On 14th October 2011, an article by Tavleen Singh, titled "Why Government Succumbs to Anna's actions?" was published in J&K's local newspaper Daily Excelsior. Likewise, many people in print and electronic media and others at the helm of affairs in different organizations across the country do carry similar doubts and almost all of us keep guessing, blaming and justifying different parties in Lokpal issue. I will share my own opinion over certain things related to Lokpal, Team Anna and the Government and at the same time try to answer some of the questions as asked and explained by the esteemed journalist in the above mentioned article.
Major problem in our country is that those who talk about grave issues that more than 70% population of this country is facing, they are themselves sitting in AC rooms, travel in AC cars, they are the VIPs and have access to the best education and medical facilities available in the country and have never seen any of their loved one starving even for a single meal or dying in a government hospital just because they couldn’t afford anything better. And many of these people just argue to prove themselves somewhat different from the lot and create a niche for themselves. These arguments are done hardly caring whether it serves any purpose or whether the opponent is right or wrong. Opposition for opposition sake.
Lets keep aside the words like Congress, BJP, RSS, who supports whom, CBI, NAC, Haryana elections, etc and start from the basic and understand the real problem.
Socrates had said that a country which is enslaved for a single day will need 1 year to compensate the financial, emotional, psychological loss incurred by its people in that single day. Similarly, a country that has been under slavery for 1 year will need 100 years to compensate for the loss. Then what can we say about India, whose people have lived the lives of slaves for centuries?
What will happen if there are 100 slaves on an island that has basic amenities of life and all of them are set free? Their psychology will be set over the generations that everyday is not Sunday and God knows how long we will be able to enjoy these amenities as per our choice. So- Loooooooot - as much as you can.
This was the situation in India when we attained freedom in 1947. One thing that still saved us from mass loot was the values and culture that was still intact in most of our families and so only a few at the helm of affairs misused the authority and status that they enjoyed and poor and innocent people of the country looked towards them as their own. So many a times people felt an insult even if they questioned these leaders. It started from that time that some of corrupt leaders started promoting corruption from their own vested interests. A corrupt minister will definitely promote a corrupt official as head of the department under his ministry, who in turn will promote corrupt officials in next departmental ranks under him.
Even the British couldn’t damage our country as much as we ourselves have done in just 64 years by injecting the virus of corruption in almost every citizen of this country who has access to resources, at the cost of food, health and sanitation of more than 60crores population of India. In J&K, you will hardly find anyone who pays electricity bills. Lineman comes and charges you Rs.2000 to 3000 and will make some change in your circuit to stop the meter or to make it slow. Parents want schools and colleges to pass their children with good marks and they pay for it. Its because they know that ultimately its money that will fetch their child a job as Government Teacher in schools, colleges, universities or in Police. You pay a good amount and secure very good marks in written exams and interviews.
Slowly, honest people were being sidelined and corrupt promoted and all this has resulted in the present cancerous system and by the time we all realized, it seems to be too late and final stage of cancer that cant be treated. Over the years, the innocent people of our country couldn’t realize this game because they hardly doubted their ministers and officials, very few were 100% sure of their success and felt cheated when not given due share and large portion of population blamed it on their karma and fate. That’s why many many of us are still ready to be duped by Babas and Swamis very easily.
Thanks to education and media that people of the country started realizing that what life threatening cancer has engulfed every aspect of our lives. Its not only the bribe we pay, but its responsible for lack of medical, education and sanitation facilities to more than 70% of Indian population and for almost every menace that we are facing today.
But even after realizing, middle class couldn’t make a substantial difference because if they leave their work and try future in politics or sit on a fast for a week, many in their family will starve or will have to go without life saving medicines. But the anger had been so much that when militants attached Indian Parliament, one could hear most of the people saying, wish they were successful in cleaning the Parliament.
Another major reason why the people couldn’t make a difference is the fear of life and other problems that might be created by the nexus of corrupt and powerful politicians, officials, police and judiciary. If they can dig out reasons to harass Anna by blaming him of corruption, Kiran Bedi, who held the highest rank in Police and has been honoured many a times and has a clean record, then what will they do with a common man?
Why Anna struck the chord? Its because he is fighting selflessly being a man who doesn’t have a family or a home and lives in a room inside the temple and he has picked up the issue that haunts and is a nightmare for every Indian in 98% of the population, except the wealthy 2%. The people, cant leave homes and sit on a fast but can definitely support the man who has given the face to them and a platform to question and ask for what they want from their servants who have become rulers.
Tavleen Singh asks "Why does the Government of India feel so compelled to listen to social activists, NGOs and professional troublemakers while at the same time ignoring the advice of economists and businessmen?" To me, if we ask this question, aren’t we asking that why doesn’t the government listen only to the top 2% who are lucky to have every basic necessity, luxury and much more than that? I wont say anything about other NGOs and Social Activists, but so far as Jan Lokpal Movement by Sh. Anna Hazare has been launched, millions of people are supporting him, a man who doesn’t have money, influence, high qualification because they felt that he picked up the most valid point the root cause of most of the ills in the country that they are facing. And our so-called public servants, businessmen and policy makers have failed over last 65 years to bring any relief to the sufferings of these people and corruption has only increased many folds in the country over past decades. Should the people close their eyes and sit like a pigeon that cat isn’t there? For how long? Our people have suffered for 65 years and almost 3 generations.
Such questions can only be asked by those for whom the world and India is this 2% population of the country and who have never actually suffered for a single day like the rest 98% of India, good days, power, money and status have faded those memories or make us feel that days have changed for everyone.
We need industrial reforms, we need reforms in Judiciary, we need reforms and changes in many many other things. So why it didn’t happen till now? Its because of lack of political will and till today politicians have enjoyed the status of being above the law of the land, unquestioned, doing everything with absolute impunity. Why will they create laws due to which wealth will be shared by millions of Indians, when for decades they alone have been enjoying on it? Why will they create laws which question them and check their working and hold them accountable for what they do? I think its "COMMON SENSE".
One Jan Lokpal is passed and there is a check on the working of every politician, bureaucrat and official and even common man, corruption will be checked and stopped and it will at least lead to the beginning of a Reverse Trend and will encourage the honest people in every sphere of life and this is the most important and desperate need in India. It will help in restoration of faith in people that they can achieve success in life with truthful means and by being meritorious and not only by just being corrupt.
Why does the government cry that RTI is being used for blackmailing? If I am right in the work I do, can anyone blackmail me in that case even if he/she has every bit of my information? No. If government feels blackmailed, its because RTI is exposing their corrupt ways and means and that what the Act is for. Its not blackmail, its corrupt against corrupt and its good for the country and the common man.
Since the people at the helm of affairs are corrupt, have criminal records and are scared of being exposed, they succumb to criminals, separatists in J&K, pay for protection to naxalites. They are not succumbing to Anna, they are listening to the voice of the people of India, that has rarely been represented in air-conditioned newsrooms and that’s what politicians are elected for.
Slogan of Indian Politics today - Khao aur khane do (Eat and Let Eat). If anyone dares to oppose, we will dig out her ticketing records too and we ourselves will swallow whole of Air India. Efficient Indian agencies. The moment someone stands against politicians, don’t know from where all sorts of cases start cropping up against him/ her and the efficiency of Indian agencies in such cases can beat even the CIA of the US.
Parliament is Supreme but only when the people that constitute this institution work under the constitution and law. Otherwise people have the right to change it and question it because people of the country are Supreme and even the Members of the Parliament are elected for serving them.
Major problem in our country is that those who talk about grave issues that more than 70% population of this country is facing, they are themselves sitting in AC rooms, travel in AC cars, they are the VIPs and have access to the best education and medical facilities available in the country and have never seen any of their loved one starving even for a single meal or dying in a government hospital just because they couldn’t afford anything better. And many of these people just argue to prove themselves somewhat different from the lot and create a niche for themselves. These arguments are done hardly caring whether it serves any purpose or whether the opponent is right or wrong. Opposition for opposition sake.
Lets keep aside the words like Congress, BJP, RSS, who supports whom, CBI, NAC, Haryana elections, etc and start from the basic and understand the real problem.
Socrates had said that a country which is enslaved for a single day will need 1 year to compensate the financial, emotional, psychological loss incurred by its people in that single day. Similarly, a country that has been under slavery for 1 year will need 100 years to compensate for the loss. Then what can we say about India, whose people have lived the lives of slaves for centuries?
What will happen if there are 100 slaves on an island that has basic amenities of life and all of them are set free? Their psychology will be set over the generations that everyday is not Sunday and God knows how long we will be able to enjoy these amenities as per our choice. So- Loooooooot - as much as you can.
This was the situation in India when we attained freedom in 1947. One thing that still saved us from mass loot was the values and culture that was still intact in most of our families and so only a few at the helm of affairs misused the authority and status that they enjoyed and poor and innocent people of the country looked towards them as their own. So many a times people felt an insult even if they questioned these leaders. It started from that time that some of corrupt leaders started promoting corruption from their own vested interests. A corrupt minister will definitely promote a corrupt official as head of the department under his ministry, who in turn will promote corrupt officials in next departmental ranks under him.
Even the British couldn’t damage our country as much as we ourselves have done in just 64 years by injecting the virus of corruption in almost every citizen of this country who has access to resources, at the cost of food, health and sanitation of more than 60crores population of India. In J&K, you will hardly find anyone who pays electricity bills. Lineman comes and charges you Rs.2000 to 3000 and will make some change in your circuit to stop the meter or to make it slow. Parents want schools and colleges to pass their children with good marks and they pay for it. Its because they know that ultimately its money that will fetch their child a job as Government Teacher in schools, colleges, universities or in Police. You pay a good amount and secure very good marks in written exams and interviews.
Slowly, honest people were being sidelined and corrupt promoted and all this has resulted in the present cancerous system and by the time we all realized, it seems to be too late and final stage of cancer that cant be treated. Over the years, the innocent people of our country couldn’t realize this game because they hardly doubted their ministers and officials, very few were 100% sure of their success and felt cheated when not given due share and large portion of population blamed it on their karma and fate. That’s why many many of us are still ready to be duped by Babas and Swamis very easily.
Thanks to education and media that people of the country started realizing that what life threatening cancer has engulfed every aspect of our lives. Its not only the bribe we pay, but its responsible for lack of medical, education and sanitation facilities to more than 70% of Indian population and for almost every menace that we are facing today.
But even after realizing, middle class couldn’t make a substantial difference because if they leave their work and try future in politics or sit on a fast for a week, many in their family will starve or will have to go without life saving medicines. But the anger had been so much that when militants attached Indian Parliament, one could hear most of the people saying, wish they were successful in cleaning the Parliament.
Another major reason why the people couldn’t make a difference is the fear of life and other problems that might be created by the nexus of corrupt and powerful politicians, officials, police and judiciary. If they can dig out reasons to harass Anna by blaming him of corruption, Kiran Bedi, who held the highest rank in Police and has been honoured many a times and has a clean record, then what will they do with a common man?
Why Anna struck the chord? Its because he is fighting selflessly being a man who doesn’t have a family or a home and lives in a room inside the temple and he has picked up the issue that haunts and is a nightmare for every Indian in 98% of the population, except the wealthy 2%. The people, cant leave homes and sit on a fast but can definitely support the man who has given the face to them and a platform to question and ask for what they want from their servants who have become rulers.
Tavleen Singh asks "Why does the Government of India feel so compelled to listen to social activists, NGOs and professional troublemakers while at the same time ignoring the advice of economists and businessmen?" To me, if we ask this question, aren’t we asking that why doesn’t the government listen only to the top 2% who are lucky to have every basic necessity, luxury and much more than that? I wont say anything about other NGOs and Social Activists, but so far as Jan Lokpal Movement by Sh. Anna Hazare has been launched, millions of people are supporting him, a man who doesn’t have money, influence, high qualification because they felt that he picked up the most valid point the root cause of most of the ills in the country that they are facing. And our so-called public servants, businessmen and policy makers have failed over last 65 years to bring any relief to the sufferings of these people and corruption has only increased many folds in the country over past decades. Should the people close their eyes and sit like a pigeon that cat isn’t there? For how long? Our people have suffered for 65 years and almost 3 generations.
Such questions can only be asked by those for whom the world and India is this 2% population of the country and who have never actually suffered for a single day like the rest 98% of India, good days, power, money and status have faded those memories or make us feel that days have changed for everyone.
We need industrial reforms, we need reforms in Judiciary, we need reforms and changes in many many other things. So why it didn’t happen till now? Its because of lack of political will and till today politicians have enjoyed the status of being above the law of the land, unquestioned, doing everything with absolute impunity. Why will they create laws due to which wealth will be shared by millions of Indians, when for decades they alone have been enjoying on it? Why will they create laws which question them and check their working and hold them accountable for what they do? I think its "COMMON SENSE".
One Jan Lokpal is passed and there is a check on the working of every politician, bureaucrat and official and even common man, corruption will be checked and stopped and it will at least lead to the beginning of a Reverse Trend and will encourage the honest people in every sphere of life and this is the most important and desperate need in India. It will help in restoration of faith in people that they can achieve success in life with truthful means and by being meritorious and not only by just being corrupt.
Why does the government cry that RTI is being used for blackmailing? If I am right in the work I do, can anyone blackmail me in that case even if he/she has every bit of my information? No. If government feels blackmailed, its because RTI is exposing their corrupt ways and means and that what the Act is for. Its not blackmail, its corrupt against corrupt and its good for the country and the common man.
Since the people at the helm of affairs are corrupt, have criminal records and are scared of being exposed, they succumb to criminals, separatists in J&K, pay for protection to naxalites. They are not succumbing to Anna, they are listening to the voice of the people of India, that has rarely been represented in air-conditioned newsrooms and that’s what politicians are elected for.
Slogan of Indian Politics today - Khao aur khane do (Eat and Let Eat). If anyone dares to oppose, we will dig out her ticketing records too and we ourselves will swallow whole of Air India. Efficient Indian agencies. The moment someone stands against politicians, don’t know from where all sorts of cases start cropping up against him/ her and the efficiency of Indian agencies in such cases can beat even the CIA of the US.
Parliament is Supreme but only when the people that constitute this institution work under the constitution and law. Otherwise people have the right to change it and question it because people of the country are Supreme and even the Members of the Parliament are elected for serving them.
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