Do mass movements need to connect with mainstream politics?
With civil society activists coming on strong on the issue of corruption, there is certainly no denying that an entire citizen base has been mobilised and brought into action. But while the Lokpal battle is pitched on a larger level, an important question that continues to loom over the proceedings is how this energy can be channelized to take the fight further into our everyday lives and on the ground. Supporters therefore, need to extend the movement into looking at not just the Lokpal in isolation but in connection to a larger goal – systemic change, which will evolve through streamlining several other related issues that include electoral policy reform and redefining the process of departmental engagement to name a few. However, the question remains - is civil society leadership entering mainstream politics a solution to sustain this citizen engagement?