Democracy murdered?
The recent events happening in India can be rightly called the 'Second Struggle for Freedom' as popularly quoted by Mr. Anna Hazare. Corruption has become a looming problem in our nation that can't be ignored anymore. The present UPA government has been embroiled in a long list of scams that today's media have nothing to report apart from them. Politics today has become a front for money making spree, ignoring the public needs by large. It's then perhaps not surprising that the common man has decided to take make matters in his own hands when the government is lackadaisical in its approach to take effective measures to curb them.
The Jan Lokpal Bill put forward by Team Anna, led by Mr. Anna Hazare came as a whiff of fresh air amidst all this grime and sordidness. They had taken up the onerous task of fighting corruption in India by taking up the cause of Jan Lokpal Bill, which provides judicial accountability to deal with corruption in public offices by forming an independent monitoring body with the power to question politicians without prior government permission.
Anna started a fast unto death satyagraha on April 5, 2011 to exert pressure on the government to enact a strong anti-corruption law. This movement drew wide-spread (social) media attention and thousands of supporters poured in solidarity of the movement. After three days, the government acquiesced to the demands made by Team Anna and the 98 hour hunger fast was called off a day later, on the ninth.
Post this came the real clash of ideologies between Team Anna and government over the bill formulation. While the government was of the opinion that the Prime Minister, higher judiciary shouldn't be brought under the purview of the Lokpal Bill, Team Anna rightly opined that none should be left out as it would tantamount to violation of UN Convention Against Corruption. Consequent meetings between the two parties yielded no consensus and Mr. Hazare threatened to go on an indefinite fast again on Aug 16 if a strong Lokpal Bill is not passed by then.
On July 28, the union cabinet approved a draft of the Lokpal Bill that put the PM and the members of higher judiciary out of the bill's ambit. Mr. Hazare rejected the government version outright terming it a "cruel joke". Within hours of cabinet endorsement, support came in from all quarters to Team Anna in favor of a strong Lokpal Bill. Mr. Hazare on the eve of 65th year of India's Independence, announced that he and his supporters were determined to go strike on 16th August as planned previously. He also called for Jail Bharo campaign, calling his supporters to court arrest to urge for a stronger bill to fight corruption.
Section 144 was clamped on the proposed strike at J P Park, Delhi, imposing several restrictions on conducting the fast. Yesterday's events were nonetheless dramatic. Even before Mr. Hazare could start his fast, he and other members of Team Anna were detained by the Delhi Police for daring to violate the prohibitory orders that were enforced. This event sparked outrage amongst the people and protests were held in various cities and towns across India. In a seemingly related incident, RTI activist Shela Masood was shot dead by an unidentified assailant in Bhopal. Team Anna was arrested later in the day and were put up in 7 day judicial custody at Tihar Jail.
Parliament proceedings were adjourned because of the huge hue and cry raised by the other parties and the opposition unitedly ridiculed the government's stance on the issue: PM mentions corruption 16 times in his speech (the Independence Day speech) and a day later arrests a man who is speaking up against corruption. -Brinda Karat, CPI(M) The government finally broke its silence in the afternoon and Home Minister P. Chidambaram defended Anna's arrest saying the arrest was made foreseeing a law and order situation that could have been violated. Also, they questioned Team Anna's 'My Bill or no other Bill' approach. A Bill may not be perfect totally. It can be amended if found necessary. -P Chidambaram, Home Minister
With unprecedented support starting to pour from the masses alike, scores of arrests were made across the nation. Later, the other Team Anna members were released and towards the evening, the government, now clearly rattled, decided to release Mr. Hazare. But he remained defiant and refused to come out of the jail until unconditional permission was guaranteed to hold the protest at J P Park. As I am writing this post, Anna Hazare is yet to come out of prison, which is almost a day after his arrest. This is definitely a welcome victory to public power and Democracy!
Even today, rallies and peaceful demonstrations at various places marked the protest of Mr. Hazare's arrest. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also defended yesterday's arrest saying that the path Mr. Hazare chose to "impose his draft of a Bill upon Parliament is totally misconceived" and asserted that Parliament was the sole body to make laws. However discordant the issue is, by denying a basic right, the fundamental right to Freedom of Expression, the government has taken a repressive and an authoritarian stand and this is definitely not a good sign in a democratic set up. It is a great disgrace that we call India an independent country when we don't have the right to do what is in best interests of the nation.
The government could have avoided all this Aug 16 ramble and drama if it straight away allowed the peaceful protest to continue. By doing so, it has sullied and besmirched its own image and allowed itself to more shame and ridicule. The opposition parties have seized this golden chance to take potshots at the government questioning its restraining act. This anti-corruption movement has perhaps displayed the true power of the public. This is something all the political parties need to take note of. The fact that the government misread the public pulse is very evident from what happened yesterday.
Though it must be agreed that there is a parliamentary means of passing a law and it can't be a simple 'My Bill or no other Bill' proposition, Mr. Hazare has undeniably become the face of the common man's fight against a leviathan problem that needs immediate solution. As mentioned in today's editorial in the Hindu: The real force that is shaking the UPA government — which is widely perceived as the most corrupt in the history of independent India — is made up of hundreds of thousands of ordinary citizens who are fed up with a system they believe is opaque, corrupt, and driven by greed. Corruption has become all pervasive and has become a major hindrance to India's growth. Hope the government understands this fact and does a good job of expurgating itself out of this turmoil.
The Jan Lokpal Bill put forward by Team Anna, led by Mr. Anna Hazare came as a whiff of fresh air amidst all this grime and sordidness. They had taken up the onerous task of fighting corruption in India by taking up the cause of Jan Lokpal Bill, which provides judicial accountability to deal with corruption in public offices by forming an independent monitoring body with the power to question politicians without prior government permission.
Anna started a fast unto death satyagraha on April 5, 2011 to exert pressure on the government to enact a strong anti-corruption law. This movement drew wide-spread (social) media attention and thousands of supporters poured in solidarity of the movement. After three days, the government acquiesced to the demands made by Team Anna and the 98 hour hunger fast was called off a day later, on the ninth.
Post this came the real clash of ideologies between Team Anna and government over the bill formulation. While the government was of the opinion that the Prime Minister, higher judiciary shouldn't be brought under the purview of the Lokpal Bill, Team Anna rightly opined that none should be left out as it would tantamount to violation of UN Convention Against Corruption. Consequent meetings between the two parties yielded no consensus and Mr. Hazare threatened to go on an indefinite fast again on Aug 16 if a strong Lokpal Bill is not passed by then.
On July 28, the union cabinet approved a draft of the Lokpal Bill that put the PM and the members of higher judiciary out of the bill's ambit. Mr. Hazare rejected the government version outright terming it a "cruel joke". Within hours of cabinet endorsement, support came in from all quarters to Team Anna in favor of a strong Lokpal Bill. Mr. Hazare on the eve of 65th year of India's Independence, announced that he and his supporters were determined to go strike on 16th August as planned previously. He also called for Jail Bharo campaign, calling his supporters to court arrest to urge for a stronger bill to fight corruption.
Section 144 was clamped on the proposed strike at J P Park, Delhi, imposing several restrictions on conducting the fast. Yesterday's events were nonetheless dramatic. Even before Mr. Hazare could start his fast, he and other members of Team Anna were detained by the Delhi Police for daring to violate the prohibitory orders that were enforced. This event sparked outrage amongst the people and protests were held in various cities and towns across India. In a seemingly related incident, RTI activist Shela Masood was shot dead by an unidentified assailant in Bhopal. Team Anna was arrested later in the day and were put up in 7 day judicial custody at Tihar Jail.
Parliament proceedings were adjourned because of the huge hue and cry raised by the other parties and the opposition unitedly ridiculed the government's stance on the issue: PM mentions corruption 16 times in his speech (the Independence Day speech) and a day later arrests a man who is speaking up against corruption. -Brinda Karat, CPI(M) The government finally broke its silence in the afternoon and Home Minister P. Chidambaram defended Anna's arrest saying the arrest was made foreseeing a law and order situation that could have been violated. Also, they questioned Team Anna's 'My Bill or no other Bill' approach. A Bill may not be perfect totally. It can be amended if found necessary. -P Chidambaram, Home Minister
With unprecedented support starting to pour from the masses alike, scores of arrests were made across the nation. Later, the other Team Anna members were released and towards the evening, the government, now clearly rattled, decided to release Mr. Hazare. But he remained defiant and refused to come out of the jail until unconditional permission was guaranteed to hold the protest at J P Park. As I am writing this post, Anna Hazare is yet to come out of prison, which is almost a day after his arrest. This is definitely a welcome victory to public power and Democracy!
Even today, rallies and peaceful demonstrations at various places marked the protest of Mr. Hazare's arrest. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also defended yesterday's arrest saying that the path Mr. Hazare chose to "impose his draft of a Bill upon Parliament is totally misconceived" and asserted that Parliament was the sole body to make laws. However discordant the issue is, by denying a basic right, the fundamental right to Freedom of Expression, the government has taken a repressive and an authoritarian stand and this is definitely not a good sign in a democratic set up. It is a great disgrace that we call India an independent country when we don't have the right to do what is in best interests of the nation.
The government could have avoided all this Aug 16 ramble and drama if it straight away allowed the peaceful protest to continue. By doing so, it has sullied and besmirched its own image and allowed itself to more shame and ridicule. The opposition parties have seized this golden chance to take potshots at the government questioning its restraining act. This anti-corruption movement has perhaps displayed the true power of the public. This is something all the political parties need to take note of. The fact that the government misread the public pulse is very evident from what happened yesterday.
Though it must be agreed that there is a parliamentary means of passing a law and it can't be a simple 'My Bill or no other Bill' proposition, Mr. Hazare has undeniably become the face of the common man's fight against a leviathan problem that needs immediate solution. As mentioned in today's editorial in the Hindu: The real force that is shaking the UPA government — which is widely perceived as the most corrupt in the history of independent India — is made up of hundreds of thousands of ordinary citizens who are fed up with a system they believe is opaque, corrupt, and driven by greed. Corruption has become all pervasive and has become a major hindrance to India's growth. Hope the government understands this fact and does a good job of expurgating itself out of this turmoil.