Anna Hazare: A solution to the Problem?

After independence, there have been few people who have captured the imagination of this country, like Anna Hazare. This dynamic septuagenarian has initiated a movement to end corruption in India on a scale that has not been witnessed in recent times. Going by the mass hysteria that has surrounded this movement, Anna has enough support and influence to make sure that at least some of the suggestions in the Jan Lokpal Bill are implemented, thereby silencing his detractors.

Hazare commenced his fast on 5^th April 2011, calling for a strong Jan Lokpal Bill to replace the antediluvian Lokpal Bill which had little or no impact on the rising levels of corruption in all sections of beurocracy. The new bill would provide more stringent powers to the ombudsman and would also include the Prime Minister’s office and the Judiciary under its proposed scope of functioning, and given the recent spate of the scams which have come into national focus; these changes were welcomed by most people.

While the government does not see vehemently disagrees with Hazare due to obvious reasons, Anna’s version of the bill does contain some salient features that, if implemented, may be a step in the right direction as far as ending corruption goes. While one of the main demands is to bring the Prime Minister, Judiciary and the conduct of MP’s into the investigative ambit of the Jan Lokpal Bill, other suggestions include that investigations against corrupt officials be completed in a year, the establishment of a Lokpal at the centre and Lokyukta’s in each state be set up to keep corruption and bribery in check. The government instead has been accused of skirting the issue time and again by providing two drafts of the bill, thereby leading to a fallout in negotiations, with many people terming the Government’s version as a ‘Jokepal Bill’ instead.

Watching the events of this ‘historic’ movement unfold on T.V with young and old waving flags and chanting patriotic slogans, I felt that the country had at last united for an issue that has affected all of us at some point. This movement has definitely succeeded in waking up people to the extent of the reality of corruption in India, and the youth especially has shown unprecedented support for this movement like no other in recent times. Whether we admit it or not, corruption and bribery is rampant from the lowest peon to the highest Government official and our ‘chalta hai’ attitude has as much a part to play as the Government’s lack of initiative in tackling this problem.

The Jan Lokpal Bill is merely a means to fight corruption and not an end in itself and I therefore feel that in order to do away with this problem, we need to look within ourselves to fight corruption at its roots instead of blaming the government for its lack of enterprise. While I appreciate Anna’s aspirations to take on the might of the Government and bring an end to this menace, I do not support his means of doing it. In a democracy like ours, everyone has a right to an opinion but I do feel that the best way to reach a conclusion would be to not write off the Government completely and reach a middle ground instead with suggestions of both sides being incorporated into the final bill. Corruption cannot be abolished overnight but through a step by step process, we might see the end of it one day.