By Raju Parulekar (raju.parulekar@gmail.com)

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You have to start with the Truth.

The TRUTH is the only way we can get anywhere…

Because any decision-making that is based upon lies or ignorance can’t lead to a good conclusion.

(Julian Assange )

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ANATOMY OF CONSPIRACY AND THEREAFTER…

—RAJU PARULEKAR

A part of this description and article is all about transparency. In this entire movement this is the first meeting partly transparent, a basic demand by ‘Team Anna’ to the Government. If I would have anticipated the content and the outcome of the meeting I would have preferred to video-record this meeting as Kejriwal, Bedi, Bhushan Inc. has demanded about meetings related to Janlokpal Bill with the Government. The whole ruling and political class is suffering from absolute corruption and so has lost objectivity about the situation in the country. They have lost connect with the grass-root and people’s wish and agony of their life. So, this bunch of twenty plus people and ‘gang of four’ among them take country for a ride and hold the government for ransom. The only thing which makes the difference between these two parties is moral authority and power of Annaji Hazare because of which twenty plus goons including ‘Gang of four’ enjoy privilege of being called ‘patriots’ and whole political class bow at their feet with sheer guilt of their absolute corruption, misuse of power, worst governance, loss of objectivity, lack of political will, lack of vision and their ultra-luxurious lifestyle. The real loss is most among 120 crore Indians, who are disillusioned, misled, have lost objectivity and convinced that this self-centered movement will create heaven for them and a stricter Janlokpal Bill (law) can abolish more than 50% of corruption from their life whereas truth lies somewhere else. We have so many complex laws and our legal system is not at all user-friendly. One more law will bring one more government’s administration table (like anti-corruption bureau) means more opportunity for corruption. What we really need is proper order in this country which will bring systemic change and ultimately will change legal system for simplicity and make it more user-friendly. But no movement is on the battle-ground for an order or systemic alternative (does not mean Constitutional changes) because that kind of movement requires understanding of political complexity, devoid of ego, honesty and integrity and character to incorporate the whole country in a course of movement. This is in-depth creative job and for this we require professional revolutionary thinkers and activists. If this doesn’t happen Annaji’s demi-god image used by these goons as their brand and shield and their reversing awakening of the people for their personal agenda which is money, fame, power and recognition. This is an article by a person whose integrity and honesty has been challenged in a press-conference at Delhi by Annaji himself. The words belonged to Annaji but conspirators were somebody else; dangerous, wicked, self-centered and in real-sense enemy of the people of country called India. This is the first article among series of three. Second is ‘Opium of Ramlila and thereafter…’ The third is ‘Dark side of Tranquility’.

-Raju Parulekar

Does ‘Team Anna’ that we are so familiar with have a letter of recognition signed by Anna Hazare? How can we expect the Kejriwal, Bhushan, Bedi and Company Inc. having no constitutional (or non-constitutional) base but having ethos that questions the very agitation? Would they be able to lead India in to a corruption free era? How difficult will it be for the agitation to sustain and pull ahead alone on Anna Hazare’s moral strength? Which direction it is heading to? Are any of us Indians familiar with the other members of Team Anna except for Bhushan father-son-duo, Bedi, Sisodiya and Kejriwal? Who has selected these 21 people to represent the 120 crore people in India? In the meeting held in Kosambi these people declared themselves as members of ‘Team Anna’. Were they given identity cards signed by Anna Hazare? If Annaji’s signature authenticates their existence then how can Prashant Bhushan show disrespect towards Annaji and question me about Annaji’s knowledge about China (unko Chin-bin ke bare mein kya maalum?) in a meeting held on 30th October? Kejriwal’s first cousin, Chief of Security, Quawall type Anchor and other such people are on the pay roll of the trust. What exactly are these people doing in ‘Team Anna’? What is their qualification (in historiography, politics, sociology or social work)? Are the people of this country aware about their identity? On the basis of Annaji’s hunger strike Kejriwal managed to get donations in crores and siphoned it in to the trust held jointly by himself and Sisodiya. How? Why they were not deposited in Annaji’s Ralegansiddhi’s trust account? Ms Bedi who was charged of taking money from the trust in (a) moral way is cleared of all charges and now is known as social worker Kiran Bedi who has latched herself on to ‘Team Anna’. During her tenure as a Police Officer did she ever let go of a person caught on charges of theft after he re-paid the said amount? When she was working for the government wasn’t the then government corrupt? Did she retire after 30 years because the government was corrupt or because she was denied the post of Commissioner in Delhi? If Kejriwal is of the opinion that the Government is corrupt then why is his wife working for the Income Tax department as an officer? Didn’t his wife advise him to pay his dues on time? When things started to go out of hand he sent the dues to the Prime-Minister’s office instead of sending it to the respective department. I want to ask him which Indian citizen has the right to do so? Is he more-equal than 120 crore we the people of India? How many of us have borrowed 9 lac rupees from our ‘six’ friends and paid our dues (nautanki)? Isn’t Prashant Bhushan’s statement (directly or indirectly indicating) that Kashmir should be handed over to Pakistan if consensus of people of Kashmir goes against India should be viewed as humiliating for the soldiers including Annaji (ex-army-man) and those who lost their life and became martyrs fighting in Kargil? Why isn’t he charged with sedition? Annaji himself was annoyed and gave statements against him. Didn’t anybody than feel Prashant Bhushan’s statement was humiliating for Annaji? Give it a thought? There are many young men and women today who rot in jail as under trials labeled as ‘Naxals’ just because they were found in possession of books on Bhagat Singh and Karl Marx, aren’t they? Why Prashant Bhushan should be exempted? Just because he has hundred crore plus asset and moral shield called Annaji Hazare? When Annaji asked that Bhushan be removed from ‘Team Anna’ who pressurized Annaji that how will we understand the legal loopholes of Janlokpal Bill without Prashant Bhushan? The same thing happened when Bhushan was exposed in the CD scandal, isn’t it? The trio Inc thinks that no patriotic and more intelligent senior advocate is available in country of 120 crore? Or they want to keep their partnership intact? Who knows the real secrets of the Inc? In the last phase of Janlokpal Bill’s Committee meeting what was the legal work that needed to be done? Kejriwal and Sisodiya had two years back taken few lac dollars donation from America’s Ford Foundation. Is Annaji aware of about it? It is not a crime on part of an authorized organization to take money as a grant from Ford Foundation and everyone is aware of this. ‘But if it is then punish Ford Foundation’, is what Kejriwal said in an interview. Have you heard of this bizarre logic? Did you read this interview in ‘Business Standard’ magazine? What does Annaji have to say about Kejriwal-Sisodiya’s financial transactions and ambitions? Did you read or hear anything about this? These questions wouldn’t have come to my mind and neither would I have given it a thought. When I watched Annaji fasting on Ramlila grounds I too shared the same feeling as you fellow countrymen that my country should be rid of corruption. I saw the mimicry act put up by Kiran Bedi a la Falguni Pathak but did not give it much thought!! An awakening was spreading through the country and that is what was gratifying for me. But very soon I was disillusioned when people from various walks of life left the movement because of this Inc. Swami Ramdev, Shri Shri, Medha Patkar, Rajendra Singhji and even Hegde sahib distanced themselves from the movement. Though they do not publicly disown the movement they are hurt within which is absolutely visible. I am not comfortable with many of them ideologically but as a neo-existentialist I agree to disagree and to co-exist for larger interest. The whole country is itself a coalition. Even then I tried to put my part in the movement with Annaji on one-to-one basis as his blogger but the importance was lost on me soon after the two incidences that took place. One of them was at the training center in Ralegansiddhi.

Annaji, me, Arvind Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan and Kiran Bedi were a part of the discussion. My presence there was accidental. I am saying accidental because it was a Sunday and a day when Annaji generally wrote his blog. This meeting was not a part of any conspiracy!! It was merely a coincidence that I was present there for the meeting. It was a meeting which any person should steer clear off in his entire life. It was the day I decided I will never base my opinion on what I see on television or on hearsay about any person. As a impulsive person I have passed this resolution many times in my life and repented by breaking it!! As soon as they entered Arvind Kejriwal and Ms. Bedi contemptuously asked me, ‘Nowadays you are making lot of appearances on television?’ Prashant Bhushan just threw a disdainful look at me. I replied, ‘not as much as you people.’ Annaji was sitting right next to me, restless. Kejriwal asked me, ‘what is this blog that you write?’ I said, ‘It is Annaji who is writing the blog. I translate and upload it’. Annaji wrote on the paper (as he was on maun-vrat), ‘I write the blog myself.’ Prashant Bhushan read the note but ignored it saying, ‘after reading the blog it feels like someone else is making him write the blog and say what is written in it.’ I asked Bhushan, ‘can anyone force Annaji to write or say something against his wishes? How is it possible?’ Prashant Bhushan, Kejriwal and Ms. Bedi exchanged looks. Prashant Bhushan with his hand on his cheek in a cold voice asked, ‘Who wrote the ‘gang of four’ blog?’ ‘Annaji has written it.’ It was true for when the last time that I visited Annaji the blog was typewritten and signed by Annaji himself in defense of the corruption charges leveled against these four-five people! On that Prashant Bhushan pointed at Annaji and said, ‘what does Annaji know about China’s history?’ (He had expressions on his face suggesting Annaji was illiterate-ignorant. The statement itself is self-explanatory). Annaji had written ‘Chandaal Chaoukadi’ in Marathi (This phrase is also used in Hindi evolved from China’s ‘Gang of Four’ at time of Cultural Revolution having Madam Mao and other three men). What could be the best possible translation for Chandaal chaokadi than ‘Gang of Four!’ The three then turned their attention on the blog. Arvind and Kiran Bedi said one by one, ‘you must send the blog to the team members for approval before uploading it and only then you can upload the blog. You write the blog (pointing towards Annaji) and we have to come up with answers’ (laughed mockingly). What followed in the meeting was high-drama between the three and about Sisodiya! The discussion was self-centered, ambitious, arrogant, autocratic, non-transparent, kind of un-civilised which one cannot describe on paper. But it was not in tangent with countries interest. Except Annaji nobody has wants to talk about country and society at large. I have shown Annaji’s handwritten and signed letter for re-structuring ‘Team Anna’ to the trio. They were shaken but remained arrogant. Kejriwal said, ‘we ‘Team Anna’ have decided in Kosambi Nagar that the ‘team’ will remain so hence the letter is insignificant.’ He went on to claim that to re-structure ‘Team Anna’ will harm Janlokpal issue. Annaji wrote on a piece of paper, ‘how come re-structuring and Janlokpal bill issue is contradictory?’ Annaji’s reaction was all the more explosive. Everything else I will prove in Delhi at the same place where these people made a joke of my honesty and integrity which will be more explosive and will answer all my initial questions raised in beginning of this article.

Second incidence took place in Delhi where the trio (Kejriwal, Bhushan Bedi) present who had seen, read Annaji’s handwritten and signed letter of re-structuring ‘Team Anna’ they all laughed when Annaji said ‘Raju toh havaan mein baat karta hain’. ‘Main toh usko mila hi nahin’. ‘Ye re-structuring ki baat kaha se aati hain?’ The trio knows and has seen physical letter at Ralegan Siddhi but they want the untruth to be proved before the nation for success of their conspiracies against man called Raju Parulekar, ‘call him dog and shoot him’!

I heard Arvind kejriwal prompting Annaji to say ‘Raju…Raju’ (in my ear) as I was ‘live’ on IBN 7. Rest is history!

One more thing that baffles me till date ‘what crime have I committed? How can I be treacherous and disloyal? If I was part of the crore of rupees spent by Congress as a part of conspiracy then why hasn’t that money reached me yet?! Why is that ‘Cabinet Minister’ meeting everyone other than me?! I wonder when I put forth Annaji’s opinions about these ‘gang of four+1’ (Bhushan father-son duo included) and some of their salaried members of the team before everyone what reaction it will evoke from all quarters.

These people have put me through so much mental agony for my affection towards Annaji and my country. Is there any reprieve for this? In my fight for my dignity and self-respect why no one from the media stood by me initially in spite of being part of media for 17 years? What was this fear about? Will this agitation see a positive outcome which is led by a team that itself stands on ‘insecurity, autocracy arrogance, untruth and ‘ego’? Why was Kejriwal urging me to put the matter pre-decided by his team on Annaji’s blog which is created exclusively for Annaji to express his thoughts and views? Does he want to establish his authority and authenticity by doing so? I do not want to answer this question as it is self-explanatory. Why do these people fail to garner moral strength without Annaji? So, they became conspirators by making Annaji their shield and brand.

And why is Annaji giving his share of virtue in exchange for their sin? Annaji hopes for a revolution. These people wish to turn it in to a tragedy! I wrote this following letter as one of the dead character of this tragedy. The same night when I was humiliated, insulted and crucified and my honesty and integrity was questioned upon before the whole nation than nobody stood by me. Later I wrote an incomplete letter to Annaji which I never sent and is attached below as I found myself at loss for words. Those who want laws can’t bring about a revolution. Those who want system they revolt. Revolution doesn’t happen for laws it happens after breaking laws in order to form new system. Here the laws are different. I wished to write this to Annaji but I held myself back.

The letter addressed to Annaji has been written at midnight. The pages out of history unfolded before my eyes as I remembered reading about the ‘1977 revolution’ led by Jayprakash Narayan which was jeopardized because of immature, conspirators and egoist people like Rajnarayan and others. The entire ‘Team Anna’ comprising of Kejriwal, Bhushan, Bedi trio should be dissolved by Annaji and instead made to work on farms for three years is the feeling that rises in my heart. The thought that worried me was what was I going to do in the Press-Conference in Delhi? My eight year old daughter was fast asleep with an innocent thought, ‘my daddy comes on television (not as a media person as earlier) but on the other side of the table so he must be great’. Is her father right or wrong? Who is going to tell her that? History?

“Respected Annaji,”

Namaskar.

Today I am writing this letter to you with utmost sorrow and regret. I was shocked beyond words at the statement you made regarding me in Delhi’s press-conference. It rendered me numb for a moment. At that time I was live on IBN 7, the Hindi news channel. The Channels senior Journalist Ashutosh accused me (directly-indirectly leaving me with no chance to explain myself) of being an agent of some Cabinet Minister on whose direction I wrote these fabricated blogs. I haven’t faced such kind of false allegations in my 16- 17 years in media and social life. I had told this on the same channel about you re-structuring ‘Team Anna’. When asked by the journalists you replied, ‘I haven’t met him, then how can I say that? Raju speaks in air’. Arvind Kejriwal prompted in your ear to take my name. I could hear it clearly as I was ‘live’ on the show. I was shocked. In fact you had given me the blog handwritten and signed by yourself stating the changes to be made in ‘Team Anna’. I am publishing the blog here as it is. Sureshbhau Pathare was also present then. He tried to stop you from doing so but you were so determined you simply went ahead with it. Sureshbhau immediately requested me not to upload that blog. I obliged and decided to upload that particular blog later. In between Kumar Vishwas, member of self-proclaimed ‘Team Anna’ wrote a letter. The letter was circulated in media without comprehending the matter. In capacity of your blogger I received calls from media. Then I was not acquainted with Kejriwal but still I gave him a call, sent him a SMS. He did not reply. Then the following chain of events made everything clear that it was all a nautanki on part of Kumar Vishwas under fine orchestration by Kejriwal, Bedi, Sisodiya and Bhushan. The moment I announced to the media your plans of bringing about changes in ‘Team Anna’ at the earliest, Kumar Vishwas suddenly appeared from Gaziabad and started reading and explaining the letter that was meant to be a ‘secret’. The charade went on for the entire day on different channels. The same afternoon I received a call from Sureshbhau asking me not to say anything (your letter) to the news channels. I refrained from speaking to the media. He said Kumar Vishwas will speak. The next day (it seems) Kiran Bedi reprimanded Kumar Vishwas for speaking to the media. Immediately ‘Team Anna’s’ all members called for a meeting and themselves passed a resolution that their place was secure and permanent. In a meeting on 30th October at Ralegansiddhi Kejriwal continuously persisted that I put this resolution on your blog which I consistently resisted. They announced this to the world. Kumar Vishwas too secured his place in ‘Team Anna’ as a gift in exchange for the letter which is part of conspiracy instead of taking disciplinary action. The anger was sheer mockery. Here three questions arise. It helps to simplify reality. First question, how could Kumar Vishwas dare write the letter without Kejriwal, Bhushan, Bedi and Sisodiya’s permission? The other question that comes to fore is without the blessings of these four is it possible for Kumar Vishwas to make appearances on all the television channels throughout the day and speak to the media? The last question being in spite of committing so many mistakes Kumar Vishwas escaped unscathed without any disciplinary action taken against him by Kejriwal, Bhushan, Bedi and Sisodiya who instead took to securing their positions in the Team. Would they have survived the ‘democratic’ process in Kosambi nagar?

Annaji, we met on 30th October in a meeting that stretched for long hours. But before I come to what transpired in that meeting I would like to touch on where I unknowingly committed a ‘crime’ in this ‘second struggle for independence’. The letter written by Kumar Vishwas was a deliberate attempt. It would be followed by them writing a letter to you to dissolve ‘Team Anna’. People will implore to them, try to dissuade them from doing so. It will be a crowd pulling stunt finely orchestrated by them. If possible you will call and persuade them to remain united. Then they will get back together to ‘save Indian democracy’. Their dreams came crashing down because of me as I unknowingly exposed the letter written by you to the media and thus in a hurry they had to wind up explaining to everyone that the country needed them. I had to face the ire later on 30th (October 2011) in Ralegan. ‘Team Anna’ comprising of Kejriwal, Bedi and Bhushan did not stop at that but insulted you directly-indirectly. I fought alone against it within closed doors. It is true you have great affection for me but because of your poor health and weakness you could not utter a single word against these rogues and fascists. I presented logical facts. I proved my honesty, integrity, love for my country and yourself by putting forward SMS, pictures, papers for the world to see. In that particular meeting Kejriwal, Bhushan and Bedi had put up their best arrogance ever in a very non-dignified manner. They were of the opinion that I ghost-write your blogs as per my whim. Kejriwal accused me of writing the blog on re-structuring ‘Team Anna’. I tried showing them the matter for blog handwritten and signed by you but they ignored it. Are we going to place our country in the hands of these four-five people and their salaried gang members? Ashutosh from IBN 7 news channel accused me of being a part of a conspiracy hatched by Congress to hijack your agitation. This followed soon after your Press Conference in Delhi. I challenged him right there that I will prove my innocence. Later on I was tagged with labels calling me treacherous, under-dog of Congress, enemy of people and counter revolutionary. It was propaganda akin to Communist autocrat. I have never ever in my life leaked personal secrets or confidential matters to public shared by my close friends. It is impossible that I would do so in your case. Annaji, the fast you had undertaken had made you weak and frail. It was cruel and inhuman to put you through so many days of fast on Ramlila Grounds. Governments inhuman approach was full of deceit and the so- called ‘Team Anna’s’ callous attitude was fraudulent. The donations that came in your name during that period found a way in to Kejriwal’s hands. How is that possible? What is this so-called morality? I suggested you start the blog because all the fasting had made you physically weak sapping you of all your energies thereby cutting your communication with the outside world. Kiran Bedi tweeted on twitter straying away from ground realities and facts. You were supposed to end your fast on Ramlila grounds the next morning but Kiran Bedi sent a message on twitter that you will be ending your fast the same night! Besides Kejriwal, Bedi, Prashant Bhushan and Sisodiya had free reigns. They caught hold of their friends in media and started talking on various subjects as if they were the ‘experts’ in that field. It was free use of your credibility and ‘brand’ as what you wanted to say was conveniently side-lined. This gave them the stature of being virtuous and demi-gods. Kuvalekar was with me in this till the blog on Steve Jobs was written. When that blog was published I was in France. Till then Kuvalekar took over the responsibilities. Then he walked out of it, reasons being personal. The journey hence forth was between you and me. Not many know how your blog was structured. Before you attained ‘maun vrat’ we had discussions regarding the topics that would go on the blog and then you would write them down. I had insisted that you write the blogs yourself in your own handwriting and sign it before handing them over to me once I returned from abroad. You always ensured that it happened that way. Every blog is hand written and signed and dated by you. You were of the opinion that ‘Janlokpal Bill’ is not the only key to rid India of corruption. We discussed how your thoughts on corruption had struck a right chord with people and its repercussions on the entire movement. Forming new laws was not going to help but instead forming a stable, sustainable, human and organic order is necessary. For that we need to include young men and women between the age group 20 to 45 as decided by you. It was even decided that we do an online registration for the same because you don’t want any middleman between you and India. Drawing from you previous experiences which were horrific you wanted to make it impersonal. Along with this you wrote down many more explosive blogs and handed them over to me. You were thinking of showing the way out to Sisodiya, Bedi and Bhushan and contemplating on changing Kejriwal’s role in the team. You spontaneously wrote the blog on re-structuring the Core Committee. As I left (as the practice) I laid my head in your lap. You patted (as you would often do) lovingly on my head. But suddenly something changed after you went to Delhi as my honesty, faith and love for my country was crucified. What wrong had I done? The people who had read your letter, Kejriwal, Bhushan and Bedi were present there and laughed at me. This scene was right out of pages from Mahabharat when Duryodhan laughed as Draupadi vastraharn took place. I was accused of being unfaithful and dishonest before the whole world. I was left with only two options; either I prove my innocence or else commit suicide. The thought of my daughter, my wife and my aged father came to my mind and I decided to stick with the first option. I poured my heart before the world about the issues that would prove my honesty. Your team threatens the government to maintain transparency through video recording when the government holds discussions regarding the welfare of the people. But why did they squirm in their seats when I was helpless as accidentally I made public the proceedings of our first meeting? If I do so I am called a ‘traitor’? Is it synonymous with ‘transparency’? Till to date whose secrets have I made public? Whose dirty linen have I washed in public?

Annaji hence after when you take to ‘fasting’ for whatsoever reason I too will fast with you because even I want justice. I want to serve my country. I love my country and countrymen. I love you and I want back my right to lay my head on to your lap….’

(This letter remains incomplete)

P.S- I hereby grant permission to everyone to publish this blog as it is without alterations and changes.