A revolution started by one man called Anna Hazare has spreaded like fire across the nation. People are lending support from all corners and supporting his endeavour of a corruption free India. I was wondering if it was a glimpse of the Jasmin Revolution spreading into India? If this revolution is different from what we have had in recent times?
The Jasmin Revolution as I had written in my earlier post was different as it had no political intent as it were the general people revolting against a tyrant government without any political involvement. The support received by Anna Hazare has been very similar to that of the Jasmin Revolution. General Citizens came out in support of the old man and the politicians were kept out of it. It was remarkable to see how Chautala and Uma Bharti were kicked out of Jantar Mantar and not allowed to meet Anna. This showed the similar nature of this revolt qua the Jasmin Revolution.
Jasmin Revolution made a strong attack also for the reason that it was being mainly supported by the youth. It was spreading more on cyberspace, people were speaking about it and supporting it in every corner of the globe. Same is the support that Anna has garnered, more of youth support and the widespread talks and support on social media has led to Indians from all over the world standing for the cause.
I do see a striking resemblance in both the revolution and hope that it goes the long way in uprooting the corrupt and corruption.
A lot of people still don’t know what the agitation is for, what are we supporting. It is a fight against corruption, but how? We have all heard of the Jan Lokpal Bill, but what is this bill all about?
The bill drafted by Justice Santosh Hegde, Prashant Bhushan and Arvind Kejrival provides for a Jan Lokpal, a body which will be an Independent Body to investigate corruption cases and will have no influence of the legislature like the judiciary. The investigation will be time barred and shall be completed within one year and the trial should be completed in the next one year. So effectively the accused should be convicted within 2 years from the date of complaint.
The members of the Lokpal will be appointed by the judges, constitutional authorities and citizens. The functioning of the Lokpal will be completely transparent and any complaint against any lokpal officials will have to be investigated and decided within 2 months.
So if any government official seeks money or purposely delays the work of any citizen or if the public work is not being done efficiently and in proper quality, a complaint can be made against such government officials to the lokpal, which will in our words kick all such officers while the complainant will be protected.
Is this the solution for a corruption free India? What if the judges appointing the lokpal are corrupt? Even the citizens are corrupt as they are the one who have been a party to the rise in corruption by electing the corrupt. Who is going to vouch for the appointing authorities when corruption has reached every corner of the society? Be it the legislature, executive or the judiciary, corruption has become an inherent part of the functioning of all pillars of our democracy. I dont totally agree with the Jan Lokpal Bill, but then we need to move ahead and experiment it as there is no other way for now.
A corruption free India is like a sweet lie we all dream to be true. The Jan Lokpal Bill is a positive step towards making this lie a true reality.
I pledge my support to the fight against the corruption and for the enactment of the Jan Lokpal Bill. Do you?
Woof Woof !! 
Interesting post lawyer….and I agree, it’s a sweet lie but we all dream that dream at some point or the other. Hope it gets realized 🙂
Its a dream which is almost impossible to be true, but even a few steps closer will make a change as big as the Independence.
The speed tracking that jan lok pal bill promises is a good thing, but it can be achieved even in the present scenario..what is mor important is the intent behind the change.
I agree with the questions u have raised regarding the effectiveness of the bill, if those in the process of electing and delivering are corrupt themselves, no amount of bills or legislations are enough, unless the core from which the executers are derived, that is WE the people, are not prone to corruption.
If a change is needed any where it’s needed in our own hearts and mind, in our own attitudes and practices, in our own vision and our choices and unless we the people learn to tread on the longer path, than the shorter one which money or setting aside rules can buy, the change is as u said ‘a distant dream, a sweet lie’
true that Meeta.. but then these laws are just a step towards making us believe that it can happen. Like the Right to information act, it has its flaws but even then it has empowered us and brought a big change in our lives.
just to validate this a bit….check the following link what P Sainath has to say on this:
hahaha its exactly what I think, do check my next post and you will get an idea of how we were fooled by a few good men 🙂