Anna, Anna, rock the empire!!!
Hi folks,
Yes, the fever has gripped the whole nation! The fight against corruption and the unity, solidarity of our people against the government witnessed as never before. People from all walks of life-school going, college going students, employees, home-makers, businessmen, senior citizens, even the dabbawalahs of Mumbai got together to be with the 74-year-old gandhian who want to see the effective JanLokpal Bill paassed by the government. He is now seen as an icon, the Pied piper of India etc. As I write this, Shri Anna Hazare is preparing to head to Ramlila maidan to begin his 2-week fast (which can be extended-we see here the bowing down of government) . What has amazed me is the power of people getting together to bring a change, inspired by gandhian, peaceful demonstrations. Recently, we witnessed the upsurge of people in countries like Egypt, Libya against the dictatorial regimes, but could not feel the pulse as the uprising was 'somewhere'. Now, I see the strength and unity of people in our own country, I can feel the power, the pulse. But wait! Are these bills the be-all and end-all against the corruption?
To put in layman's language, the highlighted differences between the government's version of Lokpal and Jan LokPal are:
Government's version Jan Lokpal
1.Lokpal can probe complaints of Lokpal will have power to
corruption which are forwarded by take action against
speaker of Loksabha or the corruption on their own.
Chairperson of Rajyasabha.
2.Lokpal will have no police Lokpal will have both police
powers and no ability to powers and ability to
register FIRs. register FIRs.
3. The CBI and Lokpal will The CBI and ant-corruption
be unconnected. wing of Lokpal will work
together .
4. Punishment for corruption is Punishment for corruption is
very less. much more and reasonable.
5. The Prime Mininster does not The Prime Minister can be
come under the investigation investigated under JanLokpal.
of Lokpal.
As we can see here, if the Jan Lokpal bill is passed, it will be more people-power than the political power. That is why, there has been stiff resistance and postponement of the Bill , though it was proposed by Mr. Shanti Bhushan in 1968. Different parties have come and gone, but this bill is yet to see the light of the day. Corruption has spread throughout our country like cancer, and each one of us is affected by the corruption and lethargy in one way or other. To think of a corrupt-free system is like a utopian dream.
People of our country are so fed up with corruption that they saw Anna Hazare as a catalyst that was needed to come to the streets for crusade against corruption. How long will this steam last? How much more time is it going to take for the REAL LokPal Bill to be passed? Is that REALLY going to end corruption? I believe many of us will have doubts and skepticism regarding that.
Once the dust settles, are we really ready to give up our corrupt, lethargic practises in our daily lives? This bill may not put an end to corruption, but at the most control it. The implications of the Jan Lokpal Bill are to be seen to be believed. We are all so used to the tardiness of our law system, that a stricter one will be hard to accept. Can we get things done from the government officials without greasing their palms?
The change that we wish to see in our country should start coming from each one of us. This Jan Lok pal is NOT going to work without our change in attitude. Our minds need a lot of cleansing. Each person should be considerate to the fellow being. You and me should take the country as a whole. Then only, it is going to work wonders!!! To give one example, a person here violates the traffic rules, runs the red-light signal. The same Indian meekly follows the traffic rules in US or UK for the fear of law.
We wish each other all the best for a less corrupt system in our country which will make lives easier for the coming generations.
P.S: The gandhi caps which were becoming extinct have made a strong comeback as a result of this revolution.
Thankyou,
Deepa.
Why don't you write regularly???!!!
ReplyDeleteIn one sense as you said Anna is the real pied piper of India. In spite of the public outrage against corruption how can the govt. prepare a fractured bill and table it in the parliament? People demand stern and robust action against corruption and not a glorified smokescreen. It’s crystal clear that the interests of the people are overshadowed by many other vested interests and the govt. is trying to protect that and the previous governments also had to protect this. There are strong interests that have become a super structured bloc over the time that makes the govt. kneel and succumb to pressure every time. Prime Minister willingness to put the position under the purview of the will was finally overruled due to many reasons. This bears the testimony to this strong super structure bloc that wants impropriety to rule in the name of established procedures and laws. This super structure should be broken and even they know that a strong Lokpal will be the end of them. The politicians cannot expect that the whole corruption will vanish over a night on its own. It’s not natural phenomena it’s purely a created one and the people are not demanding magic from the govt. They should acknowledge the hard situations which the common people face every day and end their blatant support to this indifference and corruption. Even after 64 years of independence, the country has not achieved the desired sets of rights and freedom and the real independence. The whole country in this occasion was acknowledging and remembering the great leaders and the people who valiantly fought against the Oppression of British yoke and yet years after that, is there are an end to oppression and indifference? Now one of the biggest hurdles for the country is massive corruption that has deeply penetrated into every rungs of the society. The real challenge is to get rid of it.
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