Common Cause

Never in my life have I seen this kind of a movement. Today, I could see many people carrying flags, chanting slogans and wearing the popular " I am Anna" caps. The supporters are everywhere- the metro, streets, jantar mantar, india gate and many other locations. Its not just in Delhi, there are similar reports from other parts of the country as well. The protestors include people from all walks of life- working professionals, college students, intellectuals, NRI's, foreigners, and basically the aam aadmi.

It is present across all news channels and the print media. The people of India have raised their voice against corruption. This peaceful anti corruption campaign with the aim of bringing the Lokpal bill in effect is led by Anna Hazare. He has undertaken an indefinite fast to press for a more stringent Lokpal bill be passed by the parliament. This movement comes at an appropriate time, when the news of rampant corruption seemed to be crippling our democracy.

The proposed anti corruption law, popularly known as the Lokpal Bill has some history to it. It was first introduced by Shanti Bhushan in 1968. It got through Lok Sabha in 1969 but couldn't go through Rajya Sabha.Subsequent versions were re-introduced in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and in 2008 but none of them passed.Renewed calls for the bill arose over resentment of the major differences between the draft 2010 Lokpal Bill prepared by the government and that prepared by the members of the associated activists movement — N. Santosh Hegde, a former justice of the Supreme Court of India; Lokayukta of Karnataka; Shanti Bhushan; Arvind Kejriwal; Prashant Bhushan, a senior lawyer in the Supreme Court; and members of the India Against Corruption movement.

Most of the information regarding the proposed bill is available across all news websites. So I choose not to include them here.

This protest is very unique. People all across India have spontaneously and voluntarily joined the movement. Everyone is convinced that the corruption in the country has reached dangerous proportions and it needs to be controlled. In many cities, towns and villages people have come together to show their support for the anti corruption law. Its unique because the people, millions of them, have come forward without being called, without a leader to guide them. The news channels report the support of people from different states, all united in the cause. And all this has indeed forced the government to rethink. From denial mode they have now moved on to have mediators solve the issue. The arrest of Anna ji and the counter attacks by the congress spokespersons have angered the public and mostly strengthened the movement.

There are debates going on. There are some who strongly favor it and some who outrightly reject it. The government must realize that it has to do something to check the corruption and ensure the people that it cares about it. A strong Lokpall bill is definitely the right way to go about it. It should at least be open to discussion about it and respect peoples sentiments.