The controversial ‘Pal’

This word “Pal” first came to me when I started reading one of the James Headily Chase books during my late teens. My father used to have big collection of that series. I could pick any and start reading, but at the end of the day, because of my everlasting laziness, I could read only one. But this word ‘Pal’ struck to my mind immediately. I studied my entire education career in Gujarati medium. So I had a dictionary and I got the meaning, which was “friend”. In Gujarati, Hindi or Sanskrit the meaning of the same word is “the one who protects”. So in other words he can be a friend too. Friend often protects us from various difficulties. But today there is one Pal which is unwanted to the government for years is going to take birth by either tomorrow or by end of the current parliament session. The Pal they were avoiding probably since independence, is going to exist soon. Off course against their wish. 

On 12^th of April this year, suddenly out of the blue I wrote a blog, as those days I hardly used to write any. The blog was written after Anna Hazare’s first fast was over. (Here is the link for the same: “I am not convinced” http://marivaat.blogspot.com/2011/04/i-am-not-convinced.html) Sadly few things I wrote in this blog have come true. Nobody wants corruption in this country. But those were the different days. Every morning we used to hear a new scam, bigger than the previous day’s. The five “wise men (and a woman)” suddenly came out of the dark and told us that they are our Messiahs and they will take us out of this corruption. The fight was imminent. To their credit, they generated the passion against the corruption from the public in general, which was fed up with the daily drainage of their hard earned tax paid money. In that blog I have questioned the very claim by those “civil society” members that they are the direct representatives of public in general. It is natural that once the euphoria takes over, you are tend to get enormous support but once it goes down, you feel yourself alone in your group. Had they tried first to educate the public on how corruption, small corruption, affects our life and then educated them not to pay bribe at any cost and be ready to face the consequences things would have been different. But as always, longer and tougher road is always deserted.  Within the “Team Anna” there are many who’s real faces have came out in public since 12^th of April. Even Anna Hazare was kind a “exposed” bv his own blogger Mr. Parulekar. People like me who were always against the tactics used by the Team Anna, came out strongly against the team. People like me who are in a group which wants corruption to go but not by pushing the government and blackmail it with “My way or highway” tactics. Especially when a swami speaks against you, especially when one of your members has not paid income tax worth lakhs in rupees, especially when one of your members is involved in fake billings of her travels and more importantly when you have said “Kabhi Kabhi Gadhe Ko bhi baap banana padta hai”.  Right from the first day for me the entire moment was selfish to gain public support by all those five-six people for their political aspirations. Who knows they were planted by government too, to pacify public from daily corruptions. 

Whatever reasons may be, we now have a draft of Lokpal ready. Just what I am getting from the various news channels that it is totally a 180 degrees different then what “Team Anna” had asked for. For me may be it is not the strong Lokpal an Aam Aadmi would have liked to have, but at least government has not bent down to the so called “Civil Society” members. The government at last has taken “a step”. At least this is a small step forward towards ending of the menace of Corruption. It was said and believed that corruption can’t be abolished from our country from ever. Since independence, all the governments, including those who are in the opposition today has denied or skipped this Lokpal. At least now we will have a watch dog. May be toothless, but still we have something to look upon.  We didn’t have RTI till early 2000s, but have now. Plenty of things have came out because of RTI only, despite it was said, will not be effective. But people have used it smartly and today we have new phrase called “RTI Activist” and “Whistleblower” bill will also likely to be passed along with the Lokpal. 

There were two major things which were not easy for the government to be agreed upon. First one is that  PM under Lokpal and second is CBI under Lokpal. PM with adhesives is in where as CBI is not. For me bringing PM inside Lokpal, even if with adhesives, should be looked at huge victory for Team Anna. We must remember that when the agitation started, Government was adamant of not having PM under the Lokpal at any cost. So what if it needs 3/4^th majority to start the case against PM? So what that only 7 years term of PM  can only be looked at? At least we have something to work for PM too. Regarding CBI. Yesterday, Mr. Manish Tiwari, and surprisingly I agreed with his personal views, said that why not make CBI autonomous and why can’t we have separate policing arm for Lokpal? Like currently Police and CBI co exists and working together sometimes, the third force, with experts from all the levels and business of country, can also co exist. I strongly believe that in these days, any government can’t ignore the feelings of Aam Aadmi just like that. Yes it is not easy to get into the ears of Government either. Team Anna is losing the plot by not remaining flexible enough. Once you are on negotiation table, you have to be like elastic. Sadly now, the draft is before us, its Government who has came out with more flexibility from its first stand, then the Team Anna. They still want their own draft to be passed. I am sorry but that is not possible in a democracy, no matter how the ruling government is corrupt or biased towards corruption.  

Last night on one of the news channel debates, Lord Meghnad Desai  had rightly said that “Lokpal is still an unknown quantity”. So, why can’t we have it first in place at least in its present form and then later decide to amend, if required? I wonder when our political parties will have such flexibility in their mindsets so that our nation can run smoothly. Anna and his team have decided to start yet another agitation since their draft is not accepted. I am sure this time government is in positive position in the eyes of those sections of people who wanted a mechanism to tackle corruption, as it has kept the promise to introduce the bill and may be passing the same in this session only. I can bet this time the government will not budge. They are in better position this time then on previous three occasions. On the other hand, Anna and his team should now stop agitating and start thinking on how to use, whatever Lokpal we have, smartly. People need work, bread, and happiness. Yearlong agitations will not give them any of these things. Better they keep themselves away from five assembly elections coming next year. I do agree with the stand of  most of the members from ruling party  that better they (Team Anna) come out clear with their political intentions. Back door entry is not good at all. Just because Congress or UPA is in power you will oppose congress and not minding other parties’ corruptions, where is the logic in this? 

I am not sure about other four stats going for elections next year, but at least in my state Gujarat, Team Anna will be as unrelated as the main opposition congress party is for last more than a decade and a half. Yes Gujarat government is not pure for sure, but the “Modi Magic” is still on and it is a duty of Congress to give us, the Gujaratis , strong and substantial evidence against Modi and his government regarding their corruption and not Team Anna. But the equation will be funnier when Congress will try to expose Modi Government’s corruption and Team Anna will protest against Congress in Gujarat, mainly because they didn’t passed Lokpal of their likings at the center. 

It is high time for Team Anna to re think.

Dessert Storm !!! 

”Team Anna being very cruel to Anna. I strongly protest. They all keep 75 year old hungry and have a gala feast at his”

-         - Digvijay Singh’s Tweet on 20.12.2011