A peek into Anna Hazare's Movement

A peek into Anna Hazare's Movement or shall I say that a peek into our inner self.A 72 year old man starts a movement that really should have been a top priority of the country.Lets begin the overview from the scratch.

Who is this Guy?

Kisan Bapat Baburao Hazare (born 15 January 1940), popularly known as Anna Hazare , is an Indian social activist who is especially recognized for his contribution to the development of Ralegan Siddhi, a village in Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India and his efforts for establishing it as a model village, for which he was awarded the Padma Bhushan by Government of India, in 1992.


On April 5 2011, Hazare started a 'fast unto death' to exert pressure on the Government of India to enact a strong anti-corruption act as envisaged in the Jan Lokpal Bill, a law that will establish a Lokpal (ombudsman) that will have the power to deal with corruption in public offices.

Read more about him in Wikipedia

So whats this Jan Lokpal Bill ?

In India, the Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizen's ombudsman Bill) is a draft anti-corruption bill that would create a Jan Lokpal, an independent body like the Election Commission, which would have the power to prosecute politicians and bureaucrats without government permission.




The bill was drafted by Shanti Bhushan, former IPS Kiran Bedi, Justice N. Santosh Hegde, advocate Prashant Bhushan, former chief election commissioner J. M. Lyngdoh in consultation with the leaders of the India Against Corruption movement and the civil society. The bill proposes institution of the office of Lokpal (Ombudsman) at center and Lok Ayukta at state level. The Jan Lokpal Bill is designed to create an effective anti-corruption and grievance redressal systems and to assure that an effective deterrent is created against corruption and to provide effective protection to whistleblowers.


The Lokpal Bill drafted by the government has failed to pass the Rajya Sabha for 42 years. The first Lokpal Bill was passed in the 4th Lok Sabha in 1969 but could not get through in Rajya Sabh. Subsequently, Lokpal bills were introduced in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and in 2008. Yet none of these bills were ever passed.

Read more at Wikipedia

Whats in it for us?
 

Bingo.Thats the most important question.See we Indians have never done anything against a matter which doesnt involve our personal well being.Take a typical example of cleaning the sewer.In a neighbourhood,people argue that they dont want to pay the sweeper to clean the entire sewers because their part is clean.Its something like that.
 
Imagine  a person who directly benifits from corruption.Now naturally he wont even bother about this bill but rather protest against this bill.Next a person who is the sufferer of corruption in one way or the other.At some point of time in his life he has entertained corruption or has adhered to corruption for his own personal benifit.He wont also care about it since it really doesnt bother him...
 
So who is there to bother?A 72 year old man who is actually a war veteran happily getting his pension and heck he doesnt even have a family.He has been fasting for 3 continuous days as we speak living only on water.He simply could have stepped back and enjoy the rest of his life.
 
But he didnt.He considered himself as an Indian citizen.Prehaps thats what really matter.When the national anthem is sung as we stand up to pay homage...most of us do it just for the sake of custom..even not understanding the true meaning of the verbes.Strangely I think Kabiguru didnt had that much farsight to gauge present day scenario.
 
India has become corrupted from the soul.It will take more than just a bill to check that.It requires active participation.We are so proud over our cricket team,our culture,our military and our intellect that we have even forgot that an Indian was sometime known for his or her honesty..
 
Okay.I get the point so what.Are you asking me to start fasting?

 Simply by starting to fast wont really solve this immediate crisis.We need active participation from you.Though if you ask about fasting.If you feel like doing it..do it but also do publicize the reason for fasting.Tell people that you are fasting not for some religious belief but for an Idea.When Mahatma Gandhi started the Indian Freedom movement it was the idea not Bapuji that touched people.

So if you want to do anything regarding this Jan Lokpal bill.Dont do it because you feel sympathetic towards an old man but out of your own will which is influenced by the idea.
 
Cool.I have shown my active participation by clicking Like in Facebook.

Great.Even that helps.Helps in a way that those people who choose to ignore the movement.But perhaps you can do a little more than just a mouse click to show your appreciation.You can speak out.Be it the evening chayer adda or be it the chit chat..spread the news like fire and encourage people to do so.Write speak dream about the idea untill it becomes a reality..You can check out local news papers for activity in your locality.

 Links
Sign the protest-->http://www.avaaz.org/
Anna Hazare Info-->http://www.annahazare.org/

What are you doing for the cause?

The idea of writing this blog was the second step towards joining the cause.Yesterday night I decided to go for a fasting for as long  as possible to extend my passive support for Anna Hazare.I dont know how long I can continue without food but one thing is for sure...I will not bent untit my body gives up or the bill is passed.Be it a fools decission be it a hasty one but its my decission to support the cause with whatever and however possible by me.












Signing Off
Santanu Ghosal