Think please !

A snippet from the news channel telecast last evening is the inspiration, if you wish, for this blog entry – “Thousands of people across the country are showing their support to Anna Hazare. People in Gujarat are showing their support by getting together and clinking dishes and spoons in unison”… (it may sound ridiculous, but true!)”

Of late, I have developed this habit of getting into “healthy” debates about issues – social ones. For instance, my husband and I got into discussing the issue of reservations in our education system. No, it’s not all complaining and cribbing; but as educated and informed individuals, we formed (or reinforced) strong opinions quite contrary to the entire hoopla surrounding it.

“Anna’s campaign”, “Team Anna”, “People march, Government crawls”, “Down with corruption”… these phrases are used by one and all. Witty one-liners on Facebook and Twitter were never liked more or re-tweeted this often. Thanks to the media journalists… (P.S. ever thought you guys could have had made a decent career in marketing as well?). I wonder if the people who are supporting Anna in herds by innovative means, have really thought through of what they are supporting. Are you saying that -
1. Anna “be allowed” to fast?
2. the Lokpal bill be formed by the civil society alone?
3. the PM be brought under the purview of the Lokpal?
4. the bill, once drafted, be passed immediately in the Parliament?
5. the bill is our answer, our bhrahmastra, to eradicate corruption?

There are a number of things that I could have listed. And you will agree despite assuring one or all of those (if that is possible) is not going to be an all encompassing solution. The agenda is not only long, it is disconnected.

In my personal opinion, anyone who wants to fast can do so, without having to take permission, by his right to freedom. Women in Indian households have been holding God to ransom for centuries with their weekly and monthly fasts. However, prior to this thought, one should also think whether it is reasonable to threaten (and I say threaten because it is just that) someone by fasting-unto-death! Yes, Gandhi may have pioneered this thought and many have subscribed to it; as they have subscribed to his other ideas and philosophies. But is that going to help you achieve your objective? Will fasting unto death ensure that your version of the Lokpal is placed in the Parliament? Will that ensure that the same version is approved? Will public support from all strata of the society ensure (so called) “Anna’s victory”. Over and above all these issues, what logical thought process leads you to believe that it, the very Lokpal, will reduce or eradicate corruption from our society?

With due respect to Anna Hazare and his colleagues; I want to believe that they know what their destination is and the means to reach it. However, my main concern lies with the “aam junta” who is following blindly and is quite opinion-less. Yes, your support in large numbers is shaking the government; they are concerned because you are their vote bank. They are worried about certain social elements running amok, wrecking havoc and causing damage to public life and property; and this episode haunting them during their next election campaigns. Manish Tiwari’s foot-in-the-mouth episode where he retorts that Anna is deep in corruption – is that your victory against the government? People like Anna Hazare, Kiran Bedi et al, given their attitude and aptitude, will strive for this cause regardless of hundreds supporting them or millions supporting them.

My earnest request to people is to THINK! Anna can make a difference using his Gandhian ways. The question really is, given your position and profession, what can you do? I refuse to believe that protesting on streets in front of TV cameras can be your only claim to fame. If corruption is what you are fighting against, does it exist only at the center of big scams? Does it not lie in the depths of your mind? Are not envy and green buried in the pits of corruption? Are these attributes not human, or are they diseases that inflict only the affluent and powerful? Can it entirely and truly be eradicated then? However, I want you to rationalize at this point that corruption can be kept in check. There can be governance structures that can contain it, if not completely eradicate it. Although I am not aware of the fine print of the Lokpal bill; it could be one such governance structure. At your level and mine, the grassroots, we can make a difference by dealing with these diseases at the core of the society, thy self.

We have known certain things to be a boon as well as a bane. Recognize that the media also has an unpledged alliance; it is not unbiased as it is supposed to be or thought to be. Let us be sure of what we are working towards and what our actions shall bring on. Yes, let’s get every penny, which we pay as a tax, accounted for. Let us also account for our actions. Let them not be acts of a puppet dancing to a tune – sometimes sung by sadhus and sadhvis , by activists or by some joker running a news channel or newspaper.