I am not one to be comment on recent happenings or on politics in general but the recent Lokpal Bill has forced me to pen down my few thoughts on it.
I would be the last person who would want this Bill to fail but being the skeptic that I am especially when it comes to the way my country is being run, I am sorry but I seriously do not see it going anywhere.
Indian constitution has been amended some 96 times as compared to the American Constitution whose numbers are much less, so the drafters had the sense that the constitution will be required to be changed with time which is good but has that helped us in anyway. We still have instances female foeticide, honour killings and rape so our efforts to empower the women seem to have gone in vain.
The forest Rights Act, 2005 says that the tribals are the owners of the forests they provided they meet a few criteria laid down by the act still we see Vedanta, POSCO projects being cleared by MoEF subject to some restrictions which any Indian citizen will vouch can be approved once a 500 rupee note is handed over to the clerk, so there goes the Forest Rights Acts.
In similar ways go the other such as Coastal Zone Management Acts etc. so on what basis do you think that the MPs will be willing to share with us their black earnings, after all they are not your usual run of the mill MPs, they hold quite a criminal record in their name and who will investigate them? IPS officers? The force itself does not boast of very clean officials.
All these ministers, CMs, PM (I am sorry Dr. Singh but seeing your absolute inadequacy in running the country efficiently and keeping mum to all the atrocities going around everyday just makes you a party to it as well) are here to do nothing but suck every ounce of blood from us. After all, what happened the night of black Saturday is not unknown to us, that night can be compared to nothing less than the Jallianwala Massacre.
I sincerely hope that everyone proves me wrong, and the Lokpal Bill is more of sense than nonsense but somehow I am not convinced.
I would be the last person who would want this Bill to fail but being the skeptic that I am especially when it comes to the way my country is being run, I am sorry but I seriously do not see it going anywhere.
Indian constitution has been amended some 96 times as compared to the American Constitution whose numbers are much less, so the drafters had the sense that the constitution will be required to be changed with time which is good but has that helped us in anyway. We still have instances female foeticide, honour killings and rape so our efforts to empower the women seem to have gone in vain.
The forest Rights Act, 2005 says that the tribals are the owners of the forests they provided they meet a few criteria laid down by the act still we see Vedanta, POSCO projects being cleared by MoEF subject to some restrictions which any Indian citizen will vouch can be approved once a 500 rupee note is handed over to the clerk, so there goes the Forest Rights Acts.
In similar ways go the other such as Coastal Zone Management Acts etc. so on what basis do you think that the MPs will be willing to share with us their black earnings, after all they are not your usual run of the mill MPs, they hold quite a criminal record in their name and who will investigate them? IPS officers? The force itself does not boast of very clean officials.
All these ministers, CMs, PM (I am sorry Dr. Singh but seeing your absolute inadequacy in running the country efficiently and keeping mum to all the atrocities going around everyday just makes you a party to it as well) are here to do nothing but suck every ounce of blood from us. After all, what happened the night of black Saturday is not unknown to us, that night can be compared to nothing less than the Jallianwala Massacre.
I sincerely hope that everyone proves me wrong, and the Lokpal Bill is more of sense than nonsense but somehow I am not convinced.
Well said Shivani ! As a common person we all want the best for our country and its people ; unfortunately , people like us do not enter politics . That is the reason Manmohan Singh cannot contest an election and win it .He has to come in via the Rajya Sabha and remain a puppet in his own govt .Personally hate paying bribes ,but have done so ,despite wanting the right thing done .Felt horrible :( .Hope some good comes out of all that Anna and Baba Ramdev are 'trying'to do :)
ReplyDeleteI see why you're cynical. But you have to realize one thing. The corruption issue is predominantly a middle class issue, and many more middle class issues find meaningful solutions than those that concern only disadvantaged sections of society like adivasis, landless laborers or economically disadvantaged women.
ReplyDeleteIt is unfortunate that this is how our democracy works, but that is how it is.
It is not a middle class issue only, it is there everywhere.
ReplyDeleteJust because corruption is everywhere doesn't make it a national issue. It isn't. Corruption suits the rich, and the poor have bigger things to worry about.
ReplyDeleteOnly the middle class has the luxury to fret over corruption.
It is not that the matter refers to middle class hence will be handled more efficiently, there is general apathy in the way all the acts are implemented in India and how people can always find their way around them. Like I said I want to be proved wrong but I am not getting my hopes up before it actually happens.
ReplyDeleteLike I'd said, the Lokpal by itself won't be the solution to the entire issue of corruption. But this will be yet another way to chip at the issue and make it marginally better.
ReplyDeleteAnd, it's wrong to say that middle class issues aren't addressed more efficiently than those raised by the poor sections: keep in mind the Dowry Act 2009, the Right to Information act, Data Protection Act, the 2009 decriminalization of homosexuality etc.
There are usually only three kinds of legislation: those that help the corporate fat cats (and in turn, people who push them through), those that help, on paper, the poor (and the ensuing government spending makes for great embezzlement opportunities) and legislation that gets nothing but goodwill (things that I call the middle-class issues).
I am not saying issues by a certain class are efficiently or inefficeiently handled, I am just skeptical as to the amount of corruption that will be curtailed by the Lokpal Bill if any.
ReplyDeleteIf the Lokpal is given autonomy to function, then it will significantly help with addressing complaints about bribery etc. A person who right now just bribes because there is no option might wish to try the Lokpal instead.
ReplyDeleteOf course, autonomy for the Lokpal and Lokayukta is essential.
We shall see
ReplyDelete