"Let's leave everyone else other than Anna,... be it Nethaji.....out of our discussions. Let's only discuss corruption and (Jan) Lokpal in this forum....."

Yes Ganesan, Let's Leave out Food and Air.....and Survive....

Survive we will, won't we ?

"At least we'll avoid wasting our energies and attention..."

If you think talking about Netaji is "wasting our energies and attention", then you have to think again. Truly speaking, I find Netaji to be the most prominent among the ones from whom I can really DRAW ENERGY, and FOCUS MY ATTENTION on the task at hand.

I have no intention to slight you - but then, I must say what I feel, and know - in my opinion, you've grossly misread Netaji, as also the value he holds for this nation.

And you've also misread the value a Past holds for the Future. Especially when, it is a glorious one.

IT IS ALWAYS THE LIGHT OF THE PAST THAT LIFE USES TO ILLUMINATE ITS WAY INTO THE FUTURE.

MARK THAT I SAID "LIGHT" AND NOT "DARKNESS"; THE PAST HAS BOTH LIGHT AND DARKNESS, AND WE NEED ONLY THE LIGHT. AND WE MUST LEARN TO SEPARATE THEM.

AND NETAJI WAS THE "LIGHT", AND STILL IS; AND WILL BE FOR A LONG, LONG TIME TO COME. NOT SOME MODI, OR SOME GANDHI - WE MUST LEARN TO SEGREGATE.

AND THEREFORE YOU MUST REALIZE, BRINGING IN NETAJI WAS NOT AN ATTEMPT ON MY PART TO HAVE OUR PEOPLE "stand divided", BUT RATHER TO UNITE THEM.

"Let's not stand divided on peripheral issues."

And this is why I said that you have grossly misread both Netaji and India.

Netaji is NOT peripheral, but rather CENTRAL to the ethos of India.

To every Indian that understands what India means, every Indian that vibrates with his soil, air and water, every Indian whose heart pumps just not blood but love for his motherland into his veins, Netaji is the very consciousness of their soul, the very pulse of their instincts.

The man who spent 7 days and 7 nights in an underwater submarine in the Atlantic, in the midst of the terrible Allied depth-charges, so that you could one day live on a soil and breathe in the air of a free country, has suddenly become peripheral to you. Splendid!

Then, should Anna Hazare continue to fight corruption in your country ? Our Country ? Maybe not. Why should he, when there's no assurance, that once he succeeds, he too will not become "peripheral" for you ? For me? For us ?

"There's much to do."

Exactly Ganesan.

There's much to do. There's a long way to go. There's a long road to walk.

And the road is DARK.

We'll need LIGHT, and LOTS OF IT.

Go Ganesan; go get me LIGHT. I'm strong, I'm resolute, and I can walk a long way with you, for a long time, and I won't get tired. But - I need to see my way first.

It is in our PAST where A LOT OF THAT LIGHT IS. Make sure you bring me ONLY the LIGHT, NOT the DARKNESS. Be careful, for as I said, the past has both.

Can you get me a brighter torch than Netaji ? I'll wait and see. You have all the time you want - try it.

But..............

You want to rid this country of corruption, and you want to do it without Netaji. You want to get into the future without LIGHT from your past. You want to walk a dark road without a TORCH. And you think you can do it. Good - go ahead. All the Best !

Go ahead, Ganesan. Go, try it to your heart's content, to your mind's relish, to your soul's satisfaction. Meanwhile, I'll just have to sit on the sidelines and watch, for I'm incapable of those feats. But there's something I can say, and say definitely - YOUR FAILURE IS GUARANTEED !