Some weeks ago former telecom minister A Raja was arrested for taking an alleged kickback of 200 crore rupees and awarding the 2G licence to Swan Telecom. Then Congress MP Suresh Kalmadi has been arrested for indulging in financial irregularities in the recent Commonwealth Games (CWG). Eradicating corruption in the country will not be as easy as Anna Hazare perhaps assumes. We dont know how effective this Bill would be to fight against the epidemic of corruption, but it’s clear that many high-rung politicians in the past resisted the bill for which it has been stuck in the backburner for more than four decades. Still some politicians appear to be resisting the bill now and it has been a cause of worry for the citizens who have stood up to fight corruptions on all fronts.
The government’s proposed draft suggests the Lokpal as an advisory body with no unobstructed powers at its domination. At large however the bill seems to be just eyewash. It seeks to completely insulate the politicians from any kind of punitive action against them if they indulged in corruption. Such a bill, when it turns into a law, will be toothless one in its fight against corruption.
Mr. Hazare has turned an icon among ordinary Indians these days, not just because of his reputation as a campaigner for basic rights for the aam admi, but because ordinary citizens feel tired or troubled with increasing trend of corruption across the country and Anna provided them a platform to vent their protest against the menace. Corruption in the Commonwealth Games, an enormous telecom scandal, and the misuse by politicians and bureaucrats of a high-rise in Mumbai originally meant to house war widows and war veterans have aggravated public anger.
This time citizens have got a chance to channelise their growing outrage against corruption through Anna’s movement. The government has been tested in the Parliament by a united and fortified opposition and it will now face the people's verdict in five key states going to vote this month. Whatever the final outcome, let’s hope that the Jan Lokpal Bill will be able to weed out governmental corruption, at least to some extent.
yes you are right Sir, Corruption has to be countered or else nothing will be left for our children in say next 20 years or so.
ReplyDeleteDear Mr.Aziz i agree with you, we have trusted these politician for so many years and there is nothing wrong in trusting a non politician once.lets hope we are not disappointed !
ReplyDeleteNabeel Jabbar,Kanpur