A Misdirected Movement
A Misdirected Movement
A fight between the middle class of India and the Government. The Government of India might well end up on the losing side. It apparently has no choice but to concede to the Hazare movement. Though the public expectation that this movement or the Lokpal will put an end to corruption is as tragic as the corruption itself.
Corruption, an act of breaking the law will be prevented by enacting another law that will prevent the breaking of the law – doesn’t resonate with me. This solution is not what gets me uncomfortable. What gets me completely baffled is that we as a society believe that corruption is a ‘political’ problem.
What we have achieved through this movement is furtherance of the belief that politicians are the root cause of corruption. In perpetrating and in blaming that ‘they are wrong’ we have completely absolved ourselves of our sins. You and I don’t have to change anymore and that is as sad as anti-Gandhian as it can get.
Anna Hazare has done what you and I never would – He took action and full credit to him for doing so. A forty-year delay of the Lokpal bill is inexcusable and full credit to Hazare to bring about action.
However creating a power center independent of the supreme courts and the parliament might present a threat to the democracy itself in the long run. Examine any country that has diluted its democracy and you will find an existence of a body over and above the courts and the parliament. A definite thought to ponder upon. Which is why I am absolutely convinced that the movement is misdirected. It targets political change. Corruption is a social issue.
We are not in an Egypt or a Libya situation and we should be careful before we are inspired to act like their populations. We are still a functioning democracy. I find it appalling that educated middle class of this country will resort to completely unassertive, blackmail tactics to bring about a change. The change will happen. Thankfully such is the power of unity.
We will enact a new law. The government will involve the civil society to participate in the drafting. Anna Hazare might well head that panel. Inasmuch we will be victorious.
Will corruption end? The power of unity is misdirected because corruption will not end with the new law or with a hunger strike or any such unassertive dramatics.
The movement is a great opportunity to bring about real change. I really wish that it garners meaningful direction real soon and targets the corruption at the cause of it.
Corruption exists not because a law doesn’t exist.
Corruption exists because you and I enjoy its benefits.
The recent scams that have sparred the debate on corruption are all testimony to the fact that we embrace it.
The CWG scam awarded contracts to companies that you and I work in.
The telecom sector, the centre stage of all scams is a part of our lives more than any other technology.
The recent scam on ICC World Cup tickets exists because we bought them.
The real estate is riddled with corruption at every stage. We know it for decades. Yet you and I participate in the name of helplessness.
The Nuclear Deal was rejoiced by the same middle-class. We ignored the visuals of the ‘currency’ in the parliament because we much rather enjoy the higher salaries of a buoyant economy.
The companies and organizations you work in are absolutely silent today in this movement for one reason alone – they are such an integral part of the ‘corruption industry’. Yet you and I work for them.
The Bofors, The Fodder, The Hawala an The Stock Market scams were all participated in by the corporate world.
IPL scam on franchises exists too but so what it’s too exciting to not enjoy.
You and I embrace the schools, colleges, companies, organizations set up by the politicians’ money by sending our children to them or working in them.
Corruption isn’t a political issue. It’s a social problem. The solution is not the law. The solution is ‘you’.
We are expecting politicians to change. Rather we are not. We want to force them to change. Sadly, a human being doesn’t have the power to change anyone. Only one in your control is you.
People are here together today. They want to see an end to corruption. They wouldn’t see it and I feel sad about that.
I am a great follower, learner and a promoter of Gandhian methods and teachings. This isn’t one of them because it absolves you of your responsibility and blames it on another one. Gandhi famously said that become the change you want to see.
He didn’t say impose it. He said become it.
Please pause and reflect. We have great unity going. What it can achieve is greatness. What it might end up achieving is nothingness.
Gandhi’s movements and methods inspired social change, which led to political changes. The change happened in people though.
In the Khadi Movement or the Swadeshi Movement, people changed themselves by weaving or wearing Khadi.
In the Quit India Movement people changed themselves by not accepting adherence to British governance.
The salt march culminated in a signal to the rest of the sub continent to go ahead claim your right to your salt. People embraced the hardship.
In the Gandhian protest to corruption people would become the change. What might becoming the change mean? Wouldn’t it have been a constructive movement if people took responsibility of action upon themselves?
Yes there is a price to pay for that but then so what? You want the change, don’t you?
What does taking responsibility mean? To me it’s very simple but so difficult to act upon that we rather direct our energy on someone else. Yes we will get the law BUT the corruption will remain and there is a very good reason for it – you and I.
Being the change or taking responsibility upon oneself means to lead the way. Stop being a part of the corruption. Quit your job for a corrupt company. Quit using the mobile phone. Stop watching the IPL cause its roots lead to the doors of corrupt politicians and corporates. Quit bribing even if that means not buying a house. Quit sending your children to schools and colleges erected on the pile of corrupt money earned by politicians and run by their children and relatives. Quit working for the companies invested in by politicians.
Unless we will be the change, there will be no change. There is a large movement of people. If we were able to guide ourselves towards being the change, the government, the society, the corporations would have had no choice but to embrace. The losses for them would have been humungous.
As things stand – we have blamed it on the politicians. The responsibility is elsewhere not with ‘me’. The change must also thus happen elsewhere and not in ‘me’. If the change must happen elsewhere, the movement has already failed Gandhi and as such can’t succeed in his methods.
The Lokpal will be instituted. The corruption will remain. No one yet is responsible.
For the politician this works well too. A failure of Lokpal (if in future) will be dubbed as a failure of coercion forced upon by public sentiment. After all it isn’t there idea. They are already against it.
Please think, reflect and correct. Change begins with ‘me’. If I were to become the change and every ‘I’ in this movement were to change – change would have already happened. It doesn’t have to be forced anymore. The government may well at that stage be forced to appoint a Lokpal to assure the public. That ‘Lokpal’ though would be government’s creation and responsibility unlike right now.
As long as ‘I am right’ or ‘I am lesser wrong’ and the politicians are wrong, we will keep waiting or keep trying to enforce change in them.
We don’t need a law to prevent another law from being broken.
We need will and courage in society to change. And change begins with me when I am responsible.
I hope more and more people join the movement. It is a great opportunity. I do hope though that we join only when ‘I am responsible’ and ready to ‘be the change’ – else it is plain and simple unassertive blame-game drama at best.
yours
Chetan Walia
A fight between the middle class of India and the Government. The Government of India might well end up on the losing side. It apparently has no choice but to concede to the Hazare movement. Though the public expectation that this movement or the Lokpal will put an end to corruption is as tragic as the corruption itself.
Corruption, an act of breaking the law will be prevented by enacting another law that will prevent the breaking of the law – doesn’t resonate with me. This solution is not what gets me uncomfortable. What gets me completely baffled is that we as a society believe that corruption is a ‘political’ problem.
What we have achieved through this movement is furtherance of the belief that politicians are the root cause of corruption. In perpetrating and in blaming that ‘they are wrong’ we have completely absolved ourselves of our sins. You and I don’t have to change anymore and that is as sad as anti-Gandhian as it can get.
Anna Hazare has done what you and I never would – He took action and full credit to him for doing so. A forty-year delay of the Lokpal bill is inexcusable and full credit to Hazare to bring about action.
However creating a power center independent of the supreme courts and the parliament might present a threat to the democracy itself in the long run. Examine any country that has diluted its democracy and you will find an existence of a body over and above the courts and the parliament. A definite thought to ponder upon. Which is why I am absolutely convinced that the movement is misdirected. It targets political change. Corruption is a social issue.
We are not in an Egypt or a Libya situation and we should be careful before we are inspired to act like their populations. We are still a functioning democracy. I find it appalling that educated middle class of this country will resort to completely unassertive, blackmail tactics to bring about a change. The change will happen. Thankfully such is the power of unity.
We will enact a new law. The government will involve the civil society to participate in the drafting. Anna Hazare might well head that panel. Inasmuch we will be victorious.
Will corruption end? The power of unity is misdirected because corruption will not end with the new law or with a hunger strike or any such unassertive dramatics.
The movement is a great opportunity to bring about real change. I really wish that it garners meaningful direction real soon and targets the corruption at the cause of it.
Corruption exists not because a law doesn’t exist.
Corruption exists because you and I enjoy its benefits.
The recent scams that have sparred the debate on corruption are all testimony to the fact that we embrace it.
The CWG scam awarded contracts to companies that you and I work in.
The telecom sector, the centre stage of all scams is a part of our lives more than any other technology.
The recent scam on ICC World Cup tickets exists because we bought them.
The real estate is riddled with corruption at every stage. We know it for decades. Yet you and I participate in the name of helplessness.
The Nuclear Deal was rejoiced by the same middle-class. We ignored the visuals of the ‘currency’ in the parliament because we much rather enjoy the higher salaries of a buoyant economy.
The companies and organizations you work in are absolutely silent today in this movement for one reason alone – they are such an integral part of the ‘corruption industry’. Yet you and I work for them.
The Bofors, The Fodder, The Hawala an The Stock Market scams were all participated in by the corporate world.
IPL scam on franchises exists too but so what it’s too exciting to not enjoy.
You and I embrace the schools, colleges, companies, organizations set up by the politicians’ money by sending our children to them or working in them.
Corruption isn’t a political issue. It’s a social problem. The solution is not the law. The solution is ‘you’.
We are expecting politicians to change. Rather we are not. We want to force them to change. Sadly, a human being doesn’t have the power to change anyone. Only one in your control is you.
People are here together today. They want to see an end to corruption. They wouldn’t see it and I feel sad about that.
I am a great follower, learner and a promoter of Gandhian methods and teachings. This isn’t one of them because it absolves you of your responsibility and blames it on another one. Gandhi famously said that become the change you want to see.
He didn’t say impose it. He said become it.
Please pause and reflect. We have great unity going. What it can achieve is greatness. What it might end up achieving is nothingness.
Gandhi’s movements and methods inspired social change, which led to political changes. The change happened in people though.
In the Khadi Movement or the Swadeshi Movement, people changed themselves by weaving or wearing Khadi.
In the Quit India Movement people changed themselves by not accepting adherence to British governance.
The salt march culminated in a signal to the rest of the sub continent to go ahead claim your right to your salt. People embraced the hardship.
In the Gandhian protest to corruption people would become the change. What might becoming the change mean? Wouldn’t it have been a constructive movement if people took responsibility of action upon themselves?
Yes there is a price to pay for that but then so what? You want the change, don’t you?
What does taking responsibility mean? To me it’s very simple but so difficult to act upon that we rather direct our energy on someone else. Yes we will get the law BUT the corruption will remain and there is a very good reason for it – you and I.
Being the change or taking responsibility upon oneself means to lead the way. Stop being a part of the corruption. Quit your job for a corrupt company. Quit using the mobile phone. Stop watching the IPL cause its roots lead to the doors of corrupt politicians and corporates. Quit bribing even if that means not buying a house. Quit sending your children to schools and colleges erected on the pile of corrupt money earned by politicians and run by their children and relatives. Quit working for the companies invested in by politicians.
Unless we will be the change, there will be no change. There is a large movement of people. If we were able to guide ourselves towards being the change, the government, the society, the corporations would have had no choice but to embrace. The losses for them would have been humungous.
As things stand – we have blamed it on the politicians. The responsibility is elsewhere not with ‘me’. The change must also thus happen elsewhere and not in ‘me’. If the change must happen elsewhere, the movement has already failed Gandhi and as such can’t succeed in his methods.
The Lokpal will be instituted. The corruption will remain. No one yet is responsible.
For the politician this works well too. A failure of Lokpal (if in future) will be dubbed as a failure of coercion forced upon by public sentiment. After all it isn’t there idea. They are already against it.
Please think, reflect and correct. Change begins with ‘me’. If I were to become the change and every ‘I’ in this movement were to change – change would have already happened. It doesn’t have to be forced anymore. The government may well at that stage be forced to appoint a Lokpal to assure the public. That ‘Lokpal’ though would be government’s creation and responsibility unlike right now.
As long as ‘I am right’ or ‘I am lesser wrong’ and the politicians are wrong, we will keep waiting or keep trying to enforce change in them.
We don’t need a law to prevent another law from being broken.
We need will and courage in society to change. And change begins with me when I am responsible.
I hope more and more people join the movement. It is a great opportunity. I do hope though that we join only when ‘I am responsible’ and ready to ‘be the change’ – else it is plain and simple unassertive blame-game drama at best.
yours
Chetan Walia
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