LET US VOTE

What type of dispensation suits India? An anarchic and army controlled democracy like in Pakistan or an absolute autocratic rule like in Libya or the one party rule like in China? Let the apartment dwelling lotus eating middle class decide through the emails and sms.

Enough of e-mails and sms decrying corruption and politicians. People sincerely hope passage of Lok Pal bill will stop corruption in India. A Gandhian way of agitation suddenly shook the powers that be of this democratic country. This is certainly a welcome sign. Common man is fedup with the enormity of corruption that happens around him in the everyday life.

(In a parliamentary democracy, laws are drafted and passed by Parliament. Civil society is involved in influencing the law makers to make laws for the benefit of the society. Society as such does not don the role of law makers. With the recent gandhian agitation in Delhi, it looks, People outside the parliament are going to draft bills that will be forced to be passed in Parliament. This does not augur well, even if the cause is in the best interest of the society at large.)

If the lok pal bill is passed and the people manning this autonomous constitutional body work well, then more than fifty percent of the ‘sarkari babus’ right from the IAS to class 4 will have to go to jail. Does anybody think of the corruption in the private sector?

Who will point fingers at the corrupt? When I point one finger at the other guy, all the other 4 fingers are pointed towards me! Sincerely, to the possible extend, I too am corrupt, or I encourage corruption, to be precise. When I travel, if I do not have a confirmed berth in train, I straightaway approach the TTE and offer 200 bucks. He issues a berth, denying a rightful chance to a person who has a RAC ticket.

When I approach the village officer for an Income certificate, I grease the babu’s palms to get the undeserved income certificate that will show my income below my original income.

The rice issued to the ration shop to distribute to the poor at low rates appear in the nearby provision shop just one hour later. The price of the rice will be 10 or 20times higher at the provision store.

When I break the traffic rules and get caught by the police, I just offer fifty bucks and get away with it. Following traffic rules is not an acceptable norm in this country. How many lives are lost in our country due to irresponsible acts of drivers on roads? Do, we have any moral right to point fingers at others when we ourselves are not right? The most convenient part of all these happenings is that no one needs to answer to his/her conscience at the end of the day. Only politicians are accountable in our country!!

Be the change that we want to see. Ushering in martial rule or President’s rule, like the elite part of the society believes, will certainly bring about development and prosperity. The telling examples of this can be seen in Pakistan, Burma and Libya.

Sitting in the comfort of air-conditioned rooms, in ergonomically designed chairs, using someone’s internet and computers, we can forward any number of emails, denouncing the politicians. But remember, without politics and politicians, India cannot survive.

Why do we believe that all politicians are bad and corrupt? What about Pranab Mukerjee, Atal Bihari Bajpayee, Achuhanandan, Sitaram yechuri, Mamtha Banerjee, Sushma swaraj…? Even their enemies will not believe if anyone says they are corrupt. There are hundreds of politicians who dedicate their life for this country. If anyone feels that politics is spoilt in our country, please plunge into politics and try to cleanse it, instead of forwarding the mails from your arm chairs. Above all, even in the case of A Raja, only media trial is over. The trial in a court of law is yet to start. Till then, he is just an accused, not guilty.

Deriding, denouncing, decrying of democracy and courting for autocratic rule are suicidal. Freedom is everything. Freedom can only be achieved through democracy. Never be carried away by emotions. Remain level headed. Go to polling booths and vote decisively. If people of Bihar could do it so decisively to stamp out corruption, why can’t the people of Kerala, Bengal and TN?