Wednesday, April 4, 2012

One year of the Janlokpal movement: What have we achieved?

On 5th of April 2011 for the first time I left the comfort of my home and participated in a demonstration. Strangely, I was not the only one. The day of 5th April 2011 is a major milestone in the history of anti-corruption movement in this country as it was the first time when the anger against graft actually spilled on to the streets.

A year has passed since that day and in this past year the people participating in this movement have gone through much and learnt many lessons. Few of them too tough to digest. But still, if today, I pause for a second and look back at the year that has gone by, I will still find many reasons to be happy and hopeful.

Happy, because now I know that there are not one or two, but millions of Indians like me who dream of a better India. Hopeful, because this movement has brought many of these onto the same platform.

Happy, because even if we have not achieved Janlokpal, this movement has brought attention to the issue of corruption. The same people who used to say that graft has penetrated the DNA of India and nothing is possible now say that may be, the movement is on the right path. Hopeful, because at least now, the youth of India has started to take interest in what is going on in our country. At least a chunk has moved from being unconcerned to being participants in this movement against corruption.

Happy, because few years down the line I would be able to tell my daughter or son that I was a part of the movement against corruption. Hopeful, because I know that if we keep trying like we have doing in the past one year, my children might be born in a better India.

However the last one year in this movement has also taught me that those in power will stoop to any level to silence the ones, who voice their discomfort over the current status of things. It has taught me that they will make promises and commitments only to backtrack later on. It has taught me that they will not leave any stone un-turned to defame the anti-corruption movement and it's faces.

Despite, of all these, I am hopeful. I believe that some day soon we will be able to achieve 'Swaraj' as envisioned by Anna and Arvind. This hope is not based merely on dreams, but also because I see the kind of effort these people put in and how firmly they believe in the decentralization of power that they talk about.

The coming year will be crucial for the future of this movement. It may very well shape the future of this country. All we need to do is have faith and work continuously towards what we had set to achieve a year ago.

13 comments:

  1. mere passing of another law...would bring better days for India...don't subscribe to this thought...what kind of a massive hierarchical structure would it require to bring lower bureaucracy up ward under the purview of that law ??why can't we think of strengthening and making autonomous existing institutions like the CBI??I agree with justice Katju on his views about the janlokpal bill........however you have enough reasons to be happy and hopeful as the movement made people sit up and think on the issue of graft...go Ankit GO !!!

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    1. Ananth - lokpal would be helpful in curbing corruption and it would be independent body with only corruption as area of concern. Strengthening current system is not logical as they do not deal specifically with corruption but also with other responsibilities. Regarding massive structure and fund require it may sound point of concern but one established it will prove itself as the frontrunner is saving tax payer money by curbing corruption. This saving of loot is many fold up than the cost of implementing and creating effecting lokpal. This suggestion of IAC is welcome and very thoughtful initiative.

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    2. Unless massive awarness campaign in all media is carried out regularly, the movement can't have big influence amoung the voters.Hence in second year all right thinking citizens have to combine an give advertisement in media and educate the massess. By next Prl election IAC should recommend right candidates..Thanks

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  2. From nowhere. this movement has to come this level.
    It is great journey.. still long way to go. I am always with you Team Anna

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  3. Absolutely Agreed. I don't believe in Kintu and Prantu. Anna and his team are the only bet for the helpless people like us. So my blind support to them. No one is perfect. At least Anna team can not be perfect in their speeches etc as they are ordinary people like us and not the many faceted shrewd politicians. I support Anna and his team blindly. I think people who do kintu prantu are either biased or habitual of criticising others. So friends support this movement as we had no hope of ending menace of corruption, but now we definitely have ray. when people who takes bribe can get together why we who have to give can't.

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  4. Yaar, yeh politicians kitne dheeth hote hai. Yeh kitna to kama chuke hai Corruption kar kar ke. Aur kitna kamana chate hai? Karenge kya itne paise ka ? Will they start eating Gold and diamonds instead of food? Every politician has saved so much so to feed their next 7 generations. Aur Kitna ? Politician Bhai logo, aap abhi tak ka corruption se kamaya paisa wapis mat karo par kam se kam Janlokpal to de do so that kuch bhala garibo ka bhi ho jaye. After all every body has to show face to almighty after death (and this is not an emotional sentence, its true). Aap bhagwan ki grace aur blessings to paise se nahi khrid payenge na .....

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  5. I strongly hope IAC shall move to next stage of massive awarenss campaign in the second year..IAC should grow strong in such a way that by next Parl election they should recommend the right candidates. Thanks

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  6. मेरे विचार से बस केवल सीबीआई को सरकार के प्रभाव से मुक्त कर दिया गया होता तो इस लोकपाल की जरुरत ही न पड़ती लेकिन ये राजनीतिज्ञ इतने ढीठ हैं की इनको जब तक चिल्ला के न बताओ तब तक ये कुछ सुनते ही नहीं ...मैं इस भ्रष्टाचार के खिलाफ में अन्ना जी का पूर्णतया समर्थन करता हूँ और अन्य लोगों से भी आग्रह करता हूँ की हमें भी इस लड़ाई में मिलकर काम करना पड़ेगा और तभी हमारी जीत होगी और इन भ्रस्ताचारियों को सजा मिल पायेगी
    जय हिंद जय भारत

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  7. We Indians need to work for our country, none from USA or UK will come for our help. This is my country and I have some responsibilities apart from paying taxes towards my country.
    JAI HIND !
    Bipul Dey

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  8. revolutionary movement... we need to keep our heads high and keep moving forward... things will change for better

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  9. Vandey Matram!
    it is time to recount what has been achieved and what left to be achieved. we shall overcome with support of all, beco it is now or never. so why to wait for 'ever'. let us join together to defeat corrupt mind-set to achieve better tommorrow for our next generation.

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  10. Dear Ankit ji,
    Very good blog and a superb piece.Congrats!Can you,please,take a few minutes off,for an important cause?
    I have started an online petition against the GOI for "Rollback of petrol price deregulation".
    Can you please add the Widget at your site?
    If you are convinced,can you sign the petition?
    Can you request your friends and acquaintances to sign and add the Widget to their blogs, too?Please remember,the GOI,is THREATENING to raise prices by May 7th.2012.please hurry up!
    Please visit this site:-
    http://veerar-analysis.blogspot.in/
    or
    http://www.change.org/petitions/the-government-of-india-roll-back-petrol-price-deregulation
    Thank you in anticipation,
    K.v.Sadasivan

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  11. Hi , Ankit We need to change the system . Now its look Impossible to change their mental attitude towards corruption , Our neta's don't wanna leave that comfort zone. Today we dont have option either you have to vote for rapist or you have to vote for murder. Now, The time has come we have to be an option rather than asking other to be loyal towards country .
    Ask baba Ramdev to make his own party where its not necessary that he should be main person acharya Bal krishan or someone like that could handle it , where baba could be core person without handling any position

    therefore now we have option that we can't vote for third party which has influence all over India
    Now we should ask ppl not vote murder rapist corrupted ppl etc . We Cong and BJP would have proper nos. in house .

    we have an exmample , cong rt now has to do whatever mamta ask it to do. so we shall start from atleast one side of India Let it be North ,south ,central ,east or west .

    Even the journey towards moon would have started with a single step

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