Lokpal agitation and Democracy

I hope we understand what democracy brings. Not just rights but responsibilities as well and it takes a lot of courage to understand and defend it. Mahatma Gandhi brought us freedom. Freedom to work towards issues one feels strongly about, generate public support, and get into political process if required. Why is then some people defying what Mahatma Gandhi brought us, and choosing threat over defined process, being celebrated? In my mind, calling it "the second freedom struggle" is nothing less than trouncing on the martyrs' graves and the entire freedom struggle. If general election and parliamentary route aren't the way, the martyrs laid down their lives in vain.

I had the same question with "Rang De Basanti" movie in which three murderers, I repeat – murderers, were compared to the likes of Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru and we made the movie a thundering hit. I guess we can now accept even distaste as entertainment, or we have a long way to go as a society. If we are taking this Lokpal agitation only as an entertainment, despite its cost on our tax money (yes - it costs money to maintain law and order), I'll choose to be okay since such threats can't be the guiding light. Otherwise next we'll see fast unto death threats fixing underwear prices.

Let's make no mistakes - the current government is in the office because of a "crystal clear" public mandate in the last general election. So unless corruption started in the last two or three years or unless we are talking about recent “political” corruptions alone, every political party and even the people are equally responsible for it. Everyone needs to imbibe the anti-curruption doctrine since it's very much like one finger pointing at others while the other four pointing at oneself. Now, I will not say this agitation is mocking the choice one billion people made in the elections. Agitation is certainly one of our democratic rights to make our voices heard loud and clear. However, calling this demand the voice of one billion people will sure be a stretch. In democracy, there is only one collective voice of the people – the vote, and let’s not forget that responsibility.

Operational issues is another reason I see this as nothing more than a few people wanting to bask in the glory of one issue and steer clear of taking responsibility. I say this because there will be enormous operational challenges in implementing even the bill government is willing to move forward with. One just doesn't legislate one's pains away. Democracy demands dedication and effort to preserve and, more importantly, such legislations require a mindset change – where, I’m not sure, we have collectively arrived yet. Don't we also have legislation against child labor, and isn’t primary education now a fundamental right? Are those legislations and rights fully implemented to the letter of the laws? If not, is government not allowing their implementation or it's the people who don't want to part with "Chhotus and Ramus” of the world? It's a mindset change that legislations can't bring about. It certainly is one of the first steps though. So let’s legislate what we easily can and not waste people’s money any further.

To summarize my views, if Anna and team feel so strongly about the coverage of the bill, they should start a party, get into the general election, form a government, and write/amend the bill the way they intend to, and then TAKE RESPONSIBILITY to make it fully operational. Otherwise they have done enough to make their voices heard and should now fall in line with the recommendations of the standing committee on the bill. That is the only way one exercises freedom with responsibility in its true spirits and upholds democracy. Fasting in front of Mahatma Gandhi's banner or at his last resting place doesn't, and will not, bring anyone even an inch closer to the greatest statesman of the country. It takes a lot more action, and threats have no place in that journey.

This certainly is not any freedom struggle since freedom fighters have already given us the power to free ourselves of any political ills through either active participation or the next general election. I hope our fellow countrymen are aware what the freedom fighters fought for, what sacrifices they made, what rights they brought, and what responsibilities defending them will entail. That is the only way one can understand the difference between revolution and a blackmail, and why a true Gandhian will NEVER want to be Anna.