During my childhood days, I had come across this story where a woman in a village happens to involve herself in some non-social activity and the entire village was punishing her by throwing stones at her. A Swamiji was passing by that place, observed this act and stops the restless crowd from doing-so by just asking one question – if there is anyone in the crowd who have never done any wrong is allowed to throw a stone at her. And what next not even a single stone, in fact all the faces were down with guilt.
I just hope that corrupts are not fighting for anti-corruption bill to be passed. Even we the citizens of this country who are shouting our lungs out on the Facebook or in various rallies happening across the country; make sure that you are completely clean before pointing out a finger on anyone else. Just do a self analysis and make sure that you have never cheated, you have never bribed, you have never taken undue advantages etc… or else you are not different from the village crowd throwing stones at the woman.
It is always good to raise voice and fight against the wrongs but there is a right way to do everything. Entire country is fighting for anti-corruption bill to be passed – Is this the way? This is how we pass bills in our country? Are we not influencing the working of democratically elected administration? Let us not forget this is not Gandhi fighting against the British. There is no enemy. It is our government; we have put them there and even removed them every five year if they were not fit to be there.
As learned, sensible and responsible citizens of this country we should understand that to influence the process of law making is not a great thing to do in the long term. Today, it is corruption tomorrow there will be few more major agendas, for each and every problem people will stop using courts and we will witness such protests in every lane of our country, I feel this is very harmful for the country. Somewhere in the due course we have forgotten that as a country our strength lies in our ability to maintain democracy over 60 years while all other independent countries around the same time failed.
As a responsible citizen of this country we should take the right measures to reform. Let’s not follow the herd’s mentality. I will end this write-up by quoting Mahatma Gandhi
P.S.
On a lighter note:
My entire Facebook page is over flowing with Ana Hazzare’s Facebook supporters. Everyone has become a Paper Tiger and is protesting – god knows protest is against what. Very few of us will actually leave their air conditioned lives and get down on the roads to protest, rest all are enjoying being a “Paper Tiger”. So here is my contribution as well, Anna even I am with you.
I don't understand why "hunger strike" is compared with "stone throwing".
ReplyDeleteAnd also... I'm not sure how many of us have faith in the "passing the bills" system.
It is something like logging into our internal server with our company's id, searching for what we want, select an item from a frustratingly long time taking page refreshes and finally requesting a "NEW PEN" and wait for the manager's approval, who works in a different timezone.
Buying a pen on our own is a better way. I think the same thing happened here.
And.. regarding "Anti-corruption"... I recommend two mantras for the citizens...
1) Ignore as much as they can - not to worry about corruption.. it takes centuries to enjoy the fruits of "black money recovery"
2) Earn as much as they can ;)
And also... I dont think that there is no acceptable meaning to "we" in the phrase... "we create/remove govt". It's not we (netizens).. It's them (the beneficiaries of free TV, free rice, free current etc). "Those people" create the govt. not "we people".
ReplyDeleteThanks to Democracy (Buy the people, far the people, off the people??). A tax payer's vote is equal to an alcoholic's vote. And who are more in number?
HAIL DEMOCRACY
JAI JAI DEMOCRACY
@Saurabh - Completely agree with u ...
ReplyDelete@ Saughmraat - So what is your point ..should we not have democracy ...at the lowest level of my country...at least poors are getting TV which they cant hav in any other system...point 2 - it is not abt corrupt politicians ..it is abt corrupt society .in Bihar same people change the govt who ones voted for their caste ....things will change...as they hav changed in past..God bless Democracy ...atleast I have Voice !!
It's not about throwing stones, it's about the behaviour followed by the mob. Someone just comes and says "She is a bad woman through stones at her" and the mob starts throwing stones. I am not saying you should not follow
ReplyDeleteany cause, but whatever you follow be total in that, Understand the cause you are following, be passionate about the cause. If these things are there, which binds you with your cause "Hats off to you"...
People are writting heavy status essages,writing on others wall, poking, messaging, calling and even forcing others to follow, be it on facebook or any other media. People are enjoing the event without even knowing what is it all about. when i asked one of my friends about the bill, he was not able to explain. He was one of the people who was trying to educate me about this cause, was messaging me, was poking me. Another one was Supporting the cause because there were girls from his college Supporting the event. Some are
there just to get rid of there frustrations. So, people have there own agendas(laugh).
This is not the way...Small steps will lead to change in long term... Corruption is not going to stop just by making law...
"Be the change you want to see"!!!
@Mohit - My point is .. "Democracy is a system where u can hope and wait" - just the way you are hoping and waiting now.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm a fan of dictatorship and/or utopia.
(where a single person can bring a lot(either good or bad) of change in the system, unlike democracy where a lot of people are required to bring a small tiny change in the system)
And when it comes to "change urself first; then ask others to change" - yes.. I agree.
ReplyDeletebut I recommend to dont care how the other person is ;) It's just a waste of time.
i guess you got a valid point there, that elected government has the right to perform the bill passing process as it wishes to - and that this should not be hijacked by the public. But see there is one point you forget - democracy is participatory, and this participation is not limited to casting your vote. It requires awareness and active involvement with the process. So, even if hunger strike is not the right path, i think, it is good that people are getting involved and questioning the government. Maybe, in future, there will be better ways for people to get involved in the democracy process, but for now, Anna will do very well for me:)
ReplyDeleteBe the change! create more employment opportunities so everyone pays tax :), get everyone educated, so we are all on the same page and our situations, understanding and expectations are similar ... then democracy would bring in expected results. If we feel its working otherwise, its only because we aren't in resonance and therefore we have the pros n cons of democracy --Nonetheless, its working as intended, the majority is definitely being represented poverty, illiteracy and LACK OF TIME prevails! How can we do our bit?
ReplyDeleteHmm.. a democratic society does not warrant such a demonstration, however the fact that people can get together raise their views against the government itself is a feature democracy isnt it? Paying bribe to get something unethical done is one level of corruption and exists in certain amounts in every country. But a compulsion to pay bribe to get your work done is what is really bothering me as an individual, even though you will have all required documentation. abiding all rules and laws you will need to pay a bribe to get the govt official to get work done, you cannot escalate it to any levels as all levels have been diseased. In such a situation where the governments after governments are failing, the justice system is badly beaten and old, one will have to take to streets to do something. Your argument that having a protest against the government which has representatives elected by us, and that we cannot do that seems flawed to me. I have elected a leader and I have all rights to oppose him/her if I find him acting for their self interest and not serving the purpose they were elected for. Extreme situation calls for extreme actions.
ReplyDeleteMe: Shweta Gupta's comment. God knows why it says Me :)
ReplyDeletehey Saurabh.. Agree there is a way and process to do everything. But our political system has become so freaking corrupt!! When i see people posting things about Anna, i feel they are promising to put a stop to the corruption in some little way.If we go by the story then we will only stand and watch what is happening.. this is like an smaaaaal change which is so much needed! of allll the thousands of people who participated in someway to support one man's cause, may be few tens will go the good way..
ReplyDeleteMost of the things you wrote are theoretically correct but overall you are sounding like an OPPOSITION meaninglessly shouting at the GOVERNMENT without seeing the interest of the task. I know this is not the purpose of having an opposition but this is how it is in our great NATION.
ReplyDeleteMost wonderful thing is so many years passed but this bill never passed and still you are trying to find the right ways to pass it or attack corruption. Lets begin from somewhere.
Please find my views on few of your not so appreciated statements(off-course by me).
"I just hope that corrupts are not fighting for anti-corruption bill to be passed."
-Consider corruption as a disease, 90% of us are infected. But this doesn't take away our chance to take a pill to cure it. You are asking to be a change...agreed. Would you deny the fact most of us indirectly support the corruption just to sustain\survive our interest or hopes. This bill will definitely give us a chance for not repeating the mistake we did just because we had no other choice. This is a very short life and every person is not strong enough to kill his\her dream\personal responsibilities. In spite of this he\she has all rights to support the cause which will strengthen the coming generation.
"It is always good to raise voice and fight against the wrongs but there is a right way to do everything"
-What is the right way? Supporting a person who has a little guts between all we cowards for an absolutely correct cause is a wrong way? Who are supporting Anna Hazarre - they are the normal people who are fed up of this culture of being corrupt. Would any Government official who is making full use of our liberal, unconscious public support it? Yes, its OUR Government and there can not be any other sulking fact that our own Government blooding our hopes everyday. We have no choice to change the Government, we have to choose anyone of them who are in front of us..but we also have rights to make sure these rich, corrupt bugs of our life should not forget to work for public interest. Yes, this is OUR own Government and thats why we can not go and KILL all of them, but we can definitely force them to change there attitude of ignoring us. Also remind you that this success of Anna Hazarre's mini revolution will strengthen the confidence of general public and somewhat will force the corrupts to think/realize.
If you think that this is not an democratic act then please consider my suggestion to know a little more about democratic rights.
Rest of your things are fine as I said in the beginning but the timing is wrong. People who supported Gandhi were not just the part of herd, they were the real force who led Gandhi to become a National Hero and WE WON freedom. Until the cause is in public interest no one will get such support.
lot many things to add but not now :)
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, so is you and me - and i dont want to get into any debate.
ReplyDeletewhat i wanted to bring out of this post is
a) Before being a part of such noble cause just make sure u r clean.
b) Show true involvement and just dont be a paper tiger on facebook etc.
(do not misunderstand the fact all the people attending rallies are not corrupt)
c) In long run this is not a great way of running an adminstration
We shoudl respect our process and intitutons.
(passing on anti-corruption bill will not stop corruption; live e.g. RTI act)
I will definitely try to brush up more on democracy, thank you foro the suggestion!!
You have been concluding lot manything on the go - but i am okay with that - its human to do that :)