After the recent campaign against corruption by Sri Anna Hazari (April first week 2011), the politicians, cutting across the party line are united at least on one thing: ‘Don’t brush us all the same as corrupt’. But why should we not?, is my question. Because where they have power and authority to eradicate or control corruption (beginning from their party), how can they even think that we should not question their integrity and their earnestness in their fight against corruption?
Let us approach this point from another angle. If some members of the Civil Society groups, who are involved in their fight against corruption and human rights, if one or few individuals are corrupt, it might affect that particular moment but not the general public. On the other hand, having all the power and authority-at least in their own party, if they don’t take honest steps against corruption, it is going to affect us all. They can deny tickets to any corrupt candidate of their party; thereby giving the best option for the people to elect a sincere representative for them to govern. Whereas, they just keep winning in elections and catching power alone as their agenda, give tickets to the known criminals and corrupt candidates of their party, then we are left with no option to elect one among the corrupts. Or we have to keep away from doing our democratic duty of giving our vote. Through this option we not only will lose our right to question the politicians but also will allow the corrupt people alone to represent us.
As we are trapped by such a system in our democracy, then the responsibility rests with the politicians and not with the public or Civil Society or media. So we have every right to brush you all politicians with one brush, unless you collectively sit and do something to reform your political system. For example, in the recently held election in Tamilnadu, even in our village (Maruppalli) both the ruling and opposition parties gave Rs. 200/- per vote and every voter received Rs. 400. But if they both are serious about giving a good government, even though they cannot choose hundred percent saints as their candidates, at least they could have stopped bribing the public by such an act. Though both ruling and opposition have equal share in it, yet having both Legal rights the Ruling party becomes criminals by giving money to the voters and opposition become victim in such crime. If the DMK party claims our support to re-elect them based on their performance and fulfilling their previous promise in the last election, why do they need to bribe the public? And Congress party having full Legal authority, once join hands with such corruption become partners in it.
In responding to Anna’s campaign, the ruling party ministers (Sibal, Veerappa Moile, Pranap Mukarji and others) said in one voice that they are ‘responsible and answerable to the public and constitution whereas the Civil Society is not’. Agreed. That is why when to malign Sri Shantibhushan, a forgery CD was circulated, in response to a question to the media Anna said that he cannot guarantee anyone other than to himself. And he was right. The members of the Civil Society come together temporarily for a purpose. Whereas the politicians, lingering in politics and also in their party (or changing the sides), are responsible for everything—including to all the corruption done by their peers.
So, if the politicians are really sincere and honest in removing corruption, they can do it. But keeping personal and their family interest ahead of people’s way they do politics will compel us to brush them all in one color alone.
Dayanand Bharati, Gurukulam, April 17, 2011.
After the recent campaign against corruption by Sri Anna Hazari (April first week 2011), the politicians, cutting across the party line are united at least on one thing: ‘Don’t brush us all the same as corrupt’. But why should we not?, is my question. Because where they have power and authority to eradicate or control corruption (beginning from their party), how can they even think that we should not question their integrity and their earnestness in their fight against corruption?
Let us approach this point from another angle. If some members of the Civil Society groups, who are involved in their fight against corruption and human rights, if one or few individuals are corrupt, it might affect that particular moment but not the general public. On the other hand, having all the power and authority-at least in their own party, if they don’t take honest steps against corruption, it is going to affect us all. They can deny tickets to any corrupt candidate of their party; thereby giving the best option for the people to elect a sincere representative for them to govern. Whereas, they just keep winning in elections and catching power alone as their agenda, give tickets to the known criminals and corrupt candidates of their party, then we are left with no option to elect one among the corrupts. Or we have to keep away from doing our democratic duty of giving our vote. Through this option we not only will lose our right to question the politicians but also will allow the corrupt people alone to represent us.
As we are trapped by such a system in our democracy, then the responsibility rests with the politicians and not with the public or Civil Society or media. So we have every right to brush you all politicians with one brush, unless you collectively sit and do something to reform your political system. For example, in the recently held election in Tamilnadu, even in our village (Maruppalli) both the ruling and opposition parties gave Rs. 200/- per vote and every voter received Rs. 400. But if they both are serious about giving a good government, even though they cannot choose hundred percent saints as their candidates, at least they could have stopped bribing the public by such an act. Though both ruling and opposition have equal share in it, yet having both Legal rights the Ruling party becomes criminals by giving money to the voters and opposition become victim in such crime. If the DMK party claims our support to re-elect them based on their performance and fulfilling their previous promise in the last election, why do they need to bribe the public? And Congress party having full Legal authority, once join hands with such corruption become partners in it.
In responding to Anna’s campaign, the ruling party ministers (Sibal, Veerappa Moile, Pranap Mukarji and others) said in one voice that they are ‘responsible and answerable to the public and constitution whereas the Civil Society is not’. Agreed. That is why when to malign Sri Shantibhushan, a forgery CD was circulated, in response to a question to the media Anna said that he cannot guarantee anyone other than to himself. And he was right. The members of the Civil Society come together temporarily for a purpose. Whereas the politicians, lingering in politics and also in their party (or changing the sides), are responsible for everything—including to all the corruption done by their peers.
So, if the politicians are really sincere and honest in removing corruption, they can do it. But keeping personal and their family interest ahead of people’s way they do politics will compel us to brush them all in one color alone.
Dayanand Bharati, Gurukulam, April 17, 2011.
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