On The Lok Pal Bill And The Anna Hazare Movement
By Dr. Udit Raj
26 August, 2011
Countercurrents.org
No doubt there is rampant corruption and price rise. But the fight against it should not undermine the Constitution made by Dr. Ambedkar. There should not be an attempt to make super govt. over the elected govt. Activism of media and anger and frustration of middle class are the strength of Anna and his team. Among all top leaders like Anna Hazare, Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal, Swami Agnivesh, Manish Sisodia, PV Rajgopal, Shanti Bhushan, Prashant Bhushan, there is no one from dalit, backward and minority communities. On this, they will say that they don't believe in caste system. Then there can’t be better happening than this that the country is free from this horrendous evil, which is hundred times worse for the people and their nation than corruption. It is being propagated that nation is with this civil society group, how it is possible that out of nearly 85% population, i.e., dalits and OBCs, there is none able to be in their company and there are no honest people in them. Amidst this loud and emotional atmosphere, most of the upper castes will despise us that we are diluting the movement along caste lines. There is murmuring among these people that this movement is latently against reservation and other interests.
Dr Ambedkar said in the Parliament on 29th November, 1949 that Fast and Satygrah are dangerous to the democracy which is now proving to be correct. Anna Team’s demands are extra constitutional and undemocratic. There is very delicate and fine balance amongst the three organs of the govt., namely, executive, legislature and judiciary and the way the Jan Lokpal Bill is worded it will destroy this balance. Lokpal, who is not elected by the people, is more likely to be whimsical, corrupt, casteist and partial. Because of emotion and also on account of caste factor, supporters are not understanding the entire gamut of truth. Disbelief in democracy is nothing other than autocracy, monarchy and anarchy. If the nation is with them as being campaigned, then what is the problem? They should wait and let elections come, either Anna’s team or those whom they bless will come into Parliament and then it will be very easy to pass this bill. Why the protagonists of Jan Lokpal Bill did not include NGOs, Media, Corporate Houses as well as violation of dalit rights as an act of corruption. Currently, the corporate houses are the main source of funding of black money to the politicians and if left out of the Lokpal, corruption can’t be plugged. Big businessmen are so influential that they don't even care for members of Parliament, senior bureaucrats and ministers.
Will the Lokpal come from heaven or be imported and in any case he will be from the very same society. What is the guarantee that he will not be corrupted and chances are more for him to go more irresponsible and corrupt as he will not be afraid of seeking mandate from people in future. Though there is provision to remove him through the Supreme Court, but what is the guarantee that they will not collude. They are more likely to be managed by the forces like Pak ISI and CIA because their number would be very few and it is next to impossible to manage the majority of members of Parliament. They can be corrupted by money or by wine and women. The conspiracy can be hatched to initiate proceedings against Prime Minister or any one on subjective basis also. There is no provision of reservation for Dalits, Backwards and Minorities in the Jan Lokpal Bill. Anna Hazare does not understand properly that the monetary corruption can not be fought till there is fight against mental one. In fact, the corruption is more of the nature of social than political. The way the Lokpal Bill contains the provision and if it comes in to existence, there will be chaos and will enable foreign forces to destabilise the nation. Given the opportunity , most of us are corrupt. For example those who are in teaching line are considered to be honest and police, revenue, PWD etc. are considered to be corrupt but if the teaching personnel are transferred to these departments, they will also become corrupt and vice versa. Backwards, dalits and minorities are perturbed and dalits rather more because they are afraid that in future Anna hazare - like people can ask govt. to do away with reservation under threat to commit suicide or fast till death. Dalits are asking that what is the view of Anna Hazare on the issue of reservation for dalits in private sector, and so far he has not expressed his views and that is why they are away from this movement. When North Indians were attacked in Maharashtra ,where was he? He has also so far not criticized the Modi Govt. in Gujarat for the atrocities on the Muslims in 2002. Anna Hazare himself should render an account of the expenses incurred on his movement and the sources thereof. Though the current scenario is not acceptable but with Jan Lokpal, the country will head towards bigger evil from lesser evil.
Dr. Udit Raj is National President, Indian Justice Party and National Chairman, All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations
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