Walter Nandalike
Editor-in-chief
Daijiworld.com
Mangalore, Aug 17: The proposed Jan Lokpal bill has made Anna Hazare the hope of millions of Indians in the fight against corruption. Anna has become another Gandhi, another hero to be worshipped as idol, and relied upon to fight against the arrogant, corrupt politicians.
Unfortunately, the Anna Hazare movement against corruption has started getting political and religious colours with political parties teaming up against the government and the movement itself garnering open support from religious outfits and leaders across the nation.
The support to Hazare is gaining momentum every minute, with no sign of any dwindling. The media is fully backing Anna and his team and now after his formal arrest by the Delhi police, his popularity has doubled, with people from all walks of life joining the India Against Corruption movement.
But why this love for Anna?
Well, after his first fast , I too had a few doubts in his style of approach. It took some time to convince myself as to why Anna was sticking fast to his own version of the Lokpal Bill rather than agreeing on the Government's version. When a great democratic country like India has its own Constitution, why should veteran citizens like Hazare question our Parliament, and why can't he have faith in it?
When I was convinced that these same parliamentarians had been using the sacred Constitution for their own benefit, I realised why Anna was holding on to his demands, and did not want to listen to the government's version. My support and respect for Anna Hazare has only increased each passing day.
If a citizen (a non-politician) were to carefully read the Civil Society and the Government's versions of the Lokpal Bill, surely he or she will render wholehearted support to Anna and his team.
The biggest 'trick' played by the govt is putting the 'whistleblower' into trouble if his or her complaint is dismissed.
Read the following lines carefully:
Case: False, Frivolous and Vexatious Complaints
Anna's suggestion: No imprisonment, only fines on complainants. The Lokpal would decide whether a complaint is frivolous or vexatious or false.
Government's version: Two to five years of imprisonment and fine on complainants. The accused can file a complaint against the complainant in a court. The prosecutor and all expenses will be provided by the government to the accused. The complainant will also have to pay a compensation to the accused.
Public Opinion: This will be a trump card to every accused to browbeat the complainants. Often, the corrupt people are rich. They will file cases against the complainants and no one will dare file any complaint. Interestingly, the minimum punishment for corruption is six months but for filing a false complaint is two years!
If this version of bill is passed, who will dare to complain against the politicians or government employees? The accused will get enough time to play with evidence (like they are doing now) and finally the whistleblower will be in trouble. Finally, these powerful politicians will send the whistleblowers to the jail.
In such a case will anyone dare to file a complaint against the corrupt people?
If the government carries on with this version, then there will be no meaning for the Lokpal Bill. Anna Hazare has every right to fight against this 'corrupt' version of the Bill. Perhaps this is the prime reason why people in millions are supporting Anna Hazare today.
Apart from the above important point, there are a few more in favour of politicians in the government's version of Lokpal Bill. The Government does not want the Prime Minister and the Judiciary to come under the Lokpal's ambit. Also, it does not want to lose its grip on the CBI, does not want it to merge with the Lokpal.
Let it be noted that people have been barging into the streets in protest against the 'government', but not against the 'UPA' or 'Congress'. All politicians are the same. No political party in India would agree to Anna's version of the Bill. If Congress was in Opposition today, it would have done the same that BJP is doing now!
This is proven by the fact that the Opposition including BJP has not taken a clear stand on the Lokpal Bill yet, and while it is criticising the government for arresting Anna, it is also not openly supporting him.
Those who are waiting for Anna Hazare's (or the Civil Society's) version of the Lokpal Bill need not be optimistic that if the government changes at the centre, the bill would be passed. It's not true. The bottom line is, NO politician wants to be grilled by the civil society!