Yesterday I was seeing a TV programme which was in celebration of the launch of the new logo for the TV channel. The programme consisted of the same old formula of dance items from leading Telly Actors and Actresses, the songs, the speeches, the below the belt comedy of the Emcee....the usual stuff. Suddenly a midst the catcalls and the laughter the audience stood up and gave a standing ovation to the respected Anna Hazare ji. The Emcee has called upon the audience to support Anna in his crusade for freedom from corruption...."Umeed ka ek naya chehra" as they called him (which by the way was the theme of the launch). Amazing it was. But somehow I was not convinced.
I know you will disagree with me but I still fail to understand how could Anna's crusade free India of corruption. Forget the Government. It consists of a handful of men who by the way are elected representatives of more than a billion population of India. Can incriminating Government will really rid India of corruption? I doubt.
I give you an example. You are driving a car and is speeding and hence break a signal. The Traffic Cop stops you. You roll down your window and place a Rs. 100 note in his palm and wave him goodbye and speed off again. Same is the case with drunk driving and rash driving. Now who is corrupt? The traffic cop or you? Difficult to make a choice. For me both are corrupt. What would have happened if instead of greasing his palm you would have paid the fine against the challan issued to you? Well you would have learnt your lesson and would restrain yourself from committing the traffic follies in future.
Now consider this scenario. Your son has failed in examination and the current school refuse to promote him. You pay a huge donation to another school and get your son admitted there. You saved your son a full year of education but has taught him to get his way ahead by paying money. This is the lifetime education for him and he will never fail in life because he knows that Daddy and his money is there to save him.
Ok, just one more example. You are planning for a vacation and after much brainstorming and budgeting and planning you decide the destination. By the time you decide the holiday season has started and now you do not get train ticket. What do you do? You smugly pack your bags, board the train with an unreserved ticket and very smartly pay the T.T. his due and get a seat. Wow! Congratulations! you are such a Smart Alec! On train you discuss with your fellow passengers the fallacies of the government and the rampant corruption in India and that India is a hopeless country...."Is desh ka kuch nahi ho sakta...likh lo" you quote, all the while eating and drinking and littering the coach and oh! yes...by mistake you pack the railway provided pillow, towel and sheets! It was a mistake truly! What the heck, you did pay for the ticket no...so you are entitled to take away railway belongings!
What I am trying to say is that any corrupt or illegal practice grows in a society only when there is a propensity in the society for it! Prostitution, black-marketing, pornography, hoarding, exploitation, etc. all are existent in society and these were prevalent even in ancient times when our government was not in place.
I am not telling that we should live with it. I am just trying to say that if we really want to support Anna Hazare ji and his crusade then we should pledge not to indulge in corrupt and illegal practices. It is said that charity begins at home. Same way honesty begins with oneself. You cannot change the society unless you change yourself! Remember we got independence not only because of Gandhi ji's Satyagraha but because a large section of society stopped using British products by following Swadesi Andolan. When East India Company started incurring losses there resolve of ruling India started breaking and Bapu's non-violent protest combined with the united revolution of our country chased them away from our soil!
So lets start our crusade by making small changes in our daily life even if that means a little inconvenience to us! After all No pain, no Gain! So let us all give our support to Anna ji and make India a better place to live in for us as well as for our children!
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