Yesterday I posted that I was unsure if I should support Baba Ramdev in his fast against corruption in india and the post had people from the for and against camps comment in. Unfortunately I am still unsure even after reading the comments and seeing the government used force on the individuals assembled there (which I personally condemn). Force on the common man should always be condemned.

Since Anna Hazare has started this activity a while back we will see more people other than Baba Ramdev come forward this route and I think we should all be fine as long as any political party or religious sect does not try to get mileage out of this (which is again one other reason for me to be unsure on Baba). So Baba and other media babies like him might come forward and if that can push corruption backwards by a few steps, let us all hope that it happens. My only point is we should always be aware of all the forces that play in these situation. As a common man our primary aim is to be alert for when the show is over and if the power remains in the hands of the “power hungry” it would be our stomaches that will be torn and our intestines that will be used as garlands.

When all this happens there is an even more interesting aspect to this whole anti corruption movement. The whole focus is on people who are corrupted and the shout is to reverse corruption that has already happened. We are missing what we can do and what already people are doing. Before Baba came there was people who opposed corruption, people who lived an uncorrupted life, they do so even now. It is time we focus on this for anyone who embarks on an anti-corruption effort will get a good following both from people and media. Let us leave the Babas to themselves and see see what we can do. Here are some thoughts…

1. Corruption has become a part of daily life that many people often don’t know the difference and the corrupt way is considered as a norm. So while the media babies sight anti corruption the common man should pledge to not be part of a corruption in anyway. Now if you are corrupt 10 times a year and if you can make that 5, you are doing a favor , so the pledge can be done by those who are currently corrupt as well.
2. While corruption holds to the neck of the nation there are still people from all walks of life, religion and politics who have successfully remained uncorrupt. The path for them has not been easy, but they have held on to it and this is the time to salute them and give them some recognition. So let us identify uncorrupt people and salute them and give them the recognition and limelight they deserve. Being uncorrupt should be so sexy and cool! that people move that direction.
3. Let us work towards all anti-corruption effort to be non political. If any person embarking on an anti corruption effort takes the backing of a political or religious party then people should not support it. Let the uncorrupt in BJP, Congress, left and other parties join hands and fight corruption. Because corruption without your knowledge is getting into your houses and killing your kids when they are asleep and the political color blinds you from seeing it.

We need an India where honest politicians, honest government officials and honest law makers should flourish. As the citizen who votes it is each and every one of our responsibility to ensure that the politician who works for his people, the government official who serves the government and the law maker who ensures the law can do so with pride, honesty and make a living doing it.

The responsibility lies with us, what can we do?

Categories: Articles, Opinions, Politics, Responsibility, Society

Tags: Anti Corruption, Baba Ramdev