It took me a while but it finally fell into place. For the past few weeks I had been wondering what was so familiar about the Anna Hazare story. How was a man who had no serious political antecedents or intentions suddenly emerging as a crowd puller beyond par.

The expression on his face was all about childish glee on having destabilised a system and almost brought the Government to its knees. There was something drastically wrong. this was not the face of a crusader tasting triumph after a hard fought battle but instead it was the face of a village idiot who has suddenly discovered the magic in his flute.

Hey look, all I have to do is point at something and the crowds are going bananas. I casually mentioned that someone should do something about corruption in the country and suddenly I am the face of the anti corruption movement. So what if I am joined by people like Chandrababu Naidu who is alleged to have masterminded Operation Corruption so efficiently in Andhra Pradesh.

Its all good fun. Did you notice the childish thrills he gets when the video camera flirts with him.

But seriously. Remember the story of the pied Piper and you wonder who promised him what to lead a pack of sheep into mindlessness. And what will happen when the promises are not kept. and they won’t. Of that I am sure.

Suddenly the Anna with his newly discovered power will start a private initiative but then he is yet to discover the authority’s power of pulling the rug from under his feet. The child that he is, he will not be able to bear the shock. And either lose his balance or his life.

Then he will become another symbolic father of the nation whose name is still used by cut throats and crooks in vain. Maybe we should first do something about that blasphemy.

In the meanwhile the Ramlila Circus carries on with its many clowns and poor Anna has to jump around the top without safety harnesses or nets. RIP you poor joker. You did have an endearing face even if you looked slightly retarded.