Anna is again on a fast unto death to fight corruption. Protests across the country are flying thick throughout and even though people mostly not much bothered by things are talking about it on social networks and amongst themselves.
I am writing this post for my own self, because in all of this I myself am not sure what my stand is. And it is important that I have a well defined and clear stand on this issue.
Corruption is rampant in our country. Everyone knows that, everyone has taken part in it. Almost everyone I know who has a drivers license or PAN card or Passport or a Vehicle has been a part of it. They have paid bribes, asked for favours, broken laws and then tried to pay their way out of trouble. And I have been no different. This is base level corruption which every citizen faces. And the scams that were unearthed in the recent past, money bamboozled to the tune of tens of thousands of CRORES are the other end of this wide spectrum.
The Lokpal bill demanded by Anna has been there on the table since the 70s. The govt. version is absolutely impotent, no doubt. But Anna's version is all powerfull and with too much teeth. Can't there be a compromise? No Anna is not having any of it. Nor are the people.
And what about me? So here is my take on it. Why does the govt shiver in its boots when someone talks of going on a fast unto death? I mean that's a peaceful protest! What's the harm in it. Can't the govt even give some public land for an old man to fast as sign of protest? What if the govt acquiesce? And what if Anna dies of hunger then? Mark my words there will be pandemonium, riots everywhere. Oh and hell this is India, the riots are not just gonna be general good natured looting and burning stuff, this is India, its going to be gruesome, there WILL be murder, there WILL be rape and the communal sentiments WILL get churned and this country is all too familiar with communal riots, which WILL happen. Riots on a country wide scale is exactly what our country cannot afford. The London Riots were a fucked up joke as compared to what we have had in our country in the past. No wonder the govt, scared shitless, arrested Anna. But of course the people are not going to think this far into the future, for them the only prominent fact visible is that the tyrant govt. did not even fulfil such a simple request of an old man. This is what the media is showing and this is what the people see and then agitate against. But they are not realising that in effect Anna IS holding the whole democratic process at ransom. There are ways to bring in change. Yes they are slow. Yes people who try to get things changed get kicked out in due time since the process is too slow thanks to corrupt people slowing it further. But taking the speedier way out by figuratively holding the govt at gun point is absolutely undemocratic. Its a wrong way to bring in change even if the change itself is essential and badly required.
In any case the govt has agreed now to let Anna fast, albeit for 2 weeks. Enough time for the movement to build momentum and strength so that the govt has to bow and accept the Jan Lokpal which Anna is touting.
Which brings us to the bill per se. Its a law against corrupt politicians, how can it be bad? A powerful law against politicians will ensure that they not get corrupted by the power that they get when they step into office. The problem with powerful laws are that they can be very very easily misused. POTA, MCOCA and the Armed Forces Act have been used many times in the past for cover up encounters etc. This law will get misused and a lot at that. The finer details have more subtle coarseness related to the statistics and feasibility of implementation. Just because a law has been drafted and a suitable body made to see that corrupt leaders are nailed does not mean they will. The corruption in the top brass will only get eradicated when we have Leaders with integrity and conscience. Bending a corrupt powerful politician so that he toes the line is not going to work in the long run. This WILL fail eventually. Electing honest Leaders will not. Damn right that's going to take a lifetime, but this bill won't be as effective as we all are thinking. Call me an idealist, but corruption will only stop when every citizen of this country lives with integrity. No one wants to pay bribes and no one would have if people in govt institutions would have worked with a conscience. An office worker would not have bent and accepted bribes hadn't he seen that his/her colleagues do the same work only after taking a bribe. Yes its easier to support Anna than to lead this kind of an ideal life. But there is just a threshold we need to cross, beyond that herd mentality will take care of corruption at ground level. Honest Leaders at the top, which we have to elect, and an honest citizenry is the only way corruption is going to stop.
Probably its all too idealistic for many. And this is not going to happen any time soon, so should I, for the time being, support Anna and the stronger bill? Maybe I should and see where it all goes. Because even though its always better to learn from other's mistake, this seems to me, to be a time when we will have to make this mistake. 'Cause seems like there's no other way to learn. If all this talk of going against corruption would persuade people to have more integrity, not offer or accept bribes, be honest and carry out their Fundamental Duties while enjoying their Fundamental Rights, even then a huge good would have been done to the people of this country. That's what I am going to hope. That's why I am going to support Anna.
I am writing this post for my own self, because in all of this I myself am not sure what my stand is. And it is important that I have a well defined and clear stand on this issue.
Corruption is rampant in our country. Everyone knows that, everyone has taken part in it. Almost everyone I know who has a drivers license or PAN card or Passport or a Vehicle has been a part of it. They have paid bribes, asked for favours, broken laws and then tried to pay their way out of trouble. And I have been no different. This is base level corruption which every citizen faces. And the scams that were unearthed in the recent past, money bamboozled to the tune of tens of thousands of CRORES are the other end of this wide spectrum.
The Lokpal bill demanded by Anna has been there on the table since the 70s. The govt. version is absolutely impotent, no doubt. But Anna's version is all powerfull and with too much teeth. Can't there be a compromise? No Anna is not having any of it. Nor are the people.
And what about me? So here is my take on it. Why does the govt shiver in its boots when someone talks of going on a fast unto death? I mean that's a peaceful protest! What's the harm in it. Can't the govt even give some public land for an old man to fast as sign of protest? What if the govt acquiesce? And what if Anna dies of hunger then? Mark my words there will be pandemonium, riots everywhere. Oh and hell this is India, the riots are not just gonna be general good natured looting and burning stuff, this is India, its going to be gruesome, there WILL be murder, there WILL be rape and the communal sentiments WILL get churned and this country is all too familiar with communal riots, which WILL happen. Riots on a country wide scale is exactly what our country cannot afford. The London Riots were a fucked up joke as compared to what we have had in our country in the past. No wonder the govt, scared shitless, arrested Anna. But of course the people are not going to think this far into the future, for them the only prominent fact visible is that the tyrant govt. did not even fulfil such a simple request of an old man. This is what the media is showing and this is what the people see and then agitate against. But they are not realising that in effect Anna IS holding the whole democratic process at ransom. There are ways to bring in change. Yes they are slow. Yes people who try to get things changed get kicked out in due time since the process is too slow thanks to corrupt people slowing it further. But taking the speedier way out by figuratively holding the govt at gun point is absolutely undemocratic. Its a wrong way to bring in change even if the change itself is essential and badly required.
In any case the govt has agreed now to let Anna fast, albeit for 2 weeks. Enough time for the movement to build momentum and strength so that the govt has to bow and accept the Jan Lokpal which Anna is touting.
Which brings us to the bill per se. Its a law against corrupt politicians, how can it be bad? A powerful law against politicians will ensure that they not get corrupted by the power that they get when they step into office. The problem with powerful laws are that they can be very very easily misused. POTA, MCOCA and the Armed Forces Act have been used many times in the past for cover up encounters etc. This law will get misused and a lot at that. The finer details have more subtle coarseness related to the statistics and feasibility of implementation. Just because a law has been drafted and a suitable body made to see that corrupt leaders are nailed does not mean they will. The corruption in the top brass will only get eradicated when we have Leaders with integrity and conscience. Bending a corrupt powerful politician so that he toes the line is not going to work in the long run. This WILL fail eventually. Electing honest Leaders will not. Damn right that's going to take a lifetime, but this bill won't be as effective as we all are thinking. Call me an idealist, but corruption will only stop when every citizen of this country lives with integrity. No one wants to pay bribes and no one would have if people in govt institutions would have worked with a conscience. An office worker would not have bent and accepted bribes hadn't he seen that his/her colleagues do the same work only after taking a bribe. Yes its easier to support Anna than to lead this kind of an ideal life. But there is just a threshold we need to cross, beyond that herd mentality will take care of corruption at ground level. Honest Leaders at the top, which we have to elect, and an honest citizenry is the only way corruption is going to stop.
Probably its all too idealistic for many. And this is not going to happen any time soon, so should I, for the time being, support Anna and the stronger bill? Maybe I should and see where it all goes. Because even though its always better to learn from other's mistake, this seems to me, to be a time when we will have to make this mistake. 'Cause seems like there's no other way to learn. If all this talk of going against corruption would persuade people to have more integrity, not offer or accept bribes, be honest and carry out their Fundamental Duties while enjoying their Fundamental Rights, even then a huge good would have been done to the people of this country. That's what I am going to hope. That's why I am going to support Anna.
