Analysis

Suggestion for Anna Hazare:

Take Corruption War to Logical End

Anna Hazare is innocent of all wrongdoing. But in the murky world of politics it can be dangerous to be too innocent. The innocent sometimes can be unwittingly exploited by crafty and unscrupulous politicians.

Is Anna Hazare a victim of Congress chicanery?

By his movement he has given a huge boost to the issue of corruption across the whole nation. But corruption was already an issue. By starting his struggle he has provided hope of ending it. That has really galvanized the nation.

Paradoxically this may not dismay the government. This may actually please the government. Here is why.

Reforming the system institutionally is only half the battle. Should not Anna Hazare also deal with the present to take the battle to its logical end by exercising a tight leash on the government? Presently the government is neck deep in scandalous corruption.

How will Hazare end corruption?

He will compel the government to create an appropriately empowered Lokpal. The public led by the media is hugely excited at the prospect. The proposed Lokpal is seen as the magic potion to end all corruption. Hazare has confronted the government with his demand to create a proper inclusive drafting committee to prepare the Lokpal Bill. That is the struggle right now. If the government blinks and Hazare has his way on how the committee should be composed it will be hailed by the public as a great victory in the fight against corruption.

Next, the draft of the Bill itself will be prepared after wrangling and nitpicking. Let us assume that Hazare will again have his way and the final Bill will be satisfactory. That will be hailed by the public as another great victory against corruption. 

Then the Bill will be debated in Parliament and after all kinds of objections and arguments it will be finally passed to become an Act. That will be hailed by the public as yet another great victory in the fight against corruption. 

Finally the new law will enable the government to appoint the Lokpal to end all corruption. We do not know as yet who will appoint the Lokpal and indeed who will be first incumbent. But the occasion will be the final victory in the great fight against corruption and the followers of Hazare’s movement will doubtless be ecstatic. This entire process may well take a full year. Anna Hazare has said: “I shall keep the government on a leash.” He spoke of the future.

Reforming the system institutionally is only half the battle. Should not Anna Hazare also deal with the present to take the battle to its logical end by exercising a tight leash on the government? Presently the government is neck deep in scandalous corruption. Concurrently investigation and court cases are proceeding on the Hasan Ali money laundering case, on the 2G Spectrum corruption case, on the Commonwealth Games corruption case, on the Black money in foreign bank accounts case, and several other corruption cases. Without any Lokpal the present laws and agencies are adequate to deal with all these cases. Some people, including judges, are valiantly attempting to keep the government on a tight leash and perform its duty. If Anna Hazare could lend his weight progress might speed up. 

The government has lied to the public about black money abroad by invoking the Double Taxation Treaty. It seeks to equate money deposited abroad by criminals with tax evaders. The government has lied to the public by claiming that the Prime Minister and the cabinet were not informed about the actions of former Telecom minister A. Raja in the 2G Spectrum case. The government deceived the court by providing only a partial list of illegal foreign bank account holders in Lichtenstein. The government has brazenly ignored its responsibility by refusing to question Suresh Kalmadi why he flaunted an allegedly forged letter by Raju Sebastian to justify contracts signed with AM Films and AM Cars in London. The government is repeatedly lying and its lies are being exposed. The public is disgusted with corruption and the government’s lies.

However, now the public has hope because Anna Hazare has started his fight against corruption. Alas, that fight until now is focusing solely on a future Lokpal. That should not divert public fury away from the scandalous scams currently created by the government. If the fight against corruption remains limited to the Lokpal Bill the government will not be displeased by the diversion. Anna Hazare should exercise his tight leash on the government on current corruption cases and ensure that all guilty politicians are sent to jail. That will give the youth of the country not only hope of victory, but the actual taste of victory.  
 
Read Also:  Request to Anna Hazare: Update, Don’t Imitate, Gandhi! 

07-Apr-2011

More by :  Dr. Rajinder Puri

Top | Analysis

Views: 3367      Comments: 6



Comment INDIA SHOULD ALSO CONCENTRATE ON RISING POPULATION GROWTH WHICH IS A MAJOR ISSUE . GOVT SHOULD BRING LAWS TO CURB POPULATION GROWTH.

ASHISH KUMAR
18-Sep-2011 00:11 AM

Comment Let us be optimistic to begin with. With a Lok Pal, a future (?) Union Carbide Chief will not be led to the airport by govt protection, a future (?) Dhava project will not be enacted when 15,000 people protested in torrential rain, persons (future?) who received Bofors bribes will not ne protected... this is all perhaps!

But how can we protect democracy, (i) if CMs for different states are chosen (never elected by legislators) in Delhi, (ii) the opposition is held with scant respect, (iii) where CMs sell off lands to tainted buyers, specially in coastal regions (like land to Vedant in Orissa), (iv) if Parliament and State Assemblies become haven for wrong-doers, (v) MPs spend their Area Development money for themselves instead of developing schools, establishing hospitals or providing at least a few ambulances etc.

Once an MP or an MLA the person thinks no end of it. They never visit the constituency, never meet any body except those who handled their canvassing.

But the massive protest against corruption has made the govt off-balance to such an extent that they got scared of being thrown away in a matter of days, and some ruling party seniors started supporting Anna. How it would have looked if the the then Vice Roy took part in Dandy March!!

Kumarendra Mallick
12-Apr-2011 10:56 AM

Comment At the ground level there is an SHO who heads a police station and is responsible for law and order in his designated area.

Suppose the SHO is a man of impeccable credentials, a god fearing person, a well read person etc etc., but in his area dacoity, loot, rape, murder, extortion is taking place; in short, you name the evil and it is there.

What is the public expected to do ? Talk highly of the qualifications of the SHO, his godliness, his honesty, him impeccable credentials etc etc OR put pressure on him to bring civility to the area under his supervision.

And what are the means the residents will adopt
1. Put in a representation to him highlighting the deteriorating law and order situation
2. Go in a delegation to meet him and apprise him of the goings on in his area.
3. Identify his sub-ordinates who are privy to the goings on and who are hand in league with the criminals

Let you readers be the judge -

Will you exonerate him saying that the SHO is a pious person, a person possessing no ill gotton wealth, a person who is god fearing etc etc or would the residents after a while resort of satyagrahs to have him replaced?

Now put Dr. Manmohan Singh in the place of the SHO and judge.

This man has no capabilities in governance and does not deserve to be the Prime Minister. He cannot hide behind the facade of 'Sharifana'


Ravinder Malhotra
09-Apr-2011 09:30 AM

Comment For millions of supporters to Anna Hazare movement against corruption, it may not be appropriate to discuss and doubt possibilities of achieving victory.

But for those who will participate in meetings, those who are part of committee to draft the law, those who are knowledgeable and understand the otherwise invisible hurdles - need to discuss along the lines mentioned in this article.

I am sure the moment the movement got bigger and beyond control this Wednesday, the top ruling politicians must have been engaged - with help of their pet bureaucrats and legal experts - to find ways which would calm down public, which would look like govt. did its part but that would still serve the interests of corrupt politicians.

As I write this comment, the committee members are already declared - Kiran Bedi is not there and from opposition Mr. Jetly is in.

Why Kiran Bedi is not in and why some more credible person than Mr. Jetly is not in ? (assuming that other representatives from govt. are in the committee there to serv corrupt rulers' inteterests mainly).

Imagine the fear inside the political camps - both UPA and NDA camps - if an effective Lokpal bill comes and starts working as demanded by Anna by Oct/Nov 2011, then most of the big leaders from both UPA and NDA will not be there fighting for next elections in 2013 -they will be found guilty in one or more huge scandals and their career is going to get ruined !!

Dinesh Kumar Bohre
09-Apr-2011 09:08 AM

Comment The failure to address inconvenient truths poses the biggest danger to the success of any endeavor. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

My Word
09-Apr-2011 02:05 AM

Comment I regret that it is a writing like this that put people away from doing something
right.
Stop this nuisance and be with the right people.

Zehera Kassam
08-Apr-2011 21:04 PM




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