Anna Hazare is seen today as a man who has guts to ‘do it’. He has, if not anything else, bought back corruption as a decisive election issue. But I do not agree with the form and partly with the substance of his agitation which has been quiet surprisingly hijacked by media. And media on its part, instead of remaining neutral – which it is supposed to be, has taken sides to the extent of appealing youth to join the agitation.
My point is simple – there is no substitute for good people in governance. The promoters and supporters of Jan Lok Pal and the public agitation to achieve it are profoundly misguided. Any tighter law anywhere in the world will never be able to address the issues relating to corruption / terrorism / misgovernance.
Our country is plagued with plethora of laws. The existing processes and rules are already too complex and beyond common-man’s simple interpretational skills. Why create a new law to keep a check on existing laws to achieve the same objective for which existing laws were created. Or are we trying a dangerous short-cut – let us shamelessly keep electing highly corrupt people in cleanest democratic manner and then create a ‘Super PM – Super Judge – Super Cop’ position called Lok Pal with almost unlimited powers in most undemocratic manner. It will be too dangerous for democracy if we select Lok Pal without involving 1.2 billion citizens of this country to ‘Super-govern’ the government machinery and representatives elected by the same 1.2 billion people.
Another outrageous and indirectly connected demand, which I think would be raised again in near future, is ‘None of the above’ option in election process. The logic being we do not want to elect corrupt or criminals to governing office. Eventually, suppose, if we get that option, from where a new person would get elected unless one of us wishes to leave his / her comforts behind and serve nation.
So the solution lies in the problem itself. Governance. We have to be IN the system to CHANGE the system. Only those people who are responsible for execution of duties can bring the change. Hence, the only and lasting solution is fresh people entering governing institutions – get elected as leader / get selected as bureaucrat – and remain non-corrupt!
External pressures such as the present one will only subvert democracy instead of curbing corruption! If we have waited for so long then why not wait till next elections or next IAS exams! Join Politics! Join Bureaucracy! Strengthen Democracy! Lasting Solution – No Shortcut!
[The blog originally appeared on April 9, 2011 at my old blog site here: http://ajayrdave.blogspot.com/2011/04/curb-corruption-dont-subvert-democracy.html]