Does Jan Lokpal Bill by our beloved Anna Hazare is really going to make any difference??

Indian politics and social issues are in an interesting process these days. The Jan Lokpal bill is proposed by Anna Hazare, who belongs to an NGO in Maharashtra, India. Anna Hazare is a well known activist and a recipient of Padma Bhushan Award in 1992. Through out his life the ex-militia fought for many social issues like prohibition of alcohol, removal of untouchability and development of grain bank, watershed program, milk production, education, conducted collective marriages and  gram sabhas for the people.

With this type of back ground as the social activist Anna is the right person to lead a cause like anti corruption bill. People has no doubt of  intentions and sincerity regarding Lokpal bill as in the early 2000s Anna Hazare led a movement in Maharashtra state which forced the state government to pass a stronger Maharashtra Right to Information Act. This Act was later considered as the base document for the Right to Information Act 2005 (RTI), enacted by the Union Government. It also ensured that the President of India assented to this new Act.

Now Anna is protesting for the approval of Jan Lokpal bill. Hazare initiated a Satyagraha movement for passing a stronger anti-corruption Lokpal (ombudsman) bill in the Indian Parliament as conceived in the Jan Lokpal Bill (People’s Ombudsman Bill).

The Jan Lokpal Bill was drafted earlier by N. Santosh Hegde, former justice of the Supreme Court of India and Lokayukta of Karnataka, Prashant Bhushan, a senior lawyer in the Supreme Court and Arvind Kejriwal, a social activist along with members of the India Against Corruption movement. This draft bill incorporated more stringent provisions and wider power to the Lokpal (Ombudsman) than the draft Lokpal bill prepared by the government in 2010. These include placing “the Prime Minister within the ambit of the proposed lokpal’s powers.” But during the negotiations the government suggested some changes to the draft of the bill in order to present it to the parliament for approval. But Anna want it to be approved as it is , as he thought it is in the best interest of the people of the nation.

People are supporting Anna’s fight for the cause but there are few people who are thinking that Anna is being stubborn and black mailing to accept his views, which he thinks is good for the nation. It’s not that these people are not against corruption but they simply think Anna Lokpal bill is not the only solution to end corruption. Some people are arguing that why can’t he let the bill pass with changes suggested by government, at least we will have a bill which can make a slight difference after all.

We all support anti-corruption in any form. But just think – is it not us, who are bribing officials to get our tasks done quickly than others in the line. Doesn’t this make us, “the common people” as a part of corruption? Why can’t we be patient to be on the queue line?

I wonder even if Anna’s Jan Lokpal bill passes as it is does it going to make any difference to the nation or to a common man’s life. I am not the expert on this subject but I really want to know thoughts of people on this.

Share this: