Thursday, January 5, 2012

Why I am Against TEAM ANNA LOKPAL?

The Lokpal issue once again made the people across India to debate partly on reservation, democracy and Freedom of speech. Mostly these people are from the middle/upper middle, and elite class of the Indian society.
In recent times India has seen number of corruption cases. Such as 2G, illegal Mining scam in Karnataka, etc. For more details check the web link , (This list is just the politicians), The black money in foreign country is mostly the corporaters (click): , not to forget the bueracracy too: A 2005 study done by Transparency International (TI) in India found that more than 50% of the people had firsthand experience of paying bribe or peddling influence to get a job done in a public office.[2] Taxes and bribes are common between state borders; Transparency International estimates that truckers pay annually US$5 billion in bribes.[3] A 2009 survey of the leading economies of Asia, revealed Indian bureaucracy to be not just least efficient out of Singapore Such as a background a movement called India Against Corruption takes up the lead role a new law to handle such cases. (Wikipedia). The swiss bank in 90s released list of people who have account in their bank, it included Mr. Rajiv Gandhi who had then Rs. 13,200 crores. It is the only reason the UPA II signed an agreement with the Swiss Bank authority that the bank will only furnish details of those who open or hold an account in future. Hence the past information will not be acquired by the Indian government. If we look back the last loksabha election campaign, Mr. Advani’s first target was bringing black money from the Swiss bank. It doest mean that BJP, CPI (M), CPI, BSP etc are not corrupt. Most of the political organization in India do have trust, etc, which would be making their black money into white. It is also the fact the major corporations, TATA, AMBANI all sponsor the political parties during election. If we have to recall the Kingfisher was bailed out by the Indian government.
Therefore in India every organization, corporations, politicians, Bureaucrats most of them are facing the corruption charges. However, it should not surprise anyone, that why only politicians are blamed. India is Socialist Secular Democratic Republic with a parliamentary system of government. Certainly we have bureaucrats who have their own power in State and center India's suffocating bureaucracy was ranked the least-efficient by the survey, which said working with the country's civil servants was a slow and painful process. They are a power centre in their own right at both the national and state levels, and are extremely resistant to reform that affects them or the way they go about their duties, PERC said. (Indian Express: June 3, 2009). But why politicians are only blamed is to be seen in the diversified India. The problem of politician termed as corrupt in large scale is only after the Mandal commission’s implementation of OBC reservation. Since then many of the dominant caste in politics and even in the political parties were replaced by the OBC population. Therefore we could see since then a large number of OBC’s as Parliamentarians. This created an antagonism from the Upper caste and the dominant caste Brahmins who were reluctant in promoting or encouraging the downtrodden communities. Though NDTV 24/7, TIMESNOW, CNNIBN would speak in lavish English against caste system, but whenever a political party is contesting elections, or forming a government, these channels will be comfortable with the political parities decision in giving chances to the dominant Caste community. Therefore it is very important to see who speaks about corruption in India. The Team Anna’s members are many but let us take three, those are Ms. Kiran bedi (former IPS officer), Mr. Aravind Kejriwal (former government servant and started an NGO), Mr. Kisan Baburao Hazare (Former solider), Once “Justice P.B. Sawant (Retd) told television news channels on Sunday that his inquiry had revealed that `2.2 lakhs had been diverted from Mr Hazare’s trust for his birthday celebrations, and that this action amounted to “corruption”.” It is to be remembered that the majority of the Chief justice, judges, advocates or Brahmins and upper caste in New Delhi. And in India the reservation doesnot imply in appointing High Court and Supreme Court judges. Therefore people should know that the meritorious argument against reservation policy doesn’t hold for Judiciary because it these meritorious judges fall many times for criticism, it is this that makes Mr. Prashant Bhusan to fight for clean Judiciary. It is so difficult for anyone to see a Dalit there.
Team Anna consists of Army, IPS(bueracrat), NGO also Government servant, and Senior advocate in Delhi, and many more. It is these people who are talking about the corruption in India, who also was part of the Bueracratic system which was one of the reason for massive corruption. It is better they spoke about the system where they once belonged, rather than the outsiders speaking. At present all of these people fall under an NGO called India against corruption. At this point we should remember the role of NGO in Indian context. In India there are 3.3 million NGO’s registered in the year 2009 one NGO for less than 400 Indians, and many times the number of primary schools and primary health centres in India. Now it is these NGO’s who have gathered to bulldoze the Parliament system. Certainly majority of the NGO’s are maintained by Upper caste and Brahmins in India. We should also not forget that many of the institutes are also registered under the same as an NGO is registered. Most of the schools and institutes in India have registered under a trust, which means no-profit. We should remember that most of the time we complain that these colleges and institutes have the largest fees. One very good example is the Asian College of Journalism in Chennai, which is registered under Trust, and still collects a huge amount. One of the salient features these NGO’s and Trust are that they don’t fall under the government control, therefore they are privileged in fixing the fees, admission etc. Even under the right to information Act these organization do not fall directly. They are not accountable to anyone. However, if an NGO or a Trust gets some revenue from the Government, then they would be part of the Government control. However, we should remember that majority of the big corporate NGO’s will never need government support for their financial purposes. The Right to Inforamtion Act 2005 was passed in India, which did not cover the NGO’s( Trust, Societies, Non-profit companies), it is only in 2007 officially it was included, but still the act never mentioned NGO’s directly by any legal law frame work. Therefore many of the RTI activist faced problem in getting information from schools, institutes, etc. Not surprisingly the NGO’s were not included in Mr. Hazare teams Lok Pal too.
For my surprise Hazare team’s lokpal, makes NGO, social activist, part of the Lokpal panel. Team Anna’s lokpal says that 1. “NGOs not within the scope due to their role in exposing corruption.” Team Anna’s movement India Against Corruption will not fall within lokpal because they are exposing corruption.
2. At least four members of Lokpal shall have a legal background, It could also be an advocate working in the High Court or the Supreme court at least 15 years. Now we should remember that Prashanth bhusan and his father Shanthi Bhusan fall under this category. At least now Shanthi Bhusan can be the member of the Lokpal. 3. In Search committee not less than 5 members from the Civil society within the total 10 members. Many of the NGO’s can be part of it, however only those NGO’s who have Impeccable intergrity and record of public service particularly in the field of fighting corruption shall be eligible for being considered for nomination. If 3 members in the search committee objects to a candidate then the candidate will not be included in the short list. Now we should recall they wanted 5 members from NGO background. In this Team Anna will have a greater say.

(21) The Chairperson or members of Lokpal shall not be serving member of either the
Parliament or the Legislature of any State and shall not hold any office of profit (other
than the office as Chairperson or member) or carry on any business or practice any
profession and accordingly, before he enters upon his office, a person appointed as
the Chairperson or member of Lokpal shall‐
(i) if he holds any office or profit, resign from such office; or
(ii) if he is carrying on any business, sever his connection with the conduct
and management of such business; or
(iii) if he is practicing any profession, suspend practice of such profession, or
(iv) if he is associated directly or indirectly with any other activity, which is
likely to cause conflict of interest in the performance of his duties in
Lokpal, he should suspend his association with that activity.
Provided that if even after the suspension, the earlier association of that
person with such activity is likely to adversely affect his performance at
Lokpal, that person shall not be appointed as a member or Chairperson of
Lokpal.
Therefore even Team Anna has chances of becoming the chairperson/member of Lokpal. It is so atrocious that the Team Anna’s NGO: India Against Corruption wanted to take over the Lokpal body in to address corruption.
Above is the reason for me to keep away from Team Anna’s India Against Corruption, it is selfish on their part of not including NGO, corporate, trust, societies etc. Even the corporate media is not under the Lokpal of Team Anna’s. Overall, Team Anna’s lokpal concentrates mostly on the Government organizations. Every government in the center is converting government sectors into Private sectors. Therefore Private sectors too should fall under the Lokpal, even under RTI. I feel it is only reason for corporate media being comfortable in giving voice only for Team Anna. I remember one incident in Delhi, while Team Anna was protesting some Dalits/OBC and others protested against Team Anna. A TV crew came there and abused those who were protesting against Team Anna saying you are obstructing Traffic. I fail to understand why such TV crew never question Team Anna for obstructing Traffic either in Mumbai or Delhi. It may not surprise most of the media person are educated in either of the Brahmanical institute, who don’t even understand what is Reservation.
One of the major difference between the debate on reservation during mandal and at present, I see the Team Anna is not comfortable in expressing their view of anti-reservation openly. However, the media especially Rajdeep Sardesai, openly advocated against the Reservation in Lokpal.
NDTV, TIMESNOW, CNNIBN all were allout war on the congress government for giving reservation in lokpal. Every media said Lokpal is not a job seeking institution or providing job it is to investigate corruption. I wonder what have these news channels been doing these many year of not understanding about reservation.
Also they state, CVC, Election Commission, CAG do not have reservation policy in selecting the chairperson. These bodies are just advocating body, and lokpal is above all these bodies which has too much power. In a country like India with too many diversity, there must be a body which understands and respects the diversity, that is the only reason we need reservation. In other words, we can still witness. Orelse we will have some news media such as Rajdeep sardesai who will be a chairman of the Lokpal.
This context we should remember that majority of the News Media were involved in the 2G Scam, Rajdeep sardesi, Burka Dutt, etc played key role in 2G scam and now only a Dalit minister Mr. A.Raja is victimized. It is the same media advocating for corruption free India.
Let there be a lokpal, which will be independent.
Let the Lokpal have powers to inquire any one including NGO, Corporate, Trust, News Media, Societies.
Let there be a lokpal, which has reservation for all members of the depressed community.
At last, the present lokpal of the government is fully controlled by the government. it is useless to even pass the law. they must be independent of the government.

I remember in Rajasabha while the debate was going, the BJP objected for including Trust into the Lokpal. Certainly, no one will know how many trust is controlled by BJP.

2 comments:

Saint said...

Excellent analysis and rationale as to why you are against Team Anna. I enjoyed reading and knowing your thoughts and voice on this topic.

I think writers and activists on this Lok Pal or Anna issue are making a fatal judgement error in using the word "Reservation" in Lok Pal. It is a wrong term and a wrong place to be used. Reservation is a Constitutional element, a powerful, dignified and rights issue. Whereas, Lok Pal is like a Street Rowdy organization that wants to violate Indian constitution and empower a few corrupt minded and corrupted individuals, their only aim is to protect their own pockets, lands and black money, and they are quite determined to bring back the same old Manusmiriti kind of a rule in India, where a small group of individuals will call the shot against the electorally voted and people's chosen representatives in the Upper and lower houses as well as in legislative councils in States?.
We must be careful in using the word Reservation, it is a fundamental rights issue which can save lives, save families and society. But, corruption is not a rights issue but a fatality in behavior and a behavioral failure to do honest job for the country or for the people.

So, what the economically marginal or suppressed section of INDIA must understand is that those who are putting up a big rallies, protests and fight against corruption are in all reality is the Core group of India's corrupted people, it is like asking a Murderer to Protect an innocent man/woman?, what would be the fate of the innocent...you can imagine!!. It is the same here, those people like Anna or other members of India against corruption are murderer's of Individual rights, murderers of the constitution, murderers of social equality and murderers of freedom itself, so how can you expect them to form a body and fight against corruption. Members of the Oppressed and marginalized are the most suitable people to put up a right fight against corruption as they are the victims of all sorts of corruption and they can understand better and they can address it better in a honest manner. So, if there is any campaign or body to fight corruption that has to come from downtrodden, but if someone else initiates such anti corruption body then they have to realize a equal representation of all the sections of Indian population is the first step to eradicate corruption, mostly the victims of corruption must be Empowered to make changes in India. So, I wish every writer or speaker makes enough effort to use the word Representation but Not reservation. Let us not malign or perturb the greatest Indian policy and law ever made so far, the Reservation. One can ask what is there in a word, oh well, there is lot in it.

Saint
Upliftthem Blogs and Writings.

Ravichandran said...

thank you for the comments and suggestion


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