Fight against Corruption - Support Anna Hazare

This frail man is in the news on all TV channels and has made the Nation talk about him.  Not for any of his personal achievements but for the fight that he has been making against the big Institution – a fight against Corruption.

In a debate in a TV channel –  a noted woman writer said yesterday that ‘at no point people, whomever it could be, be allowed to usurp the institutional power i.e., there cannot be any replacement to the Parliament or any other constituted body for that matter’

Another popular person whose books have created waves,  replied ‘it is the wise move of the Govt to dilute everything and delay things by putting them to debate’.  What is that we are debating here ?    Is there any real need for the Govt to ask the people on whether a Police Station is required in a place or City ?  there needs to be systems to ensure the correctness of things and only those who are doing errs need to be afraid of these systems…..

At this stage, when he is garnering the prime place in all news media, there would simply be no need to write anything about him.  Still  Kisan Bapat Baburao Hazare is the man – popularly known as Anna Hazare, was born on 15^th Jan 1940 – a veteran soldier, is a Social activist widely recognised and respected for his contribution to development, especially that of Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra.  For his efforts in establishing it as a model village, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan by the Govt. of India in 1992.

Perhaps the din of the World Cup victory sort of diminished the news - On April 5 2011, Hazare started a 'fast unto death' to exert pressure on the  Government of India to enact a strong anti-corruption act as envisaged in the Jan Lokpal Bill, a law that will establish a Lokpal (ombudsman) that will have the power to deal with corruption in public offices.

The movement is occurring at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi and  the common public all over are steadfastly behind him calling him a living Mahatma.   Anna Hazare reportedly is a lone survivor of  his unit in1965 Indo-Pak war, dedicated his life to the well-being of society, a  bachelor, an ascetic, holds no possessions, no bank balance and lives in a temple. 

  
In Maharashtra , Anna has single handedly transformed barren and dry regions into green and food surplus areas. He has fasted unto death on several earlier occasions. He forced the Maharashtra government to dismiss the corrupt - 6 ministers and 400 officers. Due to his fast, the Govt.  enacted the Maharashtra RTI Act. In 2006, when government of India tried to amend the Central RTI Act, he again went on an indefinite fast and forced the Indian government not to amend RTI Act. 
  
Will it be a  a defining moment for India that can give our children a better future! Only time can tell.   

He had appealed to the people urging the fellow country men to join in fasting irrespective of the number of days and offer prayers to God for better and corruption-free India.  

The  Jan Lokpal Bill was drafted by Justice Santosh Hegde, Prashant Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal;  refined on the basis of feedback received from public on website and after series of public consultations and had  been vetted by and is supported by Shanti Bhushan, J M Lyngdoh, Kiran Bedi, Anna Hazare etc.  It was sent to the PM and all CMs on 1st December and expectedly received no  response.   

JAN LOKPAL BILL :   

1.An institution called LOKPAL at the centre and LOKAYUKTA in each state will be set up
2.Like Supreme Court and Election Commission, they will be completely independent of the governments. No minister or bureaucrat will be able to influence their investigations.
3.Cases against corrupt people will not linger on for years anymore: Investigations in any case will have to be completed in one year. Trial should be completed in next one year so that the corrupt politician, officer or judge is sent to jail within two years.
4.The loss that a corrupt person caused to the government will be recovered at the time of conviction.
5.How will it help a common citizen: If any work of any citizen is not done in prescribed time in any government office, Lokpal will impose financial penalty on guilty officers, which will be given as compensation to the complainant.
6.So, you could approach Lokpal if your ration card or passport or voter card is not being made or if police is not registering your case or any other work is not being done in prescribed time. Lokpal will have to get it done in a month’s time. You could also report any case of corruption to Lokpal, like ration being siphoned off, poor quality roads been constructed or panchayat funds being siphoned off. Lokpal will have to complete its investigations in a year, trial will be over in next one year and the guilty will go to jail within two years.
7.But won’t the government appoint corrupt and weak people as Lokpal members? That won’t be possible because its members will be selected by judges, citizens and constitutional authorities and not by politicians, through a completely transparent and participatory process.
8.What if some officer in Lokpal becomes corrupt? The entire functioning of Lokpal/Lokayukta will be completely transparent. Any complaint against any office of Lokpal shall be investigated and the officer dismissed within two months.
9.What will happen to existing anti-corruption agencies? CVC, departmental vigilance and anti-corruption branch of CBI will be merged into Lokpal. Lokpal will have complete powers and machinery to independently investigate and prosecute any officer, judge or politician. 
  
JAN LOKPAL BILL will act as deterrent and instil fear against corruption.

People talk and feel corruption in all walks of life – in all their activities – either in securing a ration card, or a gas connection or even getting a refill cylinder.  It is not limited to Public service – it is prevalent everywhere.  The country is rocked by scam after the other, each one dwarfs the earlier one, much as the waves make little the earlier ones.

When hit, everyone makes a voice stating the need for stemming the rot and eliminating corruption but would go back home and happily rest in peace without making minimal effort.  In such a society, people like Anna Hazare are rare gems and need to be preserved.  There is no purpose in simply eulogizing them without following their foot steps or without joining such movements. 

-          the  corruption is happening because of poor laws and policies in the government, which keep changing according to the whims and fancies of politicians and get mended according to what suits them best.   It happens because of lack of belongingness and only obvious cure is enhancing human values.

-          Corruption needs to be eliminated at every level.  Say no to bribes.  Never receive nor give one.  join hands to fight corruption in all possible manner

There is an awakening called ‘India Against Corruption Movement’.  Every one needs to spread this message in their own way. 

When reports last came in, Cong President Sonia met PM Manmohan and discussed the stalemate on the issue & Ministers Pranab, Kapil Sibal were also present.  Earlier Sonia had assured Hazare that his views would receive the attention of the Govt.  The activists are however skeptical and want immediate action.  Hazare today announced a ‘jail bharo’ movement across the country on Apr 13 seeking chairmanship of the joint drafting committee.  He also asked all the people to stick to non-violence.    HRD Minister Kapil Sibal stated that there is no possibility of an official notification on the constitution of joint committee but added that they are willing to give an official letter through law ministry and a press note.  The credibility of Govt. & that of politicians is too well known – the most recent being announcement regarding Telengana.

Jai Hind – Let us aim, pray, fight and do everything for a clean, corruption-free, strong Nation.

Regards – S. Sampathkumar.