Since my last post, several months ago, nation is abuzz with scams, agitations, satyagraha, fasting , lathi charges and much more.All against corruption.
Fight against terrorism, price rise & inflation, capitalism, so called communalism, reform processes... all appear to have receded in to back ground.It is now all about corruption in high places.
Anna Hazare, Baba Ramdev, media, civil society, opposition parties... all appear to have united to blame the UPA II for the present mess.Central government has gone on defensive as it is unable to defend something which is indefensible.Congress party is trying to salvage its image by starting so called nation wide campaign to " educate" the masses on real issues ! .It has also "briefed" its spokes persons suitably, so that they are also posturing very aggressively against all those who are against corruption.
First family of the Congress party, Mrs Sonia Gandhi & Rahul Gandhi are silent on this issue or atleast have not said anything publically.That is strange.They seem to be relying on the dictum of public memory being short and on the facts that Gen elections are three years away.But then you will have to face electorate in so many states next year.These state elections next year will be more crucial than the Gen elections in 2014.Message that electorate convey to the corrupt in these state elections will influence country's long term battle against corruption.
So the activists, civil society, citizens of this country,media and opposition parties should unite to ensure that this corrupt Congress government is not returned to power in any of the states going to polls in 2012..Do I sound like a supporter of any non Congress party?! I may or may not be.But I am a worried citizen.Worried about corruption taking away so much from so many of us for the benefits of so few, occupying high positions.with our votes! Comprehensive defeat of the Congress party in 2012 elections will create the right kind of climate for waging a long term battle of fighting corruption.
Defeat of the corrupt in 2012, will ensure that all political parties come out clearly before 2014 Gen elections, with specific plans of preventing corrupt practices and punishing all those who are found guilty of corrupt practices.We should not forget the fact that all politicians are mortally afraid of loosing election.If we can ensure defeat of the corrupt in 2012, we may have better chances of installing a less corrupt government at the center after 2014.
That is the way forward.Anna may not undertake his next fast after 15th August.Baba Ramdev may not restart his agitation for black money in foreign banks, civil society may come out of TV studios, media may fan out in to the country side.. all with the single purpose of defeating Congress in all states.
If we achieve this, we can use 2013 to launch a nation wide programme to force all political parties to come out with specific plans, if voted to power [ about] how they will catch and punish corrupt and how they will put in place the systems that will prevent corruption at all levels of governance.
Country has lost all hopes of any actions on the corrupt by the present rulers in Delhi.So we can look only at the future with some hope.
Can we do this? All jouneys begin with a first step.In the right direction.Shivaste Panthanah.As our rishis would say, let your paths be safe and good. For all.
