Corruption, Hazare and the media

About a week ago (maybe a little less) when I was in the heights of rabble rousing through some inane posts about cricketers,there was a sudden outpouring of support for a little known man called Anna Hazare!





Preliminary looking up google, wiki and links shared on fb and twitter told me that this was someone who wanted something called Akan lokpal bill passed by parliament. A few other links read through and I confess, I was as hooked as the media wanted me to be!


For here was a man on a fast unto death to get a bill passed which would deal with corruption effectively! Wow! Without much further ado, I signed on for numerous causes which espoused him as the champion of the real India who having had enough of news reports of money being laundered through various scams, the amounts of which could not even be conceived by many.


It was front page news, all the channels devoted prime time and shows on it, there were candle light vigils, there were marches and of course fb & twitter led it in the social medium. In one such newspaper article that I was breezing through, a name stuck out - Baba Ramdev! This unique charracterIs someone who I Remembered for only one reason. When the High Court had outlawed homosexuality, this man had announced in the national media no less, that he homosexuality was a disease and he could "CURE" it. Not only was this an affront to any educated man but I would have thought he would have been laughed out of the front pages. Unfortunately, the man has gone on to continue breathe heavily through either nostril (one of the yogic postures he preaches) and now had entered politics! Ah it is not enough to be famous, you need the power that comes along with it. So what if you preach asanas, wear saffron loin cloth and roam around in a Mercedes (but barefoot). His sudden love for the Hazare man and the cause inspired me to look at this little Jan Lokpal bill in a bit more detail. 


I shall not go into the details. Here is good ol' Wiki doing that for me. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lokpal#Differences_between_Draft_Lokpal_Bill_2010_and_Jan_Lokpal_Bill


Anyway, back to the topic at the heart of this post.
In my opinion, the cause is good, Anna Hazare the man seems to be true at heart and what he wants also seems to be an ideal thing.


My problems are not with this core issue that I support. But some of the things that deal with things on the periphery. 
1. Primary amongst them being, ofcourse, the presence of the "Gay curer" whose sudden interest in politics seems to have motivated the love for Anna and his tribe. Why would I want to support a man who can utter stupidity on national television?
2. The whole media drama around the cause. Why? Have you heard of Irom Chanu Sharmila? If not, here is Wiki to the help again - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irom_Chanu_Sharmila. Now how come the media has not espoused her cause and her efforts? Its not Delhi, is that why?
3. The whole fast unto death till I get what I want. Thats not democracy. No, no - thats blackmail! A democracy may not be utopia but its the best we have and one of the tenets is that we have logical debates around points of disagreements. A democracy is truly ratified by the acceptance of those things which are considered ill by the society as long as they are legal. It is definitely not about majority and minority. Its not about 50%, 99% or 99.9% wanting something. Its about being that tiny 0.1% wanting something and still being accepted by the larger public. What stops "Mr Breathe though Nose" from going onto a fast unto death tomorrow saying he wants to kill homosexuals?
4. Another fundamental pillar of democracy which the bill seeks to eradicate is the differentiation of the investigative agency and the judiciary. Anna and Co proposes the same body files a case, investigates and then pronounces judgement. Ouch thats like real funny.
5. Eminent personalities being part of the panel. Oh that is now real power - the kinds without watch guard, the kinds that foster corruption. For eg, I know Sachin Tendulkar plays awesome cricket, but would I have him on a panel deciding some laws for me? Hmmm Maybe NOT!
6. No deterrent for frivolous cases. I dont like my neighbour who happens to be a civil servant, I say he is demanding a bribe. Lets face facts - it is easy to accuse, hard to prove and impossible to clear your name once there is doubt which has been sown. 
7. Bureaucracy - Why add another layer to something which can after passing time in this layer anyway go to the courts?


More on this as I read more and as things unfold!


In other snippets, Anupam Kher it seems has dared to criticize the Constitution of India and now needs to be arrested according to our politicians. Whatever happened to dissent being the highest form of patriotism?