The crusader who fought on a sinking ship

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.