I don’t remember to have shed tears of pleasure. This I did today watching Anna Hazare, a 73 year old Gandhian, breaking his five day old fast after having brought the corrupt [or which tolerates one] government to its knees. The Government agreed to his demands for constituting a committee to draft a Jan Lokpal [kind of Ombudsman] bill. The government also agreed that 50% of the committee members will be from the general public. After the draft, the bill will go to the parliament to be passed. That will be the first hurdle. Why it is a hurdle and any sane MP should welcome this, you would think. I will pardon you for your ignorance if you are not an Indian. Most of our MPs and many of our ruling beurocrats are corrupt. At present it is said that it is even difficult to remain in office if you are non corrupt. We have sunk to such a pathetically low moral state. These vested MPs will fight tooth and nail to see that the bill is stalled. Anna has anticipated this and that is what he has warned the multitudes who have rallied behind him, that this victory to get the government to agree to introduce the Lokpal bill is only the beginning of a long drawn out struggle.
Not that we don’t have upright men and women in this country. There are but they were feeling helpless under the corrupt machinery of governance. The massive eruption of support to Anna showed how fed up the people are. The suggested names of Kiran Bedi, Sahnti and Prashanth Bhushan, Swami Agnivesh, Justices Santosh Hegde and Verma are persons of impeccable character and if they were to head the machinery against corruption and the young people of this country who came out in such large numbers to support and who will hopefully be the beneficiaries of an efficient, non corrupt governance in the future.
A small aside. Wife and I decided to fast as long as possible. We did not last even 24 hours. I became hypoglycemic and irritable and wife became weak. We broke the fast. Anna Hazare, even after 100 hours was up and about and looked and acted fresh. There were 100 others who fasted with him. I wonder where the strength came from.
When he broke his fast unto death, he saw to it that his followers first brake the fast and then a little girl [future of this country] gave him the glass of fruit juice to end his fast.
I have rarely been so happy. There is yet some hope for this nation.
3 comments:
Just a few days earlier I had commented that an average Indian is a spineless jelly fish and no patch on the Egyptians. How wrong I was !
I too watched Anna Hazare with tears in my eyes. Our country needed just one man like him to show us what people power meant.
On the lighter side, it was hilarious to watch the really known corrupt fellows speak against corruption. Masters of double speak !!
Seetharam
That we need a Gandhi - like soul every now & then is disturbing. However, that they do spring up now & then is reassuring. It's the adrenaline that these remarkable people have apleanty which keeps them from hypoglycemia!? The lesser mortals have less of this!!!!
Well said, doc, as is your wont.
affy
S R Jayaprakash
What an amazing message Anna Hazare gave to this country! Helped by the media of course. This part of the world is fast becoming the 'opportunity' capital like the US in the good old days. There are plum pickings on offer and the greedy will not desist.
With hope and a prayer let's bash on for better times.
regards
Balan Varma
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