IN ONE of the biggest movements the country has witnessed in recent days, there is a tidal wave of people thronging the streets – voluntarily, unified for a cause. But instead of happy at this sudden enthusiasm of an otherwise peaceful citizens of this developing nation, I feel troubled and disturbed. I only see it as an event that proves how easily we give into any instigation, how a common man who went out to fight for a cause, had been turned into a media-fed megalomaniac and pushed to a point of fighting with the ruling government, and how the country’s top media houses use the opportunity to verbally bash every government spokesperson they could bring to the platform, create sensation and package it under delibaterly provocative catch phrases (example - ‘Anna Country’ by Times of India; ‘New Age Gandhi’ by Hindustan Times).
Let us look at the expected outcome of this movement. A particular Jan Lokpal Bill stands at the center of the debate. A bill, which when passed, will create a parallel body that will allow citizens to bring top bureaucrats and politicians on a prosecution platform on a single charge of corruption. Currently, PM and large section of political fraternity enjoy immunity. They cannot be arrested or prosecuted for crimes. Apparently, the bill sounds fair and democratic till we dig a little deeper. Corruption is not something uniquely related to the prime minister’s office alone. Lalu Prasad Yadav to Mayawati to Jayalalitha - many of them has been charged with corruption in the past. The central investigation bureau (CBI) probed into most of these cases, filed reports and took it up in the court of law. What were the outcomes? We increased the number of pending cases in the judiciary. In a country where we still haven’t been able to o execute a person who attacked our parliament or killed many in a Mumbai terror attack – I do not think bringing the prime minister to the judgment table will solve a greater purpose. In fact, the very thought of media across the world carrying a headline one morning saying “Indian Prime Minister probed into for corruption” makes me feel nauseated.
Anna Hazare’s authoritative body that wishes to carry out this probe when required can be susceptible to same risks of corruption and bribery that the central government is mired in. So personally I am not very enthusiastic in creating or trusting a parallel body to smear my face in a world forum by calling my country’s prime minister corrupt. I have great respect for the chair, if not the person. And if that is at all necessary, then let us create instances by punishing the already charged personalities including various chief ministers and state politicians for various heinous crimes they are charged with before discussing this issue further.
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