I am reading and following the debates around the Anna Hazare's initiative for the Lokpal bill. I liked reading the post by Aativas about her visit to Ram Leela grounds where Anna Hazare is fasting.
It reminded me of my visit to those same grounds more than 30 years ago, perhaps it was in 1976, when I had gone there to listen to Jai Prakash Narayan. J.P. was talking of Sampoorna Kranti (total revolution) for changing India through grassroots democracy.
Those were such heady days and for some time, I had dreamed that a different India was possible. India did change but not in the way JP had been saying. Looking back at the history shows that things hardly ever go any where in a straight line according to the plans, but they often go off on a tangent. So I wonder where the Anna Hazare movement will take us.
I have also liked reading the report by Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) that points out a key facts:
(1) After liberalization, the number and scale of corruption has increased but the number of CBI investigations into cases of corruption have decreased. In 1991, CBI had 1,181 cases of corruption investigations, in 2010, there 731 cases.
(2) Central vigilance Commission (CVC) is India's main body for investigating cases of corruption among Government workers.However whenever, it receives information about corruption, it needs a sanction from Government to proceed with investigations. However, Government denies sanction for investigation to more than 98% of all cases reported to CVC. Out of the 77,925 cases of corruption among government persons, the government gave permission to proceed in only 1,348 cases (1.7% of all cases).
I hope that Anna Hazare and his team will read the ACHR report and include appropriate suggestions in the Lokpal Bill.
Yesterday there was a tweet from Shashi Tharoor that corruption is not only 2G or CWG, but every time a woman has to pay bribe to get her pension, India's democracy is diminished. I agree completely. As we fight the big corruption by those in power, we must ask for a change so that the all pervasive daily corruption also goes.
It reminded me of my visit to those same grounds more than 30 years ago, perhaps it was in 1976, when I had gone there to listen to Jai Prakash Narayan. J.P. was talking of Sampoorna Kranti (total revolution) for changing India through grassroots democracy.
Those were such heady days and for some time, I had dreamed that a different India was possible. India did change but not in the way JP had been saying. Looking back at the history shows that things hardly ever go any where in a straight line according to the plans, but they often go off on a tangent. So I wonder where the Anna Hazare movement will take us.
I have also liked reading the report by Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) that points out a key facts:
(1) After liberalization, the number and scale of corruption has increased but the number of CBI investigations into cases of corruption have decreased. In 1991, CBI had 1,181 cases of corruption investigations, in 2010, there 731 cases.
(2) Central vigilance Commission (CVC) is India's main body for investigating cases of corruption among Government workers.However whenever, it receives information about corruption, it needs a sanction from Government to proceed with investigations. However, Government denies sanction for investigation to more than 98% of all cases reported to CVC. Out of the 77,925 cases of corruption among government persons, the government gave permission to proceed in only 1,348 cases (1.7% of all cases).
I hope that Anna Hazare and his team will read the ACHR report and include appropriate suggestions in the Lokpal Bill.
Yesterday there was a tweet from Shashi Tharoor that corruption is not only 2G or CWG, but every time a woman has to pay bribe to get her pension, India's democracy is diminished. I agree completely. As we fight the big corruption by those in power, we must ask for a change so that the all pervasive daily corruption also goes.
I agree here with you that things hardly go according to our speculation and thoughts.....moreover i personally feel hat present scenario is an emotional outburst of the ppl and once they are back to their normal life, it will all be more or less same as usual...
ReplyDeleteCorruption is in every part and aspect of India. Change has to start from top but public needs to change too. I wrote two posts on it - one for public too....check them out
ReplyDeleteSuniljee, thanks for your kind words and also thanks for introducing my post to the readers of your blog. I always try to see the other side - it helps me in many ways.
ReplyDeleteI would certainly like to read your memoirs of Nava NirmaaNa movement - have you already written anything about it? Will explore.
Completely agree! I also like your comment that we often do not know where a movement is heading.One of the reasons for the increase in corruption post liberalization may be the higher stakes involved. But again the Indian middle class has been the biggest beneficiary of the economic liberalization. So why have we woken up so late to this corruption issue?
ReplyDeleteCorruption is inside our veins so bad that it will take a generation to wipe it out. Hopefully the growing kids will see a better India.
ReplyDeleteSunilji,
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to inform you that it's Impossible to comment anywhere on Kalpana.it. There's no form whatsoever :)
In regards to fighting corruption, well I think this issue is way overdue. There's just too much of clean up that needs to be done but I am so glad that Anna's movement is one of many more to brighten our future generation :)
@Kiran - I know, there is no way to comment on Kalpana, because I didn't know how to set the comment system :( (my knowledge of html & webdesign is quite limited in many ways).
ReplyDeleteThanks also to Irfan, A, Aativas, Meera & Tanya.
@Aativas - no I have never written much about the Nava Nirmaan movement days!
Corruption is everywhere. When a person accepts free meals instead of having to work for it, they are very much corrupt. But then, they very much get back their due sooner than later, these days. Its better not to make undeserved money due to corruption and people generally find it out the hard way. Anna or no Anna, Karma very much takes over.
ReplyDeleteES, I am quite similar to you in my thinking. Corruption, petty or big, makes me sad and angry and when I can't do anything, I tell myself, he/she will get what they deserve in their lives - those who make suffer poor and vulnerable persons, they will get their punishments in their own lives ..
ReplyDelete