The recent stir caused by Anna Hazare has had me thinking quite a bit. Thinking about the government, its mistake in trying to jail and then throw Mr. Hazare out of prison. Also about the LokPal bill, its implications, the support its received and whether or not people realize what it will do for them.
My own personal opinion is that the LokPal bill, while being a move in the right direction, will not solve any of the problems with corruption which currently plague India.
Lets stop for a second and look at what the bill proposes... That a sovereign body filled with people nominated from the ministers and people elected from the public will play watchman over other ministers to avert cases of corruption.
However, my primary contention point to the bill is that people from the public must be ELECTED.
How are people elected? By campaigning for a position of power.
Who has the money to campaign? An average Indian citizen hoping to change the fate of the country? Doubtful.
Hence, most campaigning in our country, as well as others, are supported and sponsored by the rich. Therefore, lets weigh the chances of someone winning a spot in the "watchman committee" with a self/community-funded campaign budget or one sponsored by a minister / corporation? We all know the answer to this one.
If this is the case, then how will the Lok Pal bill solve anything? At the end it will be just another agency, controlled by the ministers and corporations (apparently corrupt) and filled with their puppets.
Who loses? Us - the common public.
Corruption exists because of greed. Greed is a part of each and every one of us - ask your self how many times have you thought "i want" or "if i had more" - it's all human nature. It's very easy to point a finger at someone and say "he took bribes" but, if you had an opportunity to make millions daily by ignoring the everyday needs of the public would you?
Therefore I ask - where should the blame go? What needs to be corrected? Corrupted ministers or us as a human race?
My own personal opinion is that the LokPal bill, while being a move in the right direction, will not solve any of the problems with corruption which currently plague India.
Lets stop for a second and look at what the bill proposes... That a sovereign body filled with people nominated from the ministers and people elected from the public will play watchman over other ministers to avert cases of corruption.
However, my primary contention point to the bill is that people from the public must be ELECTED.
How are people elected? By campaigning for a position of power.
Who has the money to campaign? An average Indian citizen hoping to change the fate of the country? Doubtful.
Hence, most campaigning in our country, as well as others, are supported and sponsored by the rich. Therefore, lets weigh the chances of someone winning a spot in the "watchman committee" with a self/community-funded campaign budget or one sponsored by a minister / corporation? We all know the answer to this one.
If this is the case, then how will the Lok Pal bill solve anything? At the end it will be just another agency, controlled by the ministers and corporations (apparently corrupt) and filled with their puppets.
Who loses? Us - the common public.
Corruption exists because of greed. Greed is a part of each and every one of us - ask your self how many times have you thought "i want" or "if i had more" - it's all human nature. It's very easy to point a finger at someone and say "he took bribes" but, if you had an opportunity to make millions daily by ignoring the everyday needs of the public would you?
Therefore I ask - where should the blame go? What needs to be corrected? Corrupted ministers or us as a human race?
