Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Long -awaited Lokpal Bill to see the light of the day

Lok Sabha passed the long awaited anti-graft Lokpal Bill. It is good that ailing Anna Hazare has called off his fast and Jail Bharo Abhiyan. The nation has got it after a wait of 43 years. It is the credit of anti-graft nation-wide campaign by social activist and anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare who compelled the UPA government to move the Lokpal Bill and get it passed in the Lok Sabha, the he rejects it outright.
Anna Hazare under the banner of India against Corruption started the agitation from April this year by sitting on fast for the demand of anti-graft Lokpal at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi for the first time. Again he sat on fast unto death for second time at Ramlila Maidan, Delhi in August, which lasted 12 days. He galvanized the entire nation against corruption and created anti-corruption atmosphere in all corners of the country. He drew overwhelming support of youths against corruption. This is the third time that he started his 3-day fast at MMRDA ground in Mumbai as he considers the government drafted Lokpal Bill as weak and worthless, though it was passed by the Lok Sabha while his fast was going on.
This may be weak and worthless according to Team Anna but this should be accepted as it is passed by the highest institution of democracy. In parliamentary democracy, Parliament is supreme. It is also true that Parliament may be subverted by the ruling party on the strength of its majority and it may get its way but the people of the country is the final authority at the time of elections.
The Lokpal Bill drafted by the government and passed by the Lok Sabha may not be the best but in getting the best we must not leave the good. The government has a term of five years to rule the country but with the competition of its term of 5 years, it has to face the Lok Sabha elections.
If the people disliked the Lokpal passed by Lok Sabha, they would naturally give mandate to throw the government out. In parliamentary democracy nominated persons can not dictate elected ones nor can Parliament be dictated from outside. Anna Hazare, who is sitting on 3-day fast in Mumbai, has done a good job by calling off his fast and Jail Bharo Abhiyan for the sake of his health and the nation. By sacrificing his life, he can not dictate Lok Sabha. It will be only be dictated by its elected representatives. Undoubtedly, he is honest and a man of integrity. If he thinks that the UPA government has cheated the nation by bringing and adopting the weak and worthless Lokpal, he must campaign against the government among the people of the nation during elections of Lok Sabha in 2014. This is the best way left for him. As Anna Hazare and his team label the entire political class as corrupt, it would also be better for them to join electoral politics to fight it out straightway.

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