No politician wants the Lokpal Bill or the CBI to be beyond their control. Although the Lokpal Bill was introduced in Parliament on December 22, 2011, it was dismissed by the opposition even before the debate began. The ruling party, while pretending to take the bill seriously, seems to be content with this outcome. This might be an unfounded assumption, but the behavior of all parties suggests a behind-the-scenes consensus to undermine the Lokpal Bill while putting on a show for the public. I may be mistaken, but the Lokpal Bill appears destined to meet the same fate as the Women’s Reservation Bill. My perspective may change if Parliament passes the bill, but for now, the message is clear: politicians do not want this bill. As the Tamil proverb says, “Who will do black magic against herself at her own expense?” (Sondaselavila yaar suniyam vachippanga?)
What also amuses and irritates me is the politicians’ insistence on the “supremacy of Parliament” while condemning Anna Hazare’s public protests. They argue, “We won’t and we cannot succumb to such blackmail. Just one person and a few gathered around him cannot dictate terms to us.” Yet, they remain fearful of public opinion. If they genuinely did not want to consider Anna and his team, they could simply ignore them. Although I do not agree with Sri Mani Shankar Aiyar on many points, at least he was honest in calling Anna and his team a “monster” who should be ignored from the start. If Parliament is supreme and Anna’s movement is merely a media creation (as discussed again on Face the Nation on December 22, 2011, CNN-IBN), then why discuss him within Parliament? Why not simply ignore him and refrain from mentioning him in any of their statements, both inside and outside Parliament? This behavior reveals their hypocrisy. While not all politicians are alike, as a class they are generally viewed as hypocritical, eroding public trust. Even those few who are sincere and dedicated are caught in a corrupt system that limits their impact. Politicians, despite wanting to ignore Anna, find themselves unable to do so, akin to a person fixated on their enemy. Opposition parties that feign support for Anna and his cause are often motivated by their own electoral interests.
Anna Hazare and his movement were not created by the media or by himself but by the very corrupt system and politicians they oppose. An external enemy can be handled, but a self-created problem is unavoidable. Anna and his team may fade from the public eye, and media attention may shift to new issues. However, the sentiment against politicians, which Anna’s movement has highlighted, will linger. This disdain is not Anna’s creation but a result of the self-inflicted wounds caused by politicians engaging in opportunistic politics.
I write this without a thorough understanding of the Lokpal Bill, but one thing is clear: although politicians are human like us and emerge from our midst, they often expose and parade their flaws shamelessly. Anna’s intervention reignited the public’s desire for a corruption-free government and spurred action against corruption. Even if he disappears from the scene, politicians will have missed another chance to address their flaws. They continue to prove that some evils remain resistant to reform, and we must endure this corrupt system until true change emerges.
After writing this in the morning, I watched an interview with Arvind Kejriwal@ on NDTV 24×7 Hindi in the evening. His responses to criticisms of him and Anna’s team seemed more reasonable and sensible to me than the politicians’ condemnations. When asked about declining public interest in Anna’s proposed fast from December 27-29, Kejriwal predicted that public anger against politicians would ensure a significant turnout, and the media would cover the event extensively. While the general public might grow weary of such agitations, opposition parties and their cadres will likely ensure large participation, as seen during the August Delhi fast. Similarly, media coverage, driven by competition for TRPs, will be extensive despite their introspection on their role, as discussed in Devil’s Advocate by Karan Thapar on the 23rd and Face the Nation on CNN-IBN.
Whether or not the Lokpal Bill becomes a reality, this issue has exposed the hypocrisy of many, especially politicians and the media. Anna and his team deserve credit for this revelation.
Dayanand Bharati
December 23, 2011
@ Though Kejriwal was with Anna, now he also joined in that club of politicians facing all corruption charges—proved or disproved, now he joined that club.
No politician wants the Lokpal Bill or the CBI to be beyond their control. Although the Lokpal Bill was introduced in Parliament on December 22, 2011, it was dismissed by the opposition even before the debate began. The ruling party, while pretending to take the bill seriously, seems to be content with this outcome. This might be an unfounded assumption, but the behavior of all parties suggests a behind-the-scenes consensus to undermine the Lokpal Bill while putting on a show for the public. I may be mistaken, but the Lokpal Bill appears destined to meet the same fate as the Women’s Reservation Bill. My perspective may change if Parliament passes the bill, but for now, the message is clear: politicians do not want this bill. As the Tamil proverb says, “Who will do black magic against herself at her own expense?” (Sondaselavila yaar suniyam vachippanga?)
What also amuses and irritates me is the politicians’ insistence on the “supremacy of Parliament” while condemning Anna Hazare’s public protests. They argue, “We won’t and we cannot succumb to such blackmail. Just one person and a few gathered around him cannot dictate terms to us.” Yet, they remain fearful of public opinion. If they genuinely did not want to consider Anna and his team, they could simply ignore them. Although I do not agree with Sri Mani Shankar Aiyar on many points, at least he was honest in calling Anna and his team a “monster” who should be ignored from the start. If Parliament is supreme and Anna’s movement is merely a media creation (as discussed again on Face the Nation on December 22, 2011, CNN-IBN), then why discuss him within Parliament? Why not simply ignore him and refrain from mentioning him in any of their statements, both inside and outside Parliament? This behavior reveals their hypocrisy. While not all politicians are alike, as a class they are generally viewed as hypocritical, eroding public trust. Even those few who are sincere and dedicated are caught in a corrupt system that limits their impact. Politicians, despite wanting to ignore Anna, find themselves unable to do so, akin to a person fixated on their enemy. Opposition parties that feign support for Anna and his cause are often motivated by their own electoral interests.
Anna Hazare and his movement were not created by the media or by himself but by the very corrupt system and politicians they oppose. An external enemy can be handled, but a self-created problem is unavoidable. Anna and his team may fade from the public eye, and media attention may shift to new issues. However, the sentiment against politicians, which Anna’s movement has highlighted, will linger. This disdain is not Anna’s creation but a result of the self-inflicted wounds caused by politicians engaging in opportunistic politics.
I write this without a thorough understanding of the Lokpal Bill, but one thing is clear: although politicians are human like us and emerge from our midst, they often expose and parade their flaws shamelessly. Anna’s intervention reignited the public’s desire for a corruption-free government and spurred action against corruption. Even if he disappears from the scene, politicians will have missed another chance to address their flaws. They continue to prove that some evils remain resistant to reform, and we must endure this corrupt system until true change emerges.
After writing this in the morning, I watched an interview with Arvind Kejriwal@ on NDTV 24×7 Hindi in the evening. His responses to criticisms of him and Anna’s team seemed more reasonable and sensible to me than the politicians’ condemnations. When asked about declining public interest in Anna’s proposed fast from December 27-29, Kejriwal predicted that public anger against politicians would ensure a significant turnout, and the media would cover the event extensively. While the general public might grow weary of such agitations, opposition parties and their cadres will likely ensure large participation, as seen during the August Delhi fast. Similarly, media coverage, driven by competition for TRPs, will be extensive despite their introspection on their role, as discussed in Devil’s Advocate by Karan Thapar on the 23rd and Face the Nation on CNN-IBN.
Whether or not the Lokpal Bill becomes a reality, this issue has exposed the hypocrisy of many, especially politicians and the media. Anna and his team deserve credit for this revelation.
Dayanand Bharati
December 23, 2011
@ Though Kejriwal was with Anna, now he also joined in that club of politicians facing all corruption charges—proved or disproved, now he joined that club.
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