Over the last month, amid all the controversies and media debates around the Jan Lokpal Bill, I feel we have somehow lost the essence of the movement. There have all kind of remarks in the media, from comparing Jantar Mantar to Tahrir Square, whether Jan Lokpal Bill will give a lot of powers to Lokpal, or the smear campaign against the civil society members of the Lokpal Bill drafting committee. Somehow, nobody is focussing on corruption and the urgency to tackle it but everybody seems to be interested in small trivial issues raised by some egoistic individuals. Below I am listing four very important points about this movement from my observations and point of view –
1. Jantar Mantar is not India’s Tahrir Square
Anna Hazare’s fast and the kind of support it gathered from the general populace have made many people, including the media, compare it to the protests in the middle east countries. There were calls of equating Jantar Mantar with Tahrir Square. While I agree that people are frustrated with the current state of affairs in matters of corruption in this country, it will be unwise to compare both. An Egypt type of agitation is needed when there is no liberty for the people. We have, within our rights as a democracy, the right to peaceful protest under the mandate of the constitution itself.
Anna Hazare has asked all of us - "Do you have a conscience?"
2. We have shown the world the way in peaceful protests, and they are still revelant
Our father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi has shown the whole world the way to peaceful protests in a non-violent way and how powerful it can be. Our politics provides us a wonderful platform to raise our voices and bring out change without dropping a single drop of blood. Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr, Aung Suu Kyi, Nelson Mandela has shown the world that Gandhian methods are still relevant.
3. Anna Hazare and Government are on the same side
Anna Hazare has also used Gandhian methods, but his fight is not to overthrow a government, but to partner with them in creation of a stronger law. It is very important to see corruption as the villain here and not the government or the ruling party. Civil Society and the Government have to see themselves on the same side of the table to be able to find an effective solution to the problem of corruption. No doubt some members of government are corrupt, and hence the role of civil society to pressurize them to do their job as they are expected to do so.
4. Hazare has just asked one question
Anna Hazare has created a lot of problems for the government by bringing a lot of questions to the national forum. But the most important question he has asked is for YOU, fellow Indians. He has asked “Do you have a conscience?” The success of his agitation does not depend on how many corrupt politicians come by his side and renounce corruption, he is waiting to see how many people has he inspired to come support him in this cause and other causes which are important to the nation. He is asking you whether you feel for your country, whether you care for a better future for your kids? If the answer is yes, then get up, and join him in this fight and save the nation from the clutches of corruption and other problems we are facing today.
i dnt understand why shld nt gvermnt pass da bll.if they pass wht wll be wrong 4 them.i thnk they r scared 4 dat if they pass da bll total gvermnt may be seen crrpt.
Anna who is fighting against corruption in public eyes is an inventor of a big political game through which he had kept unjustified demands which went unquestioned by public.
He demanded in the Lokpal bill that the officials who will be responsible for handing corruption cases should be given police rights so that they can arrest any one and at any time.
Only if one can imagine what it could lead to, if Government agreed to this, people sitting peacefully at home, with no dirt on their hands, can suddenly be caught for no reason and will be put in jail by Anna (in case he doesn’t like You ). The period given for the verdict resolution is only 2 years which is definitely not enough for an innocent to free himself of guilty before court in India.
So if one has given even a 100 rupee note in bribe by mistake, get ready for an imprisonment of 10 years. Yes, the minimum is 10 years. Your whole life will turn into a black hole.
I am not saying this will happen but by agreeing to his demands, Government will pass him enough rights to so this to any one in the country. So what you need to do if this happens? Well, speak out………”HAIL ANNA!”
…And sleep peacefully
Right to speech, yes it is a part of our constitution but when Arundati Roy spoke against Anna, public responded with something unexpected “She is a bitch, she should be raped!”
What a response! Of course they also have the right to speak but are they not aware that under our constitution, we are not allowed to insult anyone in public? We are not supposed to use abusive language?
Some of you reading this may be thinking that I am against Anna, may be I am favouring some political party but I have already made it clear that I was apolitical but as a human I have views, I support right and hate wrong doings.
Now looking at the Government, never ending of corruption, more than 30% of them above 70 years of age, can we expect any change?
Once there used to be king rule where one family ruled over the entire regime and the crown was passed on to their successors. Now we say that we have a democratic government chosen by people but is it really that way?
Look at our political structure:
Congress…began with Nehru Gandhi…followed by Indira then Rajeev than Sonia than Rahul………and it will go on forever , and we all know this is not the only family.
The same genes, the same values are carried by their children and their children taken from their corrupt ancestors, how can we expect any change in Indian regulation?
The only solution is to break this trend, to not have the same family keep ruling. Any politician who have been a minister or MLA should not be followed by his or her children, only new people with different belief system, different background should follow the regime. This is the only way out.