While, naturally, the main target of attack on the larger issue of corruption over the last few months and the Lokpal Bill, specifically, in the last few days has been the ruling United Progressive Alliance, parties across the board are also aware the political class as a whole is under attack. They can no longer afford to ignore the mood of the nation.
Bharatiya Janata Party vice-president Shanta Kumar — whose comments were posted on the party's website — demanded that a special session of Parliament be called to pass the Lokpal Bill as soon as it was ready. Party president Nitin Gadkari promised the BJP's support for the bill even before the start of the process of drafting, although a BJP spokesman said a day earlier that the party would wait to see the outcome of the drafting exercise.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said “bygones should be bygones… our energy should be spent on the draft of the new [Lokpal] bill and the agreement [between the government and Anna Hazare supporters] was to move towards a solution.” He added it was not the time for allegations and counter-allegations, but the time to find solutions.
Mr. Kumar's statement was more than candid when it referred to the failure of different political parties heading a series of governments at the Centre to pass legislation that could begin cleansing the system. “It was a complete failure of our political system that all parties, and even the NDA [National Democratic Alliance] could not take effective steps to curb corruption in our country and now the public has come forward to tackle the serious issue…” The reference was to the fact that the bill has been a subject of discussion in ruling parties over nearly four decades.
There was also the hint of discomfort from some politicians who felt the political class may have mounted a tiger it cannot easily dismount. While there were no two views on the need to tackle corruption, some described what happened at Jantar Mantar over the last few days as “the tyranny of the inelectable.” There were elements in the drama that unfolded that could lead to a situation in which political parties could lose their relevance and the parliamentary system itself would be weakened, they felt.
The first to voice fears over “fascist tactics” used by the Hazare supporters — although the cause they espoused was right — was Samajwadi Party spokesperson Mohan Singh. He and the former Minister, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, of the Rashtriya Janata Dal were one in questioning the constitutional propriety of trying to hijack legislative powers that rest solely with Parliament, of dictating terms to an elected government.
The BJP, of course, did not share the view that these were “fascist tactics.” The party's Nirmala Sitharaman said she smelt no danger to the democratic polity. And Mr. Kumar went to the extent of encouraging yoga teacher Baba Ramdev, who has admittedly contributed several lakhs of rupees to the party coffers, to “take a lead” in starting a campaign against black money, similar to the Lokpal Bill campaign of Anna Hazare.
Party leaders conceded that when the bill was readied for Parliament, there could be demands that the customary study of the bill by the relevant standing committee be done away with. Mr. Hazare, after all, has given legislators till August 15 to pass the bill. And if a standing committee is to look at it meaningfully, that may not be possible. That exercise is normally undertaken between sessions.
D. Raja of the Communist Party of India felt that political parties, after all, had not been bypassed as the bill, whatever shape it took, would have to be passed by Parliament before it became law. No group of people could take away the right of any MP to move an amendment or of Parliament to approve such an amendment.
While appreciative of the national mood to fight corruption, Mr. Raja was of the view that the BJP itself clearly had double standards, as did some Hazare supporters. “Is anyone going to undertake a fast-unto-death for the removal of Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, who is facing corruption charges? Who will do that when Mr. Yeddyurappa has himself emerged as a strong supporter of Anna?”
Keywords: Lokpal Bill, UPA, War on corruption, Anna Hazare
<i>"..situation in which political parties could lose their relevance and the parliamentary system itself would be weakened"</i>
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Absolutely true. But, the political parties have themselves to blame for that. Over time they forgot that, in a democracy, people are the masters and instead treated them as subjects. And, they believed that they created a perfect system for themselves :
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<li>time-tested methods to buy votes (either with black money or cheap incentives such as color tv's) </li>
<li>deals with media to control information flow, and </li>
<li>partnership with businesses to keep the money flowing in exchange for license to loot the public resources.</li>
</ol>Now, it's the public's glee that they figured out a way to fight back. To be clear, there is nothing sacrosanct about our parliamentary democracy. Groups such as Loksatta have been advocating several urgent reforms to our parliamentary democracy -- changing from first-past-the-post system to a proportional representation etc. (http://www.loksatta.org/cms/documents/advocacy/ERG.pdf)
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Second and as yet unacknowledged recipients of a shock from the events of the past week have been the Indian media.
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As Radia tapes and paid-news scams revealed, a significant chunk of the Indian media established their cozy relationships with the political power centers and businesses and felt secure in their power to control the information flow and therefore public sentiments. The fact that the India Against Corruption (IAC) movement developed a huge reach among urban youth despite denial of any media coverage has surprised the Indian media. (<i>We gave 90% of our front pages to cricket and bollywood. And, how did these youth find about corruption and IAC?</i> is what the media houses must be wondering right now.) That they were blindsided by social networks is obvious. And, editorials such as <a href="http://www.indianexpress.com/news/of-the-few-by-the-few/772773/">Of the few, by the few</a> shows that some of them are simply unable to digest what happened and unwilling to lift their heads out of sand.
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So, hopefully the IAC movement has highlighted the need for critical introspection both among the political parties as well as traditional media. That may yet be the best outcome of Anna Hazare's fast.
We don't just need ot pass the Lok Pal Bill but also need to completely separate the judiciary and law enforcement agecencies (CBI etc) from the political influence of the ruling party. That is the only way that the law's powers can be realised. Otherwise the politicians can continue to do the same thing they are doing now. It is shocking to know that momey in an amount greater than our nationl GDP has been stashed in foreign accounts. This money is supporting the economy of foreign countries while the poor Indian for whom this money was meant is dying of hunger or from lack of basic health care needs.
The issue is that corruption is a two way traffic. Lobbying and influencing is a way of corruption which is existing in every country. Western governments use grants and loans to other countries to make them buy the produce of their country. It is a form of corruption. In India there are laws which if properly implemented can address the issue. It required a Mr. Seshan to show the politicians what are the rules in election law; The Supreme Court under the current Chief Justice is active, but these laws have always been there, but the implementation was lax. or non existing. India does not need another new center of authority - What it needs is to prevent the corrupt becoming powerful. The law needed is to Prohibit anyone guilty of a crime and imprisoned to lose the right to become a MP or a MLA. And IN case of cases involving wealth disproportionate to known sources of wealth or tax evasion, the assets should be brought under the control of the court till the case is disposed of. Then there will be no clamour for adjournments and delays. Rest the non criminal MPS and MLAs can enact in proper manner and implement.
So the blood suckers are complaining the Anna Hazare's movement has stopped their ability to cream the public purse and now say it is undemocratic. Well if they were not corrupt and totally inept then there would have been no need for these types of fasts. The corrupt politicians have lost nothing they well only find other ways to cream the public until Dynastic rule is abolished and the death peanalty for all political misdeaveours is introduced.
If the law is objective and impartial covering all loopholes then it will help weed out all corrupt people out of public life. It will be all encompassing irrespective of party affiliation or post occupied. The poeple want it
Mr. D .Raja, please do remember that most of you- MPs and MLAs are really have the mendate of less than 20% of actual voters! Truely as a politician you, like others, want to gain party mileage out of any and all situations. You yourself can undertake a fast unto death against Mr Yediyurappa, Then you will know where you are.
Anna Hazare is sincere and committed to fighting corruption. But his movement becomes vitiated when politicians of doubtful integrity against whom there are charges and cases of corruption come out openly in support of Sri Anna Hazare. We have the laws even now, but the manner in which Sm Jayalalithaa is using every single means to postpone the hearing of her case and the stay taken by Mr Yeddyurappa against the investigations to be carried out by the Lokayukt shows that our legal system can be used to protect oneself. Even murderers get bail and move around. We need to get our legal system revamped to be quick and decisive.
Political parties consider themselves as Mai-Baap of Indian people and fail to understand that they too are servants of the people like us. Once the anti - corruption bill is passed and a neutral body is introduced they will learn their first lesson and surely place their feet on the path of holistic approach leading to national progress.
Corruption at the highest levels of the land is the most distressing aspect. One can understand a lower income employeee taking a few rupees, but it is the corruption of the rich and high level politicians which is inforgivable, since there is absolutely no justification of need for it, but just a greed for more.
Being in the U.S., I dont want to compare it with India, both countries have their own problems. While corruption is rare, and quickly punished here, crime and education are some of the problems here. However, there is one feature that I always find amazing whenever I visit any private or government office here: people impart their duties generally in a very unemotional way, not getting upset, or unduly happy about it. I think in India too, people should adopt this approach, even in this proposed bill. One should not get excited or disappointed easily, just do the task in hand in a fair way.That way this bill can be implemented fairly, without unduly harassing anybody. One of our friends sent me this quotation, which is very profound:
"Perfection does not come from belief or faith. Talk does not count for anything. Parrots can do that. Perfection comes through the disinterested performance of action.- Swami Vivekananda"
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