When Anna Hazare broke his fast at Ramlila Maidan around this time last year after Parliament adopted a Sense of the House Resolution (which frankly means nothing and serves no purpose other than recording a particular view shared by MPs), there was a collective sigh of relief. Thanks to the Government’s crass mishandling of Anna’s planned anashan – fast – against corruption in high places, what might have been no more than yet another protest turned out to be a mammoth jamboree. ‘Mai bhi Anna’ became a fashion statement among Delhi’s easily persuaded youth given to passing fads.

The crowds, the upsurge of support for Anna, the non-stop 24x7 media coverage, the popular mood turning nasty with each passing day, were overwhelming. The Government, in fact the Congress, decided discretion was the better part of valour and struck a deal with ‘Team Anna’. A Lokpal Bill, incorporating the three major demands of Anna Hazare and his cabal of advisors, would be introduced and adopted during the Winter Session of Parliament.