“Jack”, “Laggha”, “Jugad”, “Setting” the sophisticated way in which as Indians we refer to corruption. So what jugad did the politicians do this time? Anna Hazare, a man on a mission, wants to exercise his democratic right to protest, by going on an indefinite fast against the shameful attempts to replace the Jan Lokpal Bill with an ineffective Lokpal bill drafted by politicians. Politicians are scared, they know the public is with Anna or atleast against the politicians. So they come up with a jugad, they permitted Anna Hazare to fast for a grand durations of 3 days and also expected him to sign a bond ensuring the protest will be stopped after that. “Non-sense” personified isn’t it! I wonder if the folks from the British Raj actually thought of this when Mahatma Gandhi use to go on a fast.
Just to make it clear, the government is wrong on this occasion. The Constitution of India provides every citizen of the country a fundamental right to protest against the government policies. It is unconstitutional for the administration to proscribe the method of protest when it is absolutely peaceful and put severe conditions which make the said right meaningless.
Anyways, Anna rejects the offer and the Great Indian Tamasha followed. Anna and his team were arrested and then not arrested, but put into 7 days judicial custody but then were asked to leave the same day and then Anna decided not to leave the judicial custody because the ground where he was permitted to protest was not ready. People all around India Protested, which is great! And the ruling UPA government was caught in a sticky situation. Promptly, Sonia Gandhi took sick leave and the so called people’s choice for next Prime Minister, Rahul Gandhi has gone invisible, no leadership shown, I wonder what he is doing?
As the dust settles, the police and politicians recognise that the opposition parties are now united and thats always a bad sign! So they budge down to the request and grant Anna the permission to fast for 15 days, I am still confused, why the 15 days limit. Honestly, why is this Jan Lokpal bill such a pain and why the government is so undemocratic in dealing with an issue that majority of the Indian citizens are ready to protest for! It not a joke, people are serious, voluntary fasting, candle light marches and buzz online is seriously high.
The government and the bureaucracy are finding ways to save their own, the system is corrupt and clearing it up will open a can of worm. Corruptions is unfortunately institutionalised in India, candidates pay to join the bureaucracy because they know they can easily make, may be, 10 times the amount by taking bribes. Elected leaders, use bribe, treat and any & every means to extort a vote. Consequently, 162 MPs elected in 2009 have criminal cases pending against them. Out of these, there are 76 MPs having serious charges against them. A common citizens cannot fight the system, they are busy running the daily roti, kapda, makan oriented rat race. So it takes a mass citizen moment to bring a change, and the government knows this and so it wants to supress it or delay it anything will do!
Passing of the Jan Lokpal bill will be a huge blow to the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats, they know the clock is running down on them, the discontent is so widespread that they don’t know how to handle this. I am not sure, how this will end. My fear is it will end badly for the good guys, because the parliament that is responsible to pass this law is filled with corrupt people and no one will sign their own arrest warrant.
The only suggestion, keep in mind who the good guy is and who the bad guys are and what they did. Think about it when you decide to vote next time.
Very aptly put.i totally support the noble cause Anna hazare is doing and it is extremely sad to see how the politicians are reacting to it.. Iam definitely sure though Anna hazare would be sucessful this time!!!
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