raise their issues and they raise our issues.
Whom are you addressing as they and we? This is what I want to know?
You and me and the walls that have been built between us
because your population in the country is 75 crore and you are being exploited, so if we unite...
our population is only 25 crore. We are just 25 crore and you are more than one billion
So, your voice will have a greater impact, but when 2 voices become one...
then the voices of those people who want us to fight will be silenced.
So, there was one voice that we have to fight against corruption.
So, I said that corruption is the root of all evil.
Hence, I participated in that protest
And, when Imam Bukhari, Mukhtari and many other people raised an opposition
that we should not join this protest, because if corruption stops, Muslims won't be able to get any work done.
That is when I stood up and said this is a Non-Islamic belief and a Non-religious thing to do.
And about the country's unity and integrity...
then I saw Mr. Mohammad's foul statement where he said that,
"Loving our homeland is part of our faith."
The government accepted Anna ji's few demands and got him to break the fast.
But later the government slowed down the progress.
and they did not take any concrete steps to pass the Lokpal bill.
So, Anna decided to fast once again and intensify the protest.
Around November-December the weather in Delhi is quite chilly.
So, the protest organizers thought that it might be difficult to gather a crowd.
Therefore, they chose Mumbai as their next battlefield ground.
Anna ji accused me with an allegation of money laundering.
I did not spend any money, nor did I keep the money with me.
The money was given by Arvind from Delhi.
So, during one of the meetings I told Anna ji that you have 2 options...
Either you prove the allegation that you have accused me of or else apologize to me...
And to prove it form a committee with Prashant Bhushan and few other people...
and check all my accounts and prove if I have moved even 10 paise from here to there.
I said henceforth I will not attend meetings until you choose any one from these 2 options.
Either apologize to me or start an inquiry for me.
But he didn't have any moral strength to follow up on this.
Then Arvind told me that Anna ji said that if Mayank Gandhi stays then he will leave.
Yes, Arvind told me that Anna ji is asking him to remove me or else he will leave.
I told him Arvind you are a person who uses and throws people.
You said this to him?
Yes, I am straight forward person.
I said Arvind you are a use and throw person, and at this point if you have to throw anybody then throw me...
because Anna ji is very important for the country. But who knows Mayank Gandhi?
Not even 100 people know me.
He said of course Mayank you are right and if the need arises to remove anybody then I will remove you.
I said you are most welcome.
He said I know that Anna ji does not have a valid point.
I said no we are doing it for our country.
And, for the country, I am willing to be used and thrown.
But I was not ready to be used and thrown to bring Arvind Kejriwal in power.
So he applied the same use and throw policy, as he said workers are not important.
If one goes away, 10 others will be ready to join us.
They didn't want any person with brains in the party like Mayank.
He wanted people who follow his orders and shout "Victory to Mother India" slogans.
He didn't want any person to think, as the party had to run according to him.
Once in January, I was sitting with Arvind and he wrote a letter to The Times of India
in which he addressed the people of Delhi and the country.
and he asked for public opinion saying that we are standing on crossroads,
So what should we do now?
This was to create a background as always.
Each time they did this, as first we decide what should be done
and then we pass the ball in people's court to make a decision.
And later they said, it is what the people's wanted, so we went ahead and did it.
So, a lot of people suggested him to form a political party and contest elections.
And he wrote a loaded letter saying that all other parties are challenging him to come on the battlefield
and win elections against them. So what should we do now?
Now you will get an answer, as per the question you ask.
If you are asking them whether we should contest in the elections or not?
Then in reply people will say yes.
When we had gone to Haryana, I was sitting in Arvind Kejriwal's car and his wife was also with us.
I think the people of Haryana had pre-planned this or maybe it was discussed in some meeting.
So, whenever he rolled down the car windows, a Haryana local came to him and Arvind greeted him...
and he said to Arvind, "My son you will become a Prime Minister".
Then Arvind Kejriwal folded his hands and he blessed him in return and the car moved ahead.
I asked, Arvind ji why are saying this? We are not into politics.
But he casually smiled and said, "No it's nothing. "
I feel that by the second phase of the movement he had made up his mind.
But, we had no clue about their intentions.
After some time, we sensed that Arvind and Sanjay Singh have decided to form a political party.
Once everyone had come at the Constitution Club and Anna ji couldn't come, but Shanti Bhushan ji was there.
And, it slipped from Shanti Bhushan ji's mouth.
I heard Kumar Vishwas saying, "You shouldn't have said it. The announcement has not been made yet."
All this happened in the last phase of the movement when Anna ji called out to the people...
and 1 lakh people gathered to support him and this idea came to their mind.
At the National Executive meeting, they discussed about entering politics, as they were sure of winning many seats easily.
And I was a part of that conversation too.
Was it during IAC or national...?
During IAC.
It was only with the core committee?
Sorry, yes only the core committee, Yes. So, I asked why are we discussing about joining politics?
He said no nothing, Sanjay is just joking about it.
I told him that if you join politics, then I am not interested. I will leave.
He later said that Anna ji asked him to visit Himachal Pradesh and see if we can contest elections from there .
So, we went and gave a report that it's a small state and we gave him some other suggestions...
but then Anna ji said, he does not want to contest in the elections.
By then, there were too many differences between Arvind and Anna
and people also started losing interest in the movement.
So, Arvind felt that if he wants to be a leader, then he should go on a hunger strike.
June 2012.
Right. So, when Arvind sat down to fast, Anna ji felt he will take all the credit so he also sat down to fast.
It's amazing. What credit... it's was a different game altogether.
Victory to Mother India! Victory to Mother India!
Long live our revolution! Long live our revolution!
Long live Mother India! Long live Mother India!
Arvind use to call me and I was in Mumbai then, he told me that...
if they try to break my fast by injecting me with that...
IV fluid.
I will remove the IV and throw it.
And, I was on the stage when I heard all this, and tears started rolling down my cheeks...
looking at me everyone else started crying.
How could I know all this was drama?
I felt worried from my heart, so I wondered what a charismatic man he is to say such a thing.
Praise Sita and Lord Rama... Praise Sita and Lord Rama...
O beloved, praise Sita and Lord Rama
Praise Sita and Lord Rama...
He called me once again and said, "Mayank, we have no other option.
Anna ji and rest others will die, what will happen to this country? We should form a party."
So, from the stage I asked the crowd, what should we do?
Everyone said, yes we must enter politics.
In Bangalore, Prithvi asked this question, and he got a reply that the party must be formed.
So this is how it happened and even I got dragged into it
and then I also felt forming a party is important.
And, maybe the party would have been good if it was run properly.
I got a call early morning at 4 or 5 from someone saying that the followers of our page were declining...
and his followers were increasing rapidly every hour in thousands.
And I too saw it was happening...
I saw initially I had 10 lac followers
and they had 10 thousand followers...
and throughout the day we were left with 6 lacs and their followers went up to 4 lacs.
So in a way, it was getting transferred so we wrote to Facebook
and also started preparing for a class action suit through my friend who is a lawyer in America.
So, after this suddenly the transfer of followers stopped...
and we got a reply from Facebook that there was some technical error.
How can this be a technical error?
If they are forming a political party they need this network.
Since there were people who were against the formation of the political party, and still wanted to be a part of the movement.
So we had to find a way to show these people a way out.
But later they blamed me with useless allegations that I don't listen to anybody.
What is there to listen? We are not in a classroom.
17 to 18 men had gathered at Prashant Bhushan's house and were well prepared to corner me.
I don't mean they wanted to corner and beat me up, but they were confident...
that since they were high in number, they could easily outnumber and scare a single man.
But they were ready in this mode.
But why?
For the same things and I said all this is useless.
What things?
The same thing that I don't listen to anybody and I do things my way. So, I...
and also said I don't promote Anna ji.
I said I promote Anna ji, but you asked me not to promote Anna ji and he was embarrassed.
Whatever they said was a lie and I clearly said that he was lying and he was feeling ashamed.
And Arvind the most.
And suddenly Prashant Bhushan said that they will sue me.
And I wondered for what will they sue me.
Have I done some robbery, theft or scam? They are ones who did the donation scam.
I don't sing very well.
But in a way this party which will be formed, is yours, ours and of all country people.
I have penned down everyone's feelings in this song.
To tell what is our motive and what is our message.
Let brotherhood be a common passage...
This is our earnest message... This is our earnest message...
Let brotherhood be a common passage...
This is our earnest message...
Corruption will fall, with Kejriwal... Kejriwal... Kejriwal... Kejriwal...
Everyone did a great job.
Long live our motherland!
This victory does not belong to me, but it belongs to New Delhi's assembly members.
And I am confident that finally, the country will be victorious...
the people, democracy and India will win.
I Arvind Kejriwal... swear by the almighty... and solemnly affirm...
I shall have true devotion and allegiance towards the Constitution of India, established by law...
Long live our motherland! Long live our motherland!
Long live our revolution!
I kept waiting that someone will come and tell me that the country has taken a stand.
Now please come out. We will roam in the entire nation and awaken the people,
I thought someone would come and I am waiting for him.
But no one came and I kept quiet for 6 years because I don’t have money to travel.
Even today I travel only when someone sponsors my ticket.
When I get the ticket then only I go.
This is the truth but what do people know about it.
From outside it looks like a protest but people don't know how it is being functioned.
When our countrymen don't know anything, how would foreigners know?
No one knows. But who is at loss?
Anna Hazare didn't lose anything. Anna Hazare lives like a monk.
He has a bed to sleep and a platter to eat food on.
In the end who is at loss?
The country and society are at a loss.
If we had travelled around the country then, because Anna team had become a great team...
So, if this team went around the country, the country could stand up again...
and instead of forming a government by taking sides of a party we could have done it without any personal interest.
We did not want to join them but we could have paved a way for people, to enable them to change the country.