President's office: No, we cannot schedule the swearing-in of the new Chief Justice of India at 7 p.m. because the Central cabinet is to be sworn in at 4 p.m.and there are 83 Ministers. The CJI was sworn in only last week.
Caller: Yes, but the Lokpal has passed strictures on the CJI and wants removal.
Teacher: Who is the Prime Minister of India?
Student: Sir, as of this morning it was Mr. XX. but I understand that the afternoon news announced his resignation consequent to Lokpal levelling charges.
Telephone call 1: Lokpalji, I am Mithun speaking from Unterabad. I came to get my 35-year-old scooter re-registered. It is working well. But they demand Rs.3,000 and threaten that if it is not paid they will find some defect and deny re-registration. Please help me.
Telephone call 2: Sir, I am Lalchand speaking from Oberapur. Five truckloads of pipes my factory has produced are held up even after payment of due excise duty because I am asked to pay a bribe of Rs. 30,000. This is unfair because I am used to paying only Rs.15,000. Kindly help me.
Telephone call 3: Sir, this is the CAG speaking. We have unearthed a huge scam involving 12 lakh crore rupees in food procurement and fertilizer subsidies. Would appreciate if Lokpal takes cognisance of the same and initiates immediate action before the evidence gets destroyed.
Lokpal: Dear CAG, Thank you for the call. I shall look into it as soon as possible but before that I need to sort out Mithun's problem of getting his two-wheeler re-registered and Lalchand's problem of paying only minimum tips for excise clearance. I am afraid there are dozens more of similar cases awaiting my attention. Please continue your good work. The above bizarre scenarios would result as a result of the PM, the higher judiciary and government servants at all levels coming within the purview of the Lokpal. We need to start having faith somewhere just as we build mathematical theories based on some axioms. Axioms represent faith and are not normally questioned. If the axioms betray, there are other mechanisms for correction. Is it wise to put all your eggs in one basket?
(The writer's email is: narayanan.makham @gmail. com)
The author's point of view may not be fully correct but his humorous criticism of proposed lokpal bill is praiseworthy. If the government's lokpal is toothless than the janlokpal bill is impractical. Those demanding a institution with superpowers need to rethink. A single agency empowered to investigate, prosecute n punish is sure to become what it dreams to eradicate.
The aim of Lokpal Bill is to establish a central government anti-corruption institution called Lokpal, supported by Lokayukta at the state level. Lokpal is not a single person. A group of people will be there to deliver justice. When computerization came, the same question was there. But, now the functioning becomes easier. Similarly, what is bad in giving a chance to a new thing? It is not like putting all eggs in to a single basket. It is like removing the rotten eggs from a big basket, which is our motherland.
It is the lokayuktas at state level and ombudsman at a district level who need to look into such matters. I understand the point that you were trying to make, but this is something that can be sorted out.
I agree with the author's point that it's unwise to put all the eggs in a single basket. I realize that the LP is no superhuman immune to corruption so that he can lord over all the branches of administration. But where I disagree with the article is - there is an urgent need for an ombudsman with real powers to nail guilty people, never mind their influence or wealth. The Govt, cornered, is trying to divert from the issue by emphasizing on the PM inclusion issue. It is an uphill battle to just make the Govt come to a table with the people and then carry forward the proposals into action. The author's criticism, while very much justifiable, can splinter the movement and leave the Govt to do as it wants and institute a powerless LP with no capacity to prosecute the guilty, defeating the spirit of the LP. Compromises can be worked out, but we need to have a fruitful discussion first!
For your kind information there will be different levels of offials in the lokpal to deal with different problems. I don't understand how articles like these get published even though they show clear lack of understandign of subject matter which is lokpal here. You don't call PM if you get a load shedding, if water is not coming. you call local officials. Similarly, you will call local lokpal inspectors in your city if someone is asking for your bribe for your scooter. Great keep having you said have faith in the system. The money being looted is my money which the government officials collect as tax. Maybe you are speaking on behalf of hundreds of corrupt MPs, thousand of corrupt ministers in India, RTO officers, Ration card officers, procurement officers, mining officials, CWG officials etc and uncountable others. I know some people in the system are good as well who also get the blame. Lokpal can remove the chaff from the wheat.
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