Andolan* Against Corruption

            Could four days of fasting by a 72-year-old ex-army man turned social activist, turn the tables on corrupt India? Could it change the nation for good? Well, time will be the judge of that, but it definitely seems to be a good start.

When the whole nation was still hung-over from the celebration of World cup win, a quite, simple Gandhian started an ‘Andolan against Corruption’, a one man show that took the nation by a very pleasant surprise.

India as a young, democratic nation has seen her share of scandals, but lately corruption has become the way of political life. It was bad enough that the votes were sold, lately even Politicians started to quote there price. There is not a single government agency that is not corrupt. Heck, even the Hunger Strikes by our ‘beloved’ politicians are corrupt, for there have been so many cases where a politician is caught munching on finger foods or goes missing during Dinner times!! Once considered to be the most transparent government entity, Indian Army was also tainted with Sukhna land scam & Adarsh society scandal. I can go over the statistics but I am sure it’s all over the media by now.

Mr Anna Hazare is a calm man of unimpeachable integrity. He has a track record of fighting corruption in one of India's most corrupt states. Citing Mahatma Gandhi's example, he has become a rallying point for anti-corruption fights. What greater symbol of non-violent protest in India than a fast? - A Gandhian legacy.

The idea of Ombudsman type institution in India that has its roots in Scandinavian nations was first floated in 1963. As of now, there are 140 nations with this agency and most think that India is the one who needs the most. But will Jan Lokpal bill, be the answer to India’s all corruption questions? NO. In fact, the amount of draconian powers this agency will have (if created), this agency might itself get tainted with the big ‘C’. The generations after independence have lived in the shadow of corruption. Many people – some of them now protesting against corruption - bribe there way through the system that they have lost faith in. More cynicism has bred more corruption.

It's not clear how and when will the Lokpal bill take shape (not surprisingly, a newly created committee was tasked with this responsibility!!) but one thing is clear, setting up a citizen's ombudsman will not be the end of corruption in India.

 *Movement

 Soutik Biswas's column on http://www.bbc.com/ are really an eye openers...