While the lokpal is a step in the right direction, more steps have to be taken. The political class must realise this and reform itself
Who gets the credit for the lokpal BillIJ Is it Parliament, the UPA Government, the BJP, Anna Hazare who had led the India Against Corruption movement, or is it the newly born Aam Aadmi Party which stunned political parties by its unprecedented performance in the recent Delhi Assembly electionIJ It is said success has many fathers and failure is an orphan. The same thing is applicable to the lokpal Bill, with all the above-mentioned entities taking credit for the measure,. The real credit goes to the people.
The lawmakers have always been shying away from this legislation — some publicly like the Samajwadi Party and the Shiv Sena, and others in private. This shows the pressure under which the political bosses forced their MPs to agree to the lokpal Bill.
The Bill, which provides for setting up a lokpal, independent of the Government, to investigate corruption charges against public functionaries including the Prime Minister, has been hailed as a huge step forward to check corruption. It is to be seen how effective the lokpal will be or how much it can add to the system, as it has a huge responsibility. Some even fear that Parliament might have created a new Frankenstein that will run a parallel Government.
What made Parliament pass the Bill nowIJ As a senior Congress leader admitted, it is the compulsion which made the politicians reluctantly agree. They have realised that they have lost credibility and need to restore it urgently with the 2014 election looming large. The last straw was when the two national parties — the BJP and the Congress — were stumped by the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi. The victory of the AAP made them realise that the people had reached the end of their patience and were looking for change. The shell- shocked BJP too wanted to take credit for the lokpal.
What made the UPA bring it to ParliamentIJ The Congress is demoralised after losing four States recently and has understood the public anger against it. The Congress hopes that lokpal Bill along with the welfare measures might come to its rescue in the 2014 poll. Interestingly there is a sudden friendship between Anna Hazare and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi. Exchanging notes in the past few days, the two have been patting each other. In fact, giving a major fillip to the lokpal Bill, Mr Gandhi virtually stole the thrust of Mr Kejriwal’s lokpal plank, isolating him from Anna Hazare.
The lokpal Bill would never have been passed but for the Anna agitation of which Mr Kejriwal was a part in 2011. The two have fallen out after Mr Kejriwal launched the AAP while Anna Hazare wanted to keep the IAC as a social movement. The AAP victory hasmade Anna realise that his disciple had overtaken him. This has resulted in the collision.
With an eye on lok Sabha election, the AAP is finding it hard to abandon Anna Hazare as well as the Jan lokpal Bill issue. Anna Hazare’s current stance is a far cry from his non-negotiable position in 2011. The IAC appears to have come a full circle in two years, accepting the Government’s version presented to Parliament, while Mr Kejriwal has rejected the Bill.
The popular support for his 13-day fast in the capital had forced Parliament then to assure Anna Hazare that all concerns raised by him would be addressed in the lokpal Bill. He now sees reason and has said, “I don't want to die fasting to demand that each and every suggestion made by me should be included. I want to live because I want to start future agitations for more pro-people laws. I am satisfied with the current draft and I want to break my fast if that Bill is passed.”
Many civil society members who have been a part of the long fight for a strong lokpal Bill also now believe that although the Bill has a few loopholes, it is still as a whole, a good move by the Government.
All these go to prove that the aam aadmi, who is being wooed by the Congress as well as the AAP, has won this round of the battle without going to the streets. While the lokpal may be a step to cleanse the system, there are many more which need to be taken. It is time the political class realises this and reforms itself.