Success eludes
LOK PAL BILL
< ANTI-CORRUPTION CAMPAIGN >
Various
corruption scandals have aroused the nation’s attention in
a big way, to the need for a strong corruption prevention mechanism in the
country, away from Politicians’ control, to hit at the roots of this extraordinary
menace of corruption in the country and destroy it.
The strong stink of Black Money in
the Country can also no more be brushed aside – especially after the
CBI itself has spoken of the mammoth amounts stashed away abroad by Indians.
The Anti-corruption campaign led by
Team Anna has been a significant land mark – especially in drafting a strong
Lok Pal Bill and forcing the Government to consider it – seemingly much against
its will. But, ultimately, nothing came
out of its huge efforts. All the public protests staged by Team Anna were met
by the Government in ways that will never do any credit to the Government.
The Anti-corruption Lok Pal Bill is
now to be considered once again in Parliament in the current session. Will
Government concede at least a few of the valid arguments of Team Anna and of
the Opposition Parties, this time around? We will have to wait and see.
Why is India so hesitant and so much
dragging its legs in having a strong Lok Pal Bill – despite being recognized by
the whole world as one of the most corrupt countries?
The answer is a puzzle indeed. All parties
in the fray have to share the responsibility in some measure – though the
responsibility of the UPA Government is the maximum.
Let us look at what went wrong – and
what is likely to go wrong again – in India having a really strong Lok Pal
Bill.
ROLE OF TEAM ANNA
MY WAY OR HIGH WAY:
The ANTI-CORRUPTION CAMPAIGN led by
Anna Hazare and his team has presented a stubborn face of “Either my way, or
the High way” right from the beginning either knowingly or unknowingly. Team
Anna always says – we want the Jan Lok Pal Bill! There is a huge difference
between saying we want a strong Lok Pal
Bill and we want Jan Lok Pal Bill.
Sri Arvind Kejriwal sometimes did clarify that some views of the Opposition
parties, chiefly the BJP, are acceptable to it and Team Anna will not insist on
its own version. But whenever team Anna speaks of Jan Lok Pal Bill, everybody
starts feeling, it wants its OWN VERSION. In other words – team Anna wants “its
way”. Team Anna is still not understanding that public opinion has veered round
to the view that while a strong Lok Pal is necessary, the Jan Lok Pal Bill is
not. Jan Lok Bill is identified with Team Anna and is anathema to many
Political Parties (UPA and others). But, the words, strong Lok Pal Bill has no such
identification with Team Anna or BJP – and is more acceptable to more people. Team
Anna must learn to play its cards right and mouth its words right – if the
nation has to get a strong Lok Pal Bill.
BROADBASE THE TEAM
: Team Anna must develop state level campaign Teams in much stronger way. Every
state must have a strong ANTI-CORRUPTION CAMPAIGN TEAM – led by good leaders
who can mobilize grass roots support for the campaign. Team Anna has a long way
to go in this respect.
HANDLING GOVERNMENT / UPA : It is true that UPA Government constantly tried to
divert attention of people from the Anti corruption Campaign by allegations and
smear campaigns against individual members of Team Anna. But, Team Anna did not
handle the smear Campaigns intelligently and as a Team.
First, it failed to Support adequately
Swami Ram Dev in his campaign against Black Money. The midnight scoop by Government,
on the team of Swami Ram Dev was unprecedented in its methods. Swami Ram Dev
might have committed some errors in Handling the mid night scoop which was not
only totally unexpected but was ethically absolutely wrong. In half sleep,
anybody commits such mistakes. The Nation should understand that. Especially Team
Anna must understand that. No one can behave intelligently in Half-sleep.
In my view, Team Anna should have
stood by Swami Ram Dev in that period and thereafter - much more stridently
than it did. Subsequently, one after another, many members of Team Anna fell
victims to UPA’s smear campaign and various allegations. This was typical of
the ancient 4 Bulls Vs The Lion story. The moral never seems to sink into the
Bulls. United you live. Divided you perish. Even now, the intelligent thing for
Team Anna is to unite with all people including swami Ram Dev – and support
each other more stridently than at present.
UNITED FIGHT
: Fighting Unitedly with all the ANTI-CORRUPTION campaigners is the best
possible way to root out corruption in India.
The leftists are against corruption.
The BJP is against Corruption. Many sections of Congress are against
Corruption. Lok Satta president, Jayaprakash Narayan is a strident campaigner
against Corruption. TDP Chief, Chandrababu Naidu is against Corruption. Bihar’s
Nitish and Gujarat’s Modi are against Corruption. So are Mamata Banerjee and Navin
Patnaik. Mobilize them purely – for this SINGLE POINT CAMPAIGN. Request them to
come and address your Anti-corruption campaigners individually on different
days at different places. There is nothing APOLITICAL about ANTI-CORRUPTION CAMPAIGN. It is first
and foremost, against corrupt Politicians and then against Corrupt Babus in Government. So all honest
Politicians in all Parties must be asked to join the campaign or at least
support it from outside. Team Anna must build consensus opinions on the Lok Pal
issue, instead of saying – we want JAN LOK PAL BILL.
When Swami Ram Dev talked of Black
money issue, many seemed skeptical about his arguments. Now, even the CBI is
saying the same thing. Corruption and Black Money are not two different issues,
but, one is the cause and the other is the effect; both are two sides of the
same coin. You can’t fight Corruption and be silent on Black money or vice
verse. Fight both simultaneously.
UNITING RTI ACTIVISTS
: It is horrifying – that RTI Activists are being killed by different methods
by the corrupt persons and mafia gangs in all States. RTI Activists are
fighting lone Battles, which is not good for the country, and not safe for
them. It is essential that these courageous people fighting against corruption
are brought under a single umbrella and supported ACTIVELY – so that the
anti-corruption campaigns remain effective all over India. In this country, Bad
People Unite easily for Bad Purpose – but Good People do not Unite for Good
Purpose. Bad people are more in number and have money/power etc as common
stakes to unite with each other. But Good People want to fight individually,
not willing to join each other. This tendency must be avoided. Team Anna must
spearhead this “Unite and Win” campaign.
ROLE OF OPPOSITION PARTIES
The opposition Parties need to find
a way out of the Lok Pal Logjam in Parliament – by withdrawing the hundreds of amendments
proposed and making it simpler for the UPA to come up with an effective Bill.
The goal must be clear. The country can’t wait indefinitely for a strong Lok
Pal. It is now or never. After all, we lost over 50 years waiting for Lok Pal
Bill and unless Opposition parties take intelligent, problem solving stand - another 50 years can easily go in the same
way. Forget Team Anna – but sit with UPA and resolve the issues and offer help
in drafting a strong Lok Pal bill.
Enough has been spoken on the Bill.
Now, there is no need for elaborate speeches and point scoring. What is needed
is – the Bill must be modified and passed quickly.
The only point is – it may be right
to suspect UPA of anti-federalist motives in any other Bill; but, not in Lok
Pal Bill. If UNO is also urging all countries to have a strong anti-corruption
Bill for their countries – we must also adopt a uniform Bill for the whole
country. You can’t have a strong Bill for centre, a weak bill for one state and
none for some other state. Opposition parties must see reason in having a uniform
anti-corruption bill for the whole country. The Bill will be common, but
administering will be by individual structures for each state – with centre
having no role on a state.
ROLE OF UPA
No one really expected UPA to be so
much resisting to the obviously good Provisions that Team Anna or the
Opposition Parties proposed.
Many were left wondering – is this
the same UPA which ushered in an effective RTI Act very recently? If UPA leaves
the matter to its leader, Dr.Manmohan Singh, a strong Lok Pal may become a
reality very quickly.
UPA can seize the initiative to make
the Lok Pal Bill stronger than what was proposed by Team Anna and BJP – and it
will lose nothing thereby but gain a lot. Its reputation will go up by many
notches in Public Mind.
If CBI is under a strong Regulator
like Lok Pal (for anti-corruption cases only), Congress will gain eventually.
Country will gain hugely. Business confidence, corporate Governance, Public
Governance will all improve considerably. Many crimes will get prevented before
their happening.
If Group A and B are directly under
Lok Pal, and Groups C and D are also brought under Lok Pal, albeit through
their present Departmental / Ministerial Vigilance structures (which can be
placed under Lok Pal) – Lok Pal will certainly not be a huge structure as UPA
projected, but it will effectively use existing structures and make the best
use of them, supervising their efficient functioning.
If a model Law is passed for states,
eventually it will be adopted and implemented by all states. If state Law is
incorporated in Lok Pal Bill, Opposition Parties must welcome it – and not
stand on the plea of Federal structure to scuttle THE BILL on that count. Left
to themselves, some states, deeply mired in corruption, will never like to have
a Lok Pal Bill. The Bill can be passed for states – and the states can be left
to develop structures similar to the central Lok Pal themselves – but, no state
must have the option of NOT HAVING A STRONG, Uniform Lok Pal.
If UPA passes a strong Lok Pal Bill –
the biggest gain for it will be a handsome win in 2014 elections. But, if it
dithers further on it – it will have no further excuses to tell Team Anna or
any one – not to campaign against it in 2014 elections on anti-corruption plank.
UPA has to make its choice wisely.
ROLE OF MEDIA
In India the Media is typically one
which very rarely looks into the Past. Today’s news Today – is good. But,
Yesterday’s news which is still burning – cannot be left to the winds.
In my view, the anti-corruption
campaign is one which can do a LOT OF GOOD
for the country and for Media itself.
It must lend all out support for a
strong Lok Pal Bill. It must also lend all-out support to all RTI activists
across the country – in their fight against Corruption and Black money in the
country.
What I feel is –every Monday – the Media
must start out with a one hour program on the MOST PROMINENT CASES OF corruption, RTI Activist murders etc – apart from
gang rape, other rapes etc on which Government failed to Act well – in LAST ONE
YEAR. Media must adopt such a COMPULSORY WEEKLY REVIEW that will force
Governments to ACT in such cases.
Media – for this purpose, includes,
TV, Radio and News Papers too. India needs a strong Media Presence.
All of us have a lot to learn from the Higher
Judiciary in this respect. Many a time, Sections of Media and Government are
seen ridiculing what the Judiciary says – as Judicial Activism. But, it is a
fact that – but for this Judicial scrutiny, many corruption cases would not
have seen the light of the day. Judiciary is also trying to cleanse its own ranks. This Judicial Activism – which I think
is needed very much India, sharpen itself and stay.
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