CORRUPTION - A blunt allegation that divided the crusade - but raised prospects of the Government!

MY WIFE USHA KIRAN

JOINS ME IN SLAMMING THE SO CALLED CRUSADE

BY IGNORANT AND UNFIT ELEMENTS MAKING A MOCKERY

OF A SYSTEM – READ DEMOCRACY –

TO MALIGN PEOPLE AND NATION

We live in an era of expediency. The world is thronged by bigots who only need a rattling sound by rumor mongers to spring a blockade on government, authority or establishment. The pomp and extravaganza of 2011-Common Wealth Games hosted in Delhi recently was one such occasion. The authorities overseeing preparations for the event had to be on their toes due to constant bickering and intermittent complaints by over enthusiasts, mostly from among opposition, that kept pointing fingers at instances of water logging caused due to incessant rain and inclement weather.  Even media did not lag behind in trumpeting the hazards faced by general public.  Whispers too went around about the likelihood of the event being cancelled. Fortunately a positive approach adopted by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit and Central Government worked the miracle. All anxieties and apprehensions by people and the media were belied and the venues thrown open for the event within the stipulated period.

While the pendulum swung back and forth between hope and despair for the hosts, the opposition parties were eager to exploit the suspense leading up to the event. Finally, the needle within the haystack was traced and what emerged as a delight to the opposition turned out to be a nightmare for the government. The needle of suspicion pointed to a grueling corruption that practically deflated the moving wheels of a national event.

Before the curtain could be pulled up and the event commenced, loud whispers went around alleging huge amounts of public fund having been stashed away through spurious channels in to private accounts abroad. With a view to arresting any likely damage to the national image and to avoid embarrassment being caused to hordes of athletes participating in the event or sending wrong signal to athletes and dignitaries visiting from foreign countries, the Central and Delhi Governments swung in to action. A national catastrophe was nipped in the bud and a fiasco of colossal magnitude averted.  The grandiose event, the only one of its kind for a nation that deemed the event as a rare opportunity to upgrade its infrastructure and the overall outlook of the capital, was conducted with much fanfare. Thanks to the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government and other officials who intervened at the nick of time. The event marked a grand success. And the national anthem on the evening of 14^th October, 2010 pulled the curtain down without allowing rumors to mar the situation. But the damage was done and the cat was out. Corruption of a colossal magnitude!

The question that now poses is “who will bell the cat?” Extremism calls for daredevilry to act and escape or self-destruct, but not corruption.

Corruption is a despicable art, committed by people and syndicate with relatively high skill and ability to ride rough shod over government, law and authority. Corruption is no law and order problem, no failure of government machinery, no intelligence failure and does not attract a situation for imposition of emergency. Indulgence in corruption demands high density nerves, temerity of extreme tolerance and a spurt of intelligence that can withstand pressure from people and government alike.

Corruption is a high handed atrocity that adds new dimension to hitherto known list of social menaces. The people and government today are waking up to a new dawn, a new era emerging out of the shadows of crime and influence, a passion for wealth and comfort, a systematic descent to depths of ease and carefree-ness whereby large amounts of public wealth are tunneled off to foreign banks, the route and source of which are intrinsically shaded with dubious people and underworld dons.

For stamping out this social menace, there is need to ensure close coordination between people and government, frame new laws that can motivate people to scrupulously follow laws and procedures without straying off the path of truth and righteousness. Unfortunately, the world and people have fallen off the cliff of hard work and dedication in to depths of mediocrity and petulance because corruption was no issue at the time of framing of the constitution.

However, by no means can corruption be curbed by undertaking a ‘fast unto death’ and paralyzing the government machinery, authority and establishment as did the 74 year old Baburao Kisan Hazare on 5^th April, 2011. A repeat of the same old blackmail saw Hazare undertaking fast on 16^th August, 2011 which ended on 28^th August, 2011. Despite all the hue and cry fomented by communal elements such as RSS, VHP, Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, Ram Sena etc. all those who backed Hazare in his fast, only managed to send the capital agog with a blunt crusade intended to leash corruption. The end result was total disruption of functioning of the government and national decorum which culminated in the dragging the nation to levels of hooliganism by communal elements. Hazare for his part left the capital donning his white cap quite elated at having stonewalled a few steps in to his dream of ‘mahatma fame’, while the world watched in bewilderment.

The futility of ‘fasting unto death’ may slowly dawn on this 74 year old even before fades away from the universe. But he sure needs to realize that corruption is a world phenomenon and the government is fully competent to handle such matters within the framework of constitution and diverse categories of people. But by disconnecting the government from the primary duty of governance or forcing a fast unto himself can only have the government reciprocate by deputing a functionary to place a wreath as a mark of respect on the body of a deliberately departed soul of Kisan Baburao Hazare, who was a social worker and an uneducated pursuer of intelligent swindlers of a corrupt India. R.I.P.