Baba Ramdeo is almost back where he came from, Haridwar. In a midnight swoop, the great show that he orchestrated was brought to a naught and the Baba escorted back to his karma bhoomi. If nothing else, this incident definitely displays the might of the Government of India, and also, considering the reception that the Baba got on his arrival at Delhi airport, the chamaleon nature of the politicians of this great nation.
Passing a value judgement on the incident may not be a very great idea, for the judgement can go either way, considering which side one is on. The plans of Baba were also not very pious, as they could have easily disrupted, the tranquility of this very sensitive city of ours, the city of Delhi. Post the initial euphoria, the citizens of Delhi would definitely have preferred to live without the troubles that a huge congregation right in the heart of the city can cause. To that extent, this action appears in the national interest.
Can such a congregation as had been planned, make a difference to the most talked about issue of the decade, the issue of corruption in high places? Doubtful, unless one was looking at a revolution on the lines of what happened recently in a few countries and what was attempted a few decades back at Tianamen. A revolution; why not, but is the nation capable of the same. So deep is the interlacing of corruption in our society that the critical mass of citizens essentially required for a revolution would never be available. Besides revolutions are almost always against one individual, and here in India, it would need to be against the social fabric itself, by the very society that has created the fabric in the first place. How ironic and therefore utterly impossible!
And therefore do we have to live in(and with)the corrupt society forever? How can the present state of affairs come to an end? Definitely a change of the party at the center would hardly make any difference at all, considering that the entire political milieu is almost of the same type and there is nothing much to choose from. Then what?
The answer lies in the simple issue of leadership. Perhaps someday, some leader may emerge who shall pull the nation out of the abyss it finds itself in. Another line that may have a fair chance of success is the framing and implementation of quickly implementable draconian laws against corruption. A swift punishment of the kinds as witnessed in the middle eastern countries for those who indulge in corrupt practices, would definitely deter even the hard core corrupt. Death by hanging, or amputation of a limb and that too withing a few days/weeks of the incident may perhaps create sufficient deterrence for the corrupt. Holidaying for a few weeks/months in the confines of the holy Tihar definitely disheartens some, yet would never prove to be enough deterrence for those who make their billions through corrupt practices.
This blog contains the thoughts of ASHWANI LOHANI on contemporary issues with the need for deliverance, integrity and ethics within the governance machinery as its primary focus. Extracts from this blog should not be reproduced in full or part, nor the views expressed be used in any form in any publication without the consent of the author. The author keenly looks forward to comments, suggestions and advise from readers
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Rise of corruption to such proportaions in less than a century - exactly 64 years of indepenedance -- India and its people, are at crossroads to find two india's within one.
ReplyDeleteThe have ones and have nots.
The have ones - growing fast in terms of ownership of fast depleting resources, in hurry to secure the better life at all costs.
Corruption being more visible is one reason behind not the main reason.
The Havenots grwoing at a faster pace but only in numbers, Fast Loosing its share of resources, in food, health, education resulting greater loss in equitable progress as Indian.
For the first one the corruption paves the way for an early and easy gain of more than its share of nations progress. For the havenots, corruptions provides easy access to yet pricey share of nation's growth.
By promoting corruption, Both are benefited in similar ways to acquire an easy access to their respective shares - they may not deserve otherwise.
Corruption paves an easy access to everything that one may or may not deserve otherwise.
This has made corruption an un-tamed and un-controllable disease.
I thinks the present situation have direct bearing on The main reason yet to be discussed and discovered - at an all India scale.
The growing, unstoppable population have direct relation with growing and un-stoppable corruption.
India with limited geographical area resulting Limited Natural, Low-productivity population, is cursed with the High density of population growth, putting pressure on Energy, Health, Education, Transport, over Quality of life Indians, and above all Governance.
Keeping in mind and By addressing only the issue of Governance (Be in power at all costs) The politicians of this country while in power have effectively learned to run their show and be in power, yet not solve any of the burgeoning problems be it Poverty, Starvation, Labor Unrest, Corruption, in-equitable growth,
One proof of this can be equated from the fact That The have one’s Population of Indian and The politicians are hand in arm on all issues.
The present failure of Baba Ramdev may be looked into by learning from the fact, that baba failed to deal with Politicians, resulting early closure of his Endeavour to be a national icon wit or without political ambitions. He should have resisted all political dialogue / dialogue with Govt in Power before start of his Agitation at Ram Lila Maidan, Which of course would have turned him into another change of power socialist – like Late Sh. Jai Parkash Narain in the seventies that forced Congress into political death for the first time.
I think, Baba have enough chances of a come back, because Ram Lila Maidan had dented the Govt’s Image a lot among the Have-nots. The fact is supported by the fact that most of the agitators at Ram Lila Maidan were not from Delhi’s high calorie consumer (Effluent) population.
It is only a matter of Time Anna Hazare’s Efforts against corruption would fall prey not to the Govt’s Might but to its in-experience to handle cunning politicians. Because Govt.’s might have been repeatedly challenged in the past, by Change of Power, Poverty, Labour Strikes, Communal Rights, Judicial Activism and people unrest since seventies.
Gandhiji Succeeded against The British by learning to agitate for nearly four decades not in the first attempt. Anaa Hazare and Baba Ramdev are in nascent stages of their fight against establishment and its own people. Writing them off would be too early.
The might of Indians surely would one day tackle Corruption effectively – because early in 21st century - history have given Indian two chances to come and unite – Anna Hazare , and Baba Ramdev (with such alarming levels of corruption it would not be wise to expect a mass leader come up from scratch and fight corruption until he possess some economic might)
Immediate Population stabilization, resulting natural reduction in population at 50-60 crore in this century or early next would definitely leave this country a better and prosperous place.