Fight Against Corruption – Let the Momentum be alive
This is perhaps the first time in India that the people of all walks of life have come out from their homes in such large numbers to streets to display their anger against the corruption and extended solidarity to the crusade launched by Anna and team for passing of Jan Lokpal Bill to eradicate corruption.
Anna Hazare has created the awareness and done a great service of awakening and generated the people’s energy for the first time against corruption. The people also fed up with the day to day harassment faced for their daily requirements. One may not be a bribe taker but he should compel to bribe for his basic requirements every day. Things hardly happen in a routine manner.
When we obtain information about bulk supply of generators to post offices, the Directorate replied that there was no such centralized supply but in many circles and divisions they do not know the route of supply. Similar was in the case of bulk computers supplied to divisions directly in 2000s. One Chief Postmaster General was under custody for accepting the bribe. The corruption becomes an epidemic and it has penetrated the veins of socially obligated Department like Postal.
The eminent economist Shri Prabhat Patnayak stated that “The steep rise in corruption is due to the change in property regime brought about by the freeing of markets and privatization drive”. Many economists, politicians are crying that the corporate lobby is the main crux of the corruption. The Central trade unions realizing its responsibility are continually fighting against neo liberal policies which are the root cause of chaos, confusions, corruption.
The first 20 Paragraphs of the Supreme court July 4th Judgment on constituting a special investigation team to investigate the allegations against tax evaders and to bring back black money from foreign banks contained a stringent critique of the neo liberal economic ideology pursued by the center in the past 20 years. The Bench also directed the Centre to disclose the information secured from Germany with regard to individuals against whom evidence of wrongdoing was available. But the Government challenged the decision through review petition.
As per the report of the CAG, in 2010 as many as 68 Departments of U.P State Government indulged with rampant corruption and misuse of Government funds. There is 2G Scam, Kalmadi Scam, Adarsh Scam. There is no attempt by the Government to cleanse the system. As the Prime Minister said the Government may not have a magic wand to eradicate corruption overnight, what prevented the Government to initiate serious efforts to eradicate corruption and bring back black money instead of filing petitions in the Supreme Court.
According to a survey it is revealed that ‘India could have been growing faster by about 5% since 1970s if it did not have black economy. Consequently India could have been a $ 8 Trillion economy, the second largest in the world. Per capita income could have been 7 times larger. India would then have been a middle income country and not one of the poorest.
The corruption is a big menace and what are the efforts taken by the Government so far to get rid of it? Nothing. That is the reason that the people’s anger is directed a mass movement by the spark spirited by Anna Hazare.
The argument that Anna’s protest for a stronger Lokpal Bill will undermine the democratic process or any social worker can resort this type of agitation to urge their wisdom holds no water. Not every cause draws thousands of people from every walk from youth to old to the streets. People are every much frustrated on the inaction of the Government to book the culprits and bring back the black money is the basic reason for the present movement.
The move of challenging democratic rights of citizens to protest peacefully for an undisputed cause of curbing corruption will not mar the image of Indian democracy which is the world’s largest. This is the first for one and for the others also. Anna has created a momentum. Let us keep it Alive. Let us support the cause of struggle that corruption should be eradicated and black money should come to the nation. Let us pledge in this direction.
(Bhartiya POst Editorial September 2011)
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