Now that the Anna Tamasha is over and we can all go back to work without worrying about traffic jams caused by processions of Anna supporters, are those of us who are not exactly fans allowed to ask a few questions. Thankfully I don’t live in Anna’s village and needn’t be afraid of being tied to a tree and flogged so I will go ahead and ask them anyway. Here’s my list of six questions.
1. Let’s say the Lokpal Bill is finally passed by the Parliament in a form that’s acceptable to not just Anna but to Kejriwal, Bhushan, Bedi, Patkar and all the other sideys and lackeys who hang out with them, will it put an end to corruption in this country? Do laws and those who are meant to administer them powerful enough to end social evils? In that case just having a police force in every state, every city and every village should curb crime. Why has that not happened in all these 65 years of Independent India.
2. Since this movement is all about curbing corruption, why didn’t Team Anna protest about Vilasrao Deshmukh being made the government emissary, considering his role in one of the most shameless scams has been acknowledged by even the government and he was asked to vacate the CM’s chair in Maharashtra. Is it okay for a politician to be corrupt as long as he can talk in Marathi with Anna Hazare?
3. What were all these Sadhus and Swamis doing during the fast? Why were they arrogating for themselves the role of emissaries? Sri Sri Ravishankar... Jaggi Vasudev...they call themselves spiritual leaders...what is their interest in all this? Earlier Baba Ramdev had also joined in the fray and later we learnt about the wealth he had horded. Sai Baba’s death has unearthed all kinds of hidden wealth from his ashram. With these two unholy precedents, why has Team Anna not asked these god men to stay away?
4. Why has the movement made politicians the face of corruption in this country? The politicians may horde cash in Swiss bank accounts but who bribes them with this cash? How come the corporate honchos have been left alone considering they take the lead in bribing the politicians to grab land and subvert the legal and administrative processes in this country?
5. Since the movement seems to derive its strength from the middle class, what is the position of the Anna Team on their corruption? The kind of corruption that makes them haggle over giving a two hundred rupees raise to their domestic helps and drivers but at the same time they get very strident about inflation?
6. How will Anna react if some of the people in his village decide to protest against his authoritarian ways by going on a fast and tell him they will go on fasting until he changes his way?
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You are not the only one who is against this Lokpal bill. I yet have to educate myself on this issue. But still I am not convinced with all your questions. You are saying Vilasrao Deshmukh was involved in a scam. All I know is that he had to resign because of the Bombay terror attack and not any scam. Please educate me on that. I would also like to know why you are so much against the sideys. Haven't u heard the saying," akela chana bhad nahi phod sakta". You need other people to support the cause. As far as spiritual leaders are concerned, I can understand the anger. Even I am with you on that. But I believe spiritual leaders also need to take some responsibility when the country is going to ruins. This is not the time for them to go into the caves. They have a big number of followers and may be that is the reason that they thought of showing some solidarity to Anna's cause. The system is such that not only the corporate honchos but all of us are responsible for making the country and the politicians what they are today. Let us be hopeful and positive. Change will eventually come but it will have its own consequences. People have to be patient and flexible to adapt and accept the change. We are all used to a certain system and it will not be easy for everyone to embrace the change with open arms.
ReplyDeleteI stand corrected on the Vilasrao ouster...yes he did resign over his insensitive handling of the Bombay terror attacks but he has been in political wilderness because of the Adarsh Housing Scam and has now resurfaced to read letters from the PM sharing the stage with a man who's fasting against corruption...there's something almost vulgar about the whole thing...:-)
ReplyDeleteIn the list of sadhus and swamis another name was Bhaiyyu ji maharaj.
ReplyDeletePertinent questions.
True, that we all are corrupt and unless our mindset changes this evil won't go away. But I still support Anna with all the inconsistencies and the flaws that the Lokpal bill has because I want Congress to pay for all its sins for the last 50 years and the last thing I want to see is someone like Rahul Gandhi becoming the prime minister of India
ReplyDeleteFor the record, I am not against the Jan Lokpal Bill but I think it's importance is highly exaggerated...also it has deflected attention from the politician-corporate-journalist nexus that the radia tapes revealed.
ReplyDelete