Events & Issues

New Delhi, 28 November 2011

Crowd Management

LUCRATIVE BUSINESS

By Syed Ali Mujtaba

Social activist and anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare who has caught the aam aadmi’s imagination is a subject of discussion at every nook of the country. Undeniably, though the people sympathize with his cause some have reservations about his method to check corruption.

An analysis of Anna’s fast in August at Delhi, from planning to execution, clearly indicate enormous strategic planning.While 20,000 agitators might have sat with Hazare in Delhi and another 50,000 in cities across the country, yet they remain a miniscule figure compared to India’s total population. Plainly, those who participated comprise less than 0.01 %. 

Pertinently, over 300 million people (30%) in the lower income group who are the real sufferers thanks to burgeoning corruption did not participated in Anna’s fast. And those in the rural areas were unaware of the happenings in Delhi. Yet, an impression went around that the whole country was behind him.

Indeed, Anna brought the Government to its knees thanks to display of people’s power. In fact Anna seems to have adopted the same potent agitation form prevalent in the colonial era. It has become a role model for other groups to get their demands accepted by the Government.

Clearly, this has ominous portents for the future of democracy and development.  The credit of Anna’s “highly successful” fast obviously goes to his skillful managers. Team Anna controlled the movement so tightly that no negative campaign was able to make any impact during the 12-day protest. By adopting ‘coercive’ methods Anna’s strategists “silenced” all by ably diverting attention.

Importantly, agitation management has become a lucrative enterprise which could be taught in management schools. Whereby, agitators appear to have become highly skilled with some even turning professionals. It has nothing to do with emotional outburst but is all about methods applied for crowd formation.

Undoubtedly, in a democracy where power lies with the people crowds need to be mobilized on streets around the year for different reasons and different purposes. It has to be backed by sound logistics and appropriate strategies in tune with the ground realities. And is a highly specialized job that needs to be seriously studied.

What strikes one is that many recent agitations have been “successful,” with the Central and State Governments succumbing to the agitators pressures.  Consequently, giving an impression that they were right and their methods are becoming a role model to be replicated in all future agitation.

The growing trend: Agitators measure and test what should be the ultimate intensity of their agitation to paralyse and bring the Government etc to its knees. Given the recent “successes”, many agitators think that whatever might be the cause, if one could organise about 10,000 agitators in a strategic place backed by money power and skillful media management the agitation is successful. 

Besides, organizing 10,000 protesters is a cake walk with the social media coming as a bonus. The modus operandi is simple: Agitating groups or political parties first organize money power and media support before venturing to bring the crowd to launch a successful agitation.

In terms of strategy they also take into consideration the quality of the political leadership and their lack of credibility which is superbly exploited by making pamphlets, readying speeches and the correct timing of the agitation.

Take Anna’s fast, it had all such planning done in a meticulous manner. Everything was in place; Sonia Gandhi was abroad, a weak Prime Minister at the helm and Team Anna confident that a Tiananmen Square could not happen at Ramlila grounds. Thus, with remarkable planning they launched the agitation, sustained it for 12 days and made the Government relent. The mission was accomplished. 

Interestingly, Anna’s fast is now echoing in the protest against the Koodankulam nuclear power plant in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. Although opinions are divided on this issue, those against the nuclear power station are having a field day. With the Government unable to decide on how to handle the protestors, this agitation is also considered “highly successful.”

Recall, the Koodankulam Plant has been under construction since 2001 with Russian assistance. Till date none opposed it and in fact post the Indo-US nuclear deal it was considered to be the country’s asset in nuclear power generation. However, the radiation leak at Japan's Fukushima nuclear installation in March 2011 resulted in stringent opposition to it. Thousands living around the plant are blocking highways, staging hunger strikes and preventing construction demanding closure of the plant
Notwithstanding, the Centre’s repeated assurances of the plant’s safety the protestors remain unconvinced.

Like the Anna campaign the Koodankulam agitators have managed the media ensuring that its focus remains on them and their demands. Their methods include disrupting meetings in support of the power plant.

Unquestionably, Anna’s successful agitation management theory has been noted and is now being adopted by political parties and agitating groups.  In Tamil Nadu again, agitators are getting emboldened and are demanding the closure of the Kalpakam nuclear power plant. 

The big question? How to bring these ‘misguided people’ into seeing reasons? India is not Singapore or China where such agitations would be put down with a heavy hand mercilessly. Being a democratic country we all enjoy the right to protest. Wherein, the
argumentative Indian has become the citizens’ trademark.

However, we need to remember Parliament alone is the right forum to debate and discuss every issue that concerns the citizens and nation as whole. The Constitution has given us the rights to remove those in power if majority of people dislike any action of the Government but this can only be done by the due electoral process. 

Needless to say, in such a background, if the Anna trend of people skillfully organizing agitations using money and muscle power along-with media management are allowed to have a free run, it could seriously retard the stability and progress of the country. 

While we all are proud of India’s liberal democratic traditions, at the same time, we should realize that in the interest of the nation, it is necessary to ensure that frequent agitations do not hamper the growth of the country. By resorting to coercive protests of the colonial era, Gandhi’s Satyagraha and fast unto death at the drop of a hat can be highly counter productive.

In sum, such agitation management is leading to ‘mobocracy’ and creating a condition of unrest in the country. It’s undermining our democracy, our liberal values and all the good that goes into the making of the wonder that is India. It is high time we wake up to such realities and arrest this trend gaining ground which is damaging the country. ----- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)