Meri koshish hai ki ye surat badalni chahiye.
(It’s not my objective just to create disruptions; My attempt is that the current sate of affairs must change)
No disrespect to the great poet who penned these words, but the world history is testament to the fact that desired change has never occurred without disruptions. Disruptions, protest, revolt, revolutions are not only effective instruments of change but in many cases the only option left with oppressed masses.
August 16, 2011 will be remembered in Indian history as an unparallel day that started a new revolution. A day on which the nation started its second freedom movement, a day on which people found a real leader and came out in large numbers to show their unconditional support, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, and social status. On this very date the nation’s conscience was ignited beyond doubt.
It is now eight days and Mr. Hazare has not eaten a single grain. At the ripened age of 74 the man radiates courage and enthusiasm of thousand young men. The man is using “satyagraha” (insistence for truth). A tool devised and effectively implemented by Mahatma Gandhi that threw the mighty British rulers out of India. The same tool that helped many great leaders around the world to lead people in a non-violent manner. The power and the effectiveness of styagraha lie in its non-violent nature. If anyone had any doubt about its potency it has been put rest by the huge support Mr Hazare’s is gathering.
Behind the man’s voice are the humble utterances of billion people. People are united by a common cause and their individual helplessness to fight the mighty system. Even after 6 decades of independence Indians still find themselves as slaves of new set of rulers. And it seems that the new rulers are even worse than the British rulers. It is a matter or shame and great concern that the elected representatives that were elected to serve the nation are busy looting the nation day in and day out, and there is no effective law to stop them from doing this plunder. These wicked leaders use constitution and its weak laws to save themselves from any scrutiny and punishment. To fight the rot that has infected the whole governance and political system, India needs strong anti-corruption laws and an independent body that can prosecute and punish the culprits without any interference and influence. Each and every citizen of India should come under its purview, whether the person is a president, prime minister or panwallah. One country, one rule, with zero tolerance for corruption, that’s should the principle. Anybody who plunders nation wealth must be put to life imprisonment. Only strong punishment and effective monitoring can root out corruption from our daily life, till then we all will need to fight the entrenched vested interests.
There is a section of people out there who have this contorted opinion that somehow Mr. Hazare’s movement and demand is unconstitutional. Yes indeed! His demands are unconstitutional just like the demands of certain Bhagat Singh, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, and Mahatma Gandhi.
Finally, in the words of Bhagat Singh:
“Bahron ko sunane ke liye dhamake ki zarorat hoti hai”
(a loud explosion is required to make a deaf hear).
The current Indian government is not only “deaf” but “dumb” and “dysfunctional” too and therefore the only effective method to make this government listen to people is through Mr Hazare’s satyagraha.
Best of luck to Mr. Hazare and people of India.
