Novelty is what grabs the attention of masses. The latest
anti-corruption drive again proved that humans tend to be excited on seeing
anything new which is not banal.
Why would a 79-year old person want to undertake a
fast-unto-death? Was he not happy with his life? Or like the celebrities, did he want some clicks on front
page and be the talk-of-the-town by doing a “tamasha”? Certainly not. The
reason was the plight of Indian people or to be specific, the common Indian
man. I do not recall a month since the 2G scam had broken out, when there was
no news of mass corruption. More agonizing were the events that unfolded after
the cat was out of the bag. The minister refutes and later resigns. An
investigation team is in place. They raid some offices. Claim to get evidence.
Matter is in court. Within the next few months, the minister is out and the
smile is back on his face. The smile symbolized a slap in the face of Indian
judiciary, administration and common people. After the news faded, the
miscreant was back in mainstream politics. This was not new in India.
But the frequency with which this has happened in the recent months has left
everyone aghast. Had it become so easy to swindle the nation, to cheat the
public and still very comfortably get away with it?
Everyone had almost lost hope in the judiciary and as Sushma
Swaraj had rightly said the CBI had become an acronym for “Congress Bachao
Institution”. Not that I am
anti-Congress or pro-BJP, but the sheer number of scams by Congress at Centre
and at the States where it is in power, is enough to induce anger even in
people who stay aloof from politics. The entire nation was simmering but there
was no channel through which people could have resented. And then, one fine morning a physically
feeble 79 year old man steps into the Mecca of
politics, Delhi.
Fast-unto-death it was.
The entire nation, caught unaware, was hypnotized with the
courage of this old man. Tens turned into hundreds and the numbers kept
swelling every day. It was not a secret, that the ministers were corrupt. That
law was failing. That police were audience and CBI a mere puppet. What was new
was the hope that had kindled in the hearts of billions. The Government playing
it foul arrested the new Indian Idol on charges of threatening democracy.
Ironically, if democracy is what we are seeing in India, then it’s better that we
move to something different. Soon the
nation was behind the protest. Media went frenzy. Decisions were reverted.
Ministers contradicted each other. Opposition lost their way. Such was the
hysteria, that India’s
whitewash in test cricket was nowhere heard in news.
Anna became the new statement. It became more than that. A
fashion statement. Not giving a bribe soon became a fad. Actresses were seen
flaunting the anna-caps during fashion weeks. Mobs were seen on motor-cycle
rides with Indian flags adorning the rallies. Was it a new India? It certainly looked so. One
billion, one pulse, one cause was the drama.
The common people were, however, inadvertent to what the Lokpal actually
was. Who cared as long as there was a person comparable to Gandhi (not at all
referring to the recent Gandhians!!) fighting for them. I remember a TV
journalist asking a construction worker if he knows what Lokpal is or who is
Anna. The person perfectly symbolizing the Indian impoverished, dressed in a
dhoti and no shirt, replied “Agar sabko kuch mil raha hai, toh hume bhi
milega.”
The days passed and with each new day the health of the
crusader got worse. His blood pressures flashed on news channels like share
prices on a tumultuous day in market. Finally, the parliamentary session after
much ado decided to scrutinize the bill. What followed was celebration. Anna
recovered. People moved on.
And that’s the worst part. Soon Anna’s news was seen on
third-fourth page and the excitement all suddenly died. Politicians did what they are skilled at –
Foul Games. Investigation started on the members of Team Anna. The very media
which ran in support of them turned the tide against them.
Anna soon became alone in the billions.
So the question is after so much of hoopla, have we really
changed? Would we ever change? The
answer is no. A thousand Annas cannot change what has now become a part of our
genes. Call me a cynic, pessimist or
skeptic. But this is the bare truth. You
can have as many Lokpal’s as you want, but there is always going to be a
certain section of society which will be powerful. And power attracts
corruption. This power is going to reside in the hands of politicians whose
sole motive is to accept bribe. Does this mean India is now beyond the point of
no-return?
Probably not. One thing can still usher in an atmosphere
conducive to development. And that is education. Only education can teach
people what outcomes corruption can have.
Yet, even while I write this, there are innumerable so-called-educated
people who give bribes. But it is worth
trying to spread awareness and make people literate. And this has to start with
the educated-illiterate.
The light at the tunnel is fading very quickly. India
is becoming a juggernaut in world politics and economics, but at home it is
sinking. And I feel bad for the crusader who fought on this sinking ship.
