Shri Anna Hazare, Life Journey Interview with MyPencildotcom

” 2 Classes would have 4 classes of education in the village before Independence of India , i studied in such situation”

Shri Anna Hazare

“Youth of the country has immense power, If the youth of the nation wakes up then the future is not far”

Shri Anna Hazare

Interview with ANNA HAZARE

MyPencildotcom : You faced immense difficulty in your childhood and with all your studies. Discuss your childhood journey till class 7^th with us.

Anna Hazare Ji : I was born in a simple family but my grand-father was associated with Indian National Congress. I was the eldest among all of my siblings and there I completed my education till class 4^th and then I shifted to Mumbai with my uncle and rest of my education was completed there.

MyPencildotcom :The conditions in the villages have changed post-independence, what all changes do you feel have taken place in the villages after independence?

 Anna Hazare Ji :Before independence the conditions in the village were adverse. Conditions of drought and extremely less rainfall were common. Four classes of teaching were taken in two rooms with two teachers insinuating about the pathetic conditions. Afterwards the people of the village pooled in money worth Rs. 1 crore and built a school building with 46 teachers imparting education to the children of the village with every class room having CCTV cameras, digital teaching and computers. The village donated 12 acres of land to the school because of which people were encouraged.

MyPencildotcom : When and why did you join Indian Army?

Anna Hazare Ji : In my childhood, my mother always blessed me with good values and my social mind developed because of this. Afterwards I read books of Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi which inspired me a lot. In 1962 China attacked us and many soldiers died in this war. The government appealed to the youngsters in the country to join Air force, Army and Navy and the patriotic mind in me encouraged me to help the country. I took training I got selected. In 1965 Pakistan attacked on India. When I was on the border looking at that the view where my partners martyred I made my decision to join the army and devote my entire life to help the people and the nation.

MyPencildotcom : How did you initiated your efforts to control usage of tobacco/cigarette in your village?

Anna Hazare Ji :There is no example to state that the consumption of alcohol or cigarette was making a person healthy and strong. There were 35 alcohol shops and since people had no food and water to survive so they started drinking alcohol. Initially when I started my work in the village I concentrated on providing food and living to the villagers. Water development measures, loose water structure and dams were created. There problems were solved and then a group of 45 youngsters decided to stop the consumption of alcohol and then on the auspicious festival of Holi they burnt down all those 35 shops and now there is no single shop.

MyPencildotcom : How did you resolved caste discrimination in your village and set example for everyone in the world? And what is the present day situation of the village?

Anna Hazare Ji : The Dalits in the village had separate wells, had separate seating arrangements in village programs and were treated differently. Then I realized that this was wrong and started visiting the area where the Dalits lived and drank water from their house and brought out changes in the mindset of people in the village. And then in difficult times the Dalit land was used for farming and then as a family the villagers and Dalit community came together and ignored all the differences.  A leader who has a positive mindset is extremely important for the village so that people are encouraged and the society grows.

MyPencildotcom : Why do you think it is important to raise voice against injustice?

Anna Hazare Ji :2 things are very important for the village, society and country which are DEVELOPMENT and CORRUPTION. Giving speed to development without corruption is salient. I started development in 1998 and I founded an organization namely “Bharshtachaar Virodhi Jan Aandolan” and travelled thousands of km across Maharashtra. I used to collect money in a bag and after 10 years in Maharashtra I made a composition in 33 districts and 252 blocks. Then when I started sending the corrupt officers and politicians back home. Our constitution is supreme and laws were needed to stop corruption I fought for 8 years to introduce the law of Right to Information. I was sent to jail but after 5 days the government decided to free me as they feared they were in trouble.

MyPencildotcom :What do you suggest to the new generation to do apart from just studies?

Anna Hazare Ji : Youth of the country has immense power, If the youth of the nation wakes up then the future is not far. Apart from the professional goal of becoming a lawyer, businessman etc. a person should have a life goal. Unless you make a life goal you will never be able to see your destination. When you see your destination you should move towards it and you should never stop.

MyPencildotcom : New generation has a trend to comment positive and negative about famous leaders, do you think it is right?

Anna Hazare Ji : Todays generation gives different good and bad opinions about the leaders because the leaders and politicians are not concerned about the people and nation. They run behind money and power because of which are nation is deteriorating. The society gets highly influenced by the leaders. There are only a few leaders who think positively and sacrifice for the nation.  The youth should use its voice to point out the good and the bad as both of them are important.

MyPencildotcom : Our show inspires a large number of audiences. Please tell our viewers what should they do and what kind of a person they should become?

Anna Hazare Ji :God has created a society which has good and bad in it. Find answers to why do you live? What is the purpose of your life? Find solutions and happiness from within yourself. You will never find happiness in the outside world, if you try and find it will always result in misery. Public service is the only form of worship. You should think on these lines. Happiness can never be expressed in words it is something which can only be experienced. The good and bad deeds done by a person happen because of a person’s mind.