Thursday, August 18, 2011

Making a difference

Anna Hazare and his arrest is making a lot of noise all around. I am neither with him, nor against him. My reason is simple - there are too many complications in this game. Fighting corruption is sidelined completely. People are taking part in rallies, candle march and such other sh!t like it is going to help. No I don't have an "nothing will ever make any difference, so don't do anything" attitude. But I don't believe in wasting my time and energy behind headless things either.

I come across sloguns like - Anna nahi aandhi hai, Desh ka naya Gandhi hai! Why can't you let him be an individual simply? Is it necessary to compare every non-violent person with Gandhi and others with Azad or Bhagat Singh? I found "Subhash Chandra Bose's death was faked" story more interesting than these theories.

Anyway, I have blogged about this earlier too. But I mentioned it again as a very interesting incident happened yesterday when I was travelling. Since Anna Hazare got arrested and was missing for more than two hours some time after his arrest, there was naka bandi at almost all the busy corners of Mumbai. At one such corner, I spotted a traffic police taking bribe!

Here, you have one man who is going to jail for introducing the Jan Lokpal bill, and on the other side, he is, to an extent responsible for the bribe given and taken at the time of Naka bandi!

We have all kinds people around. A very interesting incident happened today again, this time it was an autowala who helped me. I have a huge collection of books. When I shifted to a new house, I had kept my books at a friend's place as there was no place initially. I got these books back today. There were more than 200 books of all different sizes. I had my laptop and three huge bags full of books with me. My autowala was a Muslim guy and building watchman was not around. This happens whenever you need them. I asked the autowala whether he had kept a roza and was fasting or not. He said he was. When we reached my building, he insisted on helping me with the bags. I was refusing constantly as I couldn't even have offered him water after he would get the bags. He didn't listen to me, gave me the lightest bag to carry and he carried two other bags which were too heavy.

I was feeling so guilty about it as I knew he would not even be able to have water after that. When he dropped the bags at home, I offered him some money. He refused to take it. I kept on insisting that he should take it as I would feel very guilty about it, but he didn't listen to me at all. He just smiled and left. I could not even ask for his name or contact number, but I am sure god will bless him wherever he is.

After seeing him, I have realized that WE have to change. Nobody will be able to make any difference unless and until we all do it on individual level. Stopping corruption is a conscious effort that each of us has to make. No rallies will help you if you are going to pay 100 Rs. for breaking the signal as a bribe to aviod further complications!

19 comments:

  1. I cant help agree with you more ! I find 'reincarnation of Gandhi' the most ridiculous of it all !

    But such is the nature of public opinion. Fleeting, far from what is real and easily swayed !

    I hope people stop by to think !

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  2. I am a great admirer of Anna .And i feel it from deep within.He is a genuine person.To me he is the face of India's battle against corruption.I don't compare him to Gandhi or for that mater to anyone .Most importantly , we need to fight corruption in and around us on our individual level too otherwise everything else is meaningless.
    Thanks for sharing your pleasant autowallah story ,brought a smile to my face and heart :)

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  3. True. The whole agitaation has too many angles, some of them have no connection to actual cause of fighting corruption. And mob frenzy is something that just grows bigger. Maybe the whole episode will give India a better leadership.

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  4. I support the movement. I am for action in some form at least. I am just not happy waiting for a change in heart to happen. I am willing to do something about the status quo. And, people's sentiments and pouring out of emotion and solidarity is not shit!

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  5. Indians? And change?
    It's going to take forever and beyond.

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  6. hie, first of all nice blog!
    Well people who practice satyagrah or non-voilent means to bring a change, are mostly considered to be working on the Gandhian Principles. So one relates anyway! If everybody will think that there will never be a change, then there will be no change ever! I guess sometimes rallies, candle light marches make a difference. When not, atleast one has tried! Whole of the India has stand up against it.
    And if u notice, no body leaves the chance of eating money, and there are ones who still struggle even if on trouble.

    The incident you share here is actually necessary. there are goods and bads both, in every community, in every section of the society and in every country. We should never lose hope. We can play our part. May be this story has changed the thoughts of many people, or must have compelled them to think. I feel, good and bad travels like a current from one person to another. You just have to take in the right current to enlighten and not burnt!

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  7. well said, Neha... it is we who have to change, rather than sit and wait for the system to change itself!

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  8. what you said is right...but people are not going to change overnight...it will take a lot of time, esp with the inequality...
    I do support Anna b'coz some of the present anti-corruption laws will make you smile...India needs a stronger anti-corruption law...Jan Lokpal is not the right one, but all we want is to have a debate in the parliament that is transparent...

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  9. Yeah, fighting for lokpall is something like not taking precautionary measures and than creating havoc for doctor to get the right treatment.

    Weakest Link

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  10. I agree to disagree. Shall be taking points as and when they come in the article...

    "Anna Hazare and his arrest is making a lot of noise all around." It was bound to make noise. on 14 august 2011, 18 people of hurriyat conference, a separatist ideology party that has repetitively denied that J&K is a part of India, decided to rally shouting anti India slogans again and on their way burnt 2 vehicles too, within an hour their local leader was peacefully told to go back at his home in srinagar and 2 police personal were told to just keep a minor eye over him. That is called detension or house arrest.when 2 days later a group of activists with no police record and contrary to it, very high value services in the past were picked from their homes and thrown to the biggest in house jail of the country...without even breaking any law of the land. One of them is bound to call his fight as the fight for freedom.

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  11. " I am neither with him, nor against him. My reason is simple - there are too many complications in this game." He had been walking on streets for way too long to speak his view point along with IAC volunteers, It is government that denied the videos and audios of the joint committe proceedings to be made public, There by they are the ones that wants the confusion to remain. The entire bong bong press conferences and media coverage is for people to clear the confusion and take a stand. Or they can be like Our great MP's who for a nuke deal which was discussed for 3 sessions in parliament, decided to stay mum till the last voting day on it because they were waiting for the best option or deal as I can say... status quo is no position. Take a stand. Now or never.

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  12. "But I don't believe in wasting my time and energy behind headless things either." That is your way of looking at it. The movement is not headless. Arvid Kejriwal is the head behind it. An IIT kharagpur engineer, who is an IAS qualified and left the job of income tax commisioner of Delhi to form an NGO called Parivartan. He along with anna fought the battle for RTI for 7 years for which he was awarded Indian of the year in 2006, way back beyond this whole shor which is irritating u. U might have a different viewpoint, but calling it headless is a little too rude. Or are u referring to ur own coutrymen as mob? Just as mr manish tiwari did the other day.

    "Anna nahi aandhi hai, Desh ka naya Gandhi hai! Why can't you let him be an individual simply?" SLOGANS ARE FACINATION OF PEOPLE. They chant for their hero to support him. He is not asking them to call him Gandhi. 'Sachin is God" have u heard it? Does sachin go out on street to tell people to call him that. 'messi is new maradona' does messi go to facebook to ask people to vote on polls comaring him to a past great?

    "I found "Subhash Chandra Bose's death was faked" story more interesting than these theories." I found them interesting too. Why the comparison here? Cynicism or mockery?

    "Here, you have one man who is going to jail for introducing the Jan Lokpal bill, and on the other side, he is, to an extent responsible for the bribe given and taken at the time of Naka bandi!"
    serious? you are a lawyer, one of my friend was injured while crossing the road yesterday, he was on foot, actually his car is at the garage who got delayed to return it after repair... is the mechanic responsible for the accident too?

    "We have all kinds people around" True.
    - about the incident. I truly feel u are a great human being that u felt so much for the person. I appreciate your wishes for him and may god bless him always :)

    "After seeing him, I have realized that WE have to change. Nobody will be able to make any difference unless and until we all do it on individual level. Stopping corruption is a conscious effort that each of us has to make. No rallies will help you if you are going to pay 100 Rs. for breaking the signal as a bribe to aviod further complications!" agreed on the entire para, except the fact that to spread a mass opinion about something, a large scale public participation is at time critical too. Attended a rahul gandhi rally last year in Kanpur. It was participatory and worth it, also attended India against corruption seminars 2 year back in lucknow, they were great too. Gathered some great opinions while participating in a lot of such summits etc. I know personal change is of utmost importance but at times, discussion and transperacy helps to form a view point.

    regards
    Pulkit
    PS - I adore ur blog and love your tweets, please don't mind the long comment.

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  13. We can draft as many laws as we want, but ultimately, to stop corruption, "WE" have to change.

    Laws could be a deterrent, but, still, it's the people who could really bring about this change.

    Each day, I see hundreds of people jumping the red lights. That's just an example.

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  14. @Kumar Bibek - agreed on your point sir. But U know what... Murders won't stop even if we have CRPC section 302 punishment for it or not, or theft won't stop even if we have a police department in place or not... or any crime, be it corruption or any other, small or big won't stop Untill, The doer... In our society... we the people... stop doing it. The criminals, come out from us. That is how it is. The bribe givers, takers, each section is among me and u, and us on a whole. Is that a reasonable argument to a debate that wants a stronger independent committe and punishment law against the crime doers. I mean, yes I agree on all that u said but where are we taking the point to. We never needed a CBI initially when we became independent at first but circumstances needed a central agency as our society changed for bad or whatever. Don't u see how cases like CMO murder case etc gets a credible probe when family members insist a state police free investigation from CBI, similarly whats the harm if one such agency shall investigate corruption probe with better equipped and free approach. Yes we have to change. We have to change in not giving bribe and also in trusting that the people out there might have a vision too. Stop the moral debate and seize the moment with those who are trying for it. They might not be there forever

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  15. Exactly Neha...WE have to change first. If you are going to pay bribe...then whats the point in just having rallies and candle light march?

    Anna's intent might be right but the question is are we going to care about it once it is implemented? We have RTI act...how many of us have filed a RTI?

    The rickshawala incident was truly interesting. Another lesson for us...please dont look at muslims with a jaundice eye.

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  16. I totally agree with u,aur waise bhi corruption ko hatane ke liye execution jyaada jarrui hai as compared to new bills,India can boost itself of one of d best law around d globe bt problem is all about efficiency of system.Even if there's a lokpall bill i think it can be corrupted too cos we humans desire for money and power an it corrupts. Subhash chandra bose's death theories r mine favr8 too.. :)

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  17. Neha,

    I fully agree with you that it has to start with self and there is no use in taking part in rallies or anything like that if one is going to pay bribe to avoid some inconvenience.

    Take care

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