The government says a strong Lokpal will be answerable to nobody, civil society
is trying to rewrite the Constitution and only higher bureaucracy may be
included!
I have been listening to the debates on TV and I can see that they are fighting
tooth and nail to defend their fiefdom. So it appears that besides
corruption,we will have to fight to defend and enforce the true spirit and
interpretation of our Constitution and Democracy!
Why is it that it has taken 40 years for a Lokpal Bill to be seriously
considered whilst corruption has reached its zenith in the highest echelons of
the government,judiciary and also people with criminal backgrounds are in
Parliament and Vidhan Sabhas?The government appears to be trying every trick to
fool the highly experienced and eminent Civil Society members (Justice Santosh
Hegde is a practising Lok Ayukyta frustratingly handling todays government big
time corruption in Karnataka ) and the public to dilute and render ineffective
a strong anti corruption Bill! They want to make exceptions,keep out various
authorities and keep firm control of the CBI and enforcement agencies.Like
unanimously raising their salaries and perks, they want to stand up together,
protect and look after themselves with no interference from "We The
People".Consequently cash for votes/questions and corruption are to be dealt
with by the House. Nobody is punished/jailed
for smashing furniture,throwing mikes etc. Suspensions and investigations lead
nowhere.The PM may be bribed by foreign governments for deals in league with
his majority party and he cannot be indicted whilst in office. All evidence can
be destroyed before he demits office and that is when he is permitted to come
under the Lokpal. The alleged guilty will have to be asked permission to
prosecute themselves? The higher bureaucracy will protect and get all the
dirty work done by the lower bureaucracy and there will be no evidence on file
etc. The political reality and gap between what is desirable and what is
possible (Anna Hazare is our last bet to make the impossible possible) will be
known only after government finally presents its Lokpal Bill!
