Popular unrest raged successfully in Tunisia and Egypt for a change in regime some weeks back with the fighting still in full swing in Libya and agitations keeping up momentum in Yemen and Bahrain, while the rest of the world watched the proceedings with bemused interest in the ascendancy of democracy in those countries long accustomed to dictatorship and military rule. The administrators in India sat complacently in the full confidence that the democratic setup in the country would stand the pressure for dislodging the officials and politicians submerged neck-deep in corruption. The administration even defied a Supreme Court ruling to furnish the list of black-money hoarders in front of it, citing diplomatic protocols! The Prime Minister, in his characteristic style kept mum on the harsh language used by the Apex court, probably thinking that the judges would soon get tired of it all!
It all changed on April 5th, when a veteran social activist from Maharashtra started a fast-unto-death on the model set forth by the father of the nation. Kisan Bapat Baburao Hazare, better known as Anna Hazare is 71 years old, had served in the army as driver, is a noted social activist and reformer and the recipient of Padma Bhushan in 1992 for the social developmental activities initiated by him in Ralegan Siddhi village in Maharashtra. He had bravely fought the politicians of all hues in his crusade against corruption. In 1998, the politicians even successfully brought out a defamation suit against him for unveiling corruption and had him incarcerated in jail, making a mockery of democracy in India. Widespread popular agitation forced the government to release him soon. In 2003, he started a similar fast unto death demanding probe into the graft charges levelled against four ministers of the NCP-Congress government ruling the state. He called off the fast only after the government caved in to his demand. The resulting inquiry commission indicted three of them who subsequently quit the cabinet.
The latest salvo by the veteran activist is for introducing a Jan Lokpal (People’s ombudsman) bill in the Parliament with more teeth for the ombudsman unlike the position offered in the Lokpal bill now under consideration of the Parliament. The bill, in its present form, presents an impotent, laughable official as the Lokpal (ombudsman) who would have no powers to initiate suo motu action against complaints from the public, will only be an advisory body, will not have any police powers, not at all connected to CBI and the maximum penalty for corruption being imprisonment for 6 months, which can go up to 6 years in deserving cases. Anna Hazare would have none of this and he is demanding stronger legislation to prove the determination of the government to root out corruption. The people’s ombudsman (Jan Lokpal) bill drafted by him envisage police powers for the ombudsman who would have authority to initiate suo motu action, can register FIRs, intimately linked to the anti-corruption wing of the CBI, with the punishment ranging from a minimum of 6 years which could go up to life term! The government tried to soften him with promises of some minor modifications in the existing bill, that too, in the monsoon session of parliament. Hazare rejected all such overtures and bravely went ahead with the fast.
Hazare’s movement has aroused popular interest in all corners of the country. Irrespective of their denominations, citizens have come out in the open to declare support for the 71-year old leader who reminds them of Mahatma Gandhi. His refusal to allow politicians to share the dais with him has tremendously appealed to the imagination of the people who are really tired of the blatant corruption the country has plunged into. Hazare’s assertion that corruption is the greatest threat India is facing and not Pakistan has sunk deep into the popular mindset. Let’s sincerely hope that this movement would become India’s Jasmine revolution and expect some solid action being taken by the unwilling government whose hands will be forced. Good luck to Anna Hazare.
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