By Syed Ali Mujtaba,
It’s almost a year now for the Narendra Modi government in office. The incumbent Prime Minister has come to power with twin mandate, effective governance and rapid development of the country. Effective governance entailed accountability and bringing uprightness in governance, thereby meaning ending corruption.
While there is quite a loud talk going on about developing the country, Modi government has chosen to be silent about combating corruption. The civil society that launched India against corruption campaign too seems to have changed the horse midstream.
File photo of Anna Hazare during India Against Corruption campaign in April 2011
In such a situation, the common man is helplessly suffering from the bane of corruption. He feels both the government and civil society leaders have taken him for a ride.
It was in 2011, a mammoth campaign was launched against corruption centering on Anna Hazare, a Gandhian and social activist leading from the front. The campaign caught the imagination of the people and the entire nation was blown over by this storm. Such was its impact, many equated the anti-corruption campaign with the second freedom struggle being launched in the country.
Now, it’s over three years to this event no one is taking about this evil phenomena in the country. With the change of regime in New Delhi and those in the forefront of anti-corruption campaign joining politics, the campaign against corruption has almost waned.
Even Anna Hazare, the messiah of anti-corruption agitation has lost his interest in the campaign. After being dumped by his lieutenants, Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi, Anna Hazare is no more interested in the anti-corruption agitation. He has taken up the cause of the farmers’ agitation against the land acquisition. It appears that anti-corruption campaign has lost its sheen.
When Anna Hazare launched the anti-corruption movement, he received overwhelming support from the masses. They came out in large numbers pinning hopes that he will relieve them from their sufferings. The media went gung-ho about the anti-corruption agitation and gave live coverage to the grand event being orchestrated in New Delhi.
However, in the process when Anna Hazare, associated his agitation with all and sundry and the team Anna took control of the movement, the anti-corruption agitation started losing its respectability.
Opportunism prevailed over the national cause and some ambitions person such as Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi, who were in the forefront of the agitation, sacrificed the movement for their selfish political motives.
When Anna Hazare tried to rejuvenate the anti-corruption campaign and announced his fast in Mumbai, there were no takers and he received little popular support. As a result, Anna Hazare suspended the anti- corruption agitation.
Since then, Anna Hazare has chosen to keep quiet and has not come out with any statement on the anti-corruption agitation. It seems he has abandoned the cause which had once made him the Pied Piper of India.
It is apparent that Anna Hazare is no more interested in the anti-corruption movement. He is trying to reinvent himself launching farmer’s agitation what he calls “anti-farmer policies of the Modi government.”
While launching this protest, he is seeking support of the opposition parties, thus unwittingly providing a political color to the farmer’s agitation.
As in the past, all sorts of people are jumping into Anna Hazare’s bandwagon to come into limelight. Anna is assuming this is happening due to the genuine respect for his leadership. Obviously, he has not learnt lessons from the past agitation. Both of his key associates, Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi have dumped him for their selfish ends.
Anyway, this time Anna Hazare’s farmer’s agitation is not generating much hype. When he announced that around 20,000 poor farmers would join his agitation in Delhi, many questioned who will foot the bills of these farmers.
Obviously, neither the poor farmers nor Anna Hazare can afford it. This has led to the assumption that only through the corrupt practices such huge money can be raised. As a result Anna Hazare who was once the darling of the masses is losing his popularity.
As far as corruption is concerned, there is little change on the ground realities. With Anna Hazare turning its back to the movement and his lieutenants Arvind Kejriwal, becoming Delhi Chief Minister and Kiran Bedi joining the BJP, the anti-corruption movement looks to be shelved for all practical purposes. Anna and his cohorts have taken the common people in the country for a ride.
In the script of anti-corruption movement, Narendra Modi, who has been campaigning to bring back black money stashed abroad, has not made any serious effort in this direction. He is being criticized for not keeping his promises about effectively fighting the menace of corruption in the country.
People who had elected Narendra Modi to power believing on his tall claims and pining hopes on him are feeling cheated. They are now left to fend themselves to fight the evil of corruption that has percolated to every walk of life.
Under such circumstances, the five pillars of corruption remain well intact. These are: the corrupt politician; the corrupt bureaucrat; the corrupt businessman; the corrupt NGO, and the criminal of the underworld.
There is an alternate paradigm of corruption in India. This is categorized into four ‘Ps’. Political corruption e.g. kickbacks, donations to political parties from individuals and industries, use of black money in elections etc; Programme corruption e.g., food for work, rural development, relief schemes, grants and subsidies to NGOs, etc; Project corruption e.g., commission to be paid for approval of contract and grants and Petty corruption, bribe/tips for prompt access and service for obtaining an application form or submitting application form, making a FIR in police stations etc.
It is felt the degree of corruption depends upon the quantum of money being exchanged. It rests on the monopoly of power that is being exercised while discharging the duties. The degree of corruption is also influenced by the extent of accountability for the action taken. Some external factors like lack of ethical values, lack of quality education, greed, and no fear of law or religion also influence the degree of corruption.
The saddest part in corruption discourse is, even judiciary is not spared from this menace. To common people, judiciary favors those who can bribe the judges and those who have no resources are getting punished.
This is most unfortunate commentary on the anti-corruption campaign in India. People had high hopes from anti-corruption movement. They wanted the struggle to continue to its logical end. They are saddened about the movement turning cold feet. It appears the entire nation has been taken for a ride by some self-seeking persons. This unsavory chapter of Indian history is a pointer to the future course of agitation politics in the country.
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(Syed Ali Mujtaba is a journalist based in Chennai. He can be contacted at [email protected])