Like every Indians, I have been watching Lokpal uproar for last few months; I attended protests for few days in a hope that I have been contributing in my best possible way. However, I didn’t donate to the trust, India Against Corruption (IAC), the organizing committee of protests all over India as I preferred to donate to my NGO, Sakshum. There are uproars going and going; reactions by the government, counter-reactions by the Team Anna. Things improved in the past few weeks with both sides conceding. The government prepared the draft and presented in the parliament; everyone protested other than government. The reason: CBI out of ambit of Lokpal, talks of minority reservations, quota in Lokpal et al.
When I saw the events like Tehrir Square (Egypt) and others all around the globe which ultimately ended in a bloody coup, I felt proud that India finished a peaceful protest with whole of India rallying for Team Anna, especially Anna Ji who has been fighting for a cause – corrupt-free India. But at the same time, I also feel the pain when I see how these politicians botch the whole event. In the latest development, the Congress led UPA government introduced Lok Pal graft in the parliament which didn’t match to the agreed provisions as discussed in the last parliament session. The whole movement saw a new twist as politicians demanded the existing reservation rules in Lokpal too. At this point of time, I won’t argue whether reservations are good or bad. But we fail to understand that the structure of Lokpal is similar to an investigating agency; the very question of introducing reservations in Lokpal will dilute its effectiveness.
Our history has imbibed us a very dangerous rule - divide and rule. They knew that they would be successful as India being a vast country differs a lot in views. And to a large extent, they are correct too as they successfully divided India based on religion.
We still endorse the policy – divide and rule. After the UPA government presented the Lakpal Draft in the parliament, many regional leaders endorsed the minority including the broad reservations. Some leaders even endorsed the reservations based on religions.
One thing is clear in India; whether we have the strong Lokpal Bill or not, the fight over the religion will continue and will go long in the history of India. All politicians know if a strong Lokpal comes through, at least half of them would be behind bars. That’s why they have been sitting over it for the last 40 years. Every time they attempted, they blocked someway. This time again, the government played the dirty joke by provoking others to fight over reservations and passing the minority reservations of 4.5% within 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC). Everyone knows that this has been done in a view to upcoming elections in UP and other states. They want it at any cost.
Like every Indians, I dream of a country free from all kind of nonsense craps, corruption etc. Long live India!
