Better Late then Never - A post by Vinay Hardikar

Baba, Anna and the State: Better Late than Never ?

All things considered, one has to concede that the Government did the right thing in paying Baba
Ramdeo the mid-night call and packing him off to Haridwar where he belongs—if at all he belongs
anywhere! Admittedly, the operation was crude and rough-shod; the Baba had to embarrass himself
with women’s garments and seek shelter among them and his cronies (the so called civil society!) had to
run helter-skelter till they reached the Delhi railway station/s. But the Delhi police is always allowed a bit
of high-handedness. The media and the desperate opposition may project this as “attack on democracy”
and try to compare it with the infamous “Emergency” of 1975-77. But fighters of that emergency like me
know that the Baba does not care two hoots for democracy.

Yes, we know that Corruption in high places has gone out of hand and is a gangrene on the body-politic
and things are getting worse by the day. A war or corruption is the need of the hour and we might have
woken up unpardonably late! But, nevertheless, the rules of this war should be properly framed and
the credentials of self-appointed upstarts like the Baba have to be beyond doubt. Some are born moral,
some become moral through experience, morality is thrust upon some and some thrust themselves
upon morality. While Anna can be safely put in the second category the Baba’s place is permanently
booked in the fourth category! Leave aside his opportunism in cornering a wimpish State immediately
after it had given in to the demand for appointment of the Lokpal; but how can an obscurantist upstart,
who by his own admission, has set aside over a thousand crore Rs –allegedly to finance the war on
corruption—don the cloak of morality ! Our people are gullible by nature and saffron never fails to
click—Bal Thakeray being another example but it is an age-old experience that saffron always hides
more than it reveals!

Further, no spiritual guru has been known to be democratic. The domain of spiritualism is anarchic at
best and all gurus are dictators accepted by their cronies. It would be more to the point to call them
fanatics of their own guru and not civil society. With our population and its typicalities any spiritual Tom,
Dick and Harry can collect a few thousand followers anywhere in the country—at times even outside it!

That is the irony of the war against corruption. It needs to be launched and lead by knowledgeable
people with impeccable secular and democratic credentials and a clean public record. It’s not enough
just to be well meaning like Anna or have a devoted following and money (also muscle?) power like
the Baba. The system can be rid of its short comings only by those who understand how systems are
created and who, by a keen scrutiny of the system, can make specific suggestions towards plugging
the loop holes. Anna, with all respect, is no Gandhi ! Gandhi was a Bar-at-Law; had fought an inhuman
system like apartheid and knew where exactly to hit and how to hit. Yet it took him three decades to
achieve partitioned independence. Still, Gandhi had little or no idea of how a modern civil society
should be run! If we follow Anna we will land into the dull Gandhian society where hardly anything can
ever happen; and the Baba will take us back to the middle ages—both are instances of the remedy being
more damaging than the malady.

To put it candidly, the ball is in our court; we the intelligentsia have brought the misfortune upon
ourselves. It is for us—professionals, thinkers, researchers, media persons, writers, artists to undertake

what we have shunned all the post-independence years. We pampered ourselves that it was enough to
do one’s own job well; we unanimously sulked into oblivion when we realized that we had limited or no
chance in election politics and left the running of the nation to the types we have now got at the helm.
Probably few of us may know it but our system, if we go by the letter, is not that bad. All laws to prevent
corruption are present; but they are sidelined, bent, ignored and , if that is not enough, blatantly
violated by those in office. And shorter the term of office, more the violation. We need to launch a
national network of those who will study the systemic failure in the profession they belong, create a
compendium of remedies at various levels, prioritise them into a short-list and then confront the State
with a concrete agenda. If we continue to baulk and sulk and withdraw deeper into our small world not
only shallwe be failing in the duty of democratic citizenry but might be digging our own grave/s.

Any takers ?

Vinay Hardikar

7 June 2011, Pune.

‘We are 105’

A moving scene in the Mahabharata is as follows. Duryoudhana and his cohorts are under attack from the Gandharvas. After banishing the Pandavas to an 12-year old exile, Duryoudhana is visiting the forests where the Pandavas are residing, to show off his wealth and heap misery on his depraved cousins. During his party, he draws the ire of the Gandharva king Chitrasena, who attacks and arrests Duryodhana. This pleases Bhima and the other Pandavas, except Yudhisthira, who asks his brothers to fight the Gandharvas and rescue Duryodhana.

Bhima is enraged. ‘Free Duryodhana of misery? The villain responsible for our sufferings?’

‘He is one of our own,’ Yudhisthira says. ‘We have our differences, but facing the outside world we are together. They (the 100 kauravas) and we Pandavas (five) might be at loggerheads, but while facing the World we are 105.’

Bhima, having long resigned to the impracticalities of his elder brother, rescues a deeply embarrassed Duryoudhana.

I was recently reminded of this story by LK Advani’s defense of the political class of India, currently under fire from Anna Hazare:

“Advani had said hours earlier on his blog: “I am of the view that those who revel in spreading a general climate of disdain about politics and politicians are doing a gross disservice to democracy. Despite the shortcomings of Indian democracy, we still have conscientious and upright politicians in the country and it is they who still give people optimism and confidence for the future.” “

Advani is thus defending the indefensible, luminaries across parties that he has bitterly opposed: Mayawati, Lalu Yadav, Karunanidhi and the several children he has fathered from three wives, Ashok Chavan, Sharad Pawar, etc. Politicians join rank when under fire, and Mr. Advani’s tirade proves this again. (Parliamentarians also unite when promoting their own interests, a trivial example being the unanimous approval of hiking their own salaries).

Writing in the Open magazine, Manu Joseph is aware of the likely scenario, the political parties to come together to protect their interests:

“Those who believe that Jan Lokpal is practical are most likely to point to the success of another powerful independent body—the Election Commission. But then the reasonable success of the Election Commission is largely due to the fact that all rival political forces have a common interest in the functioning of the Commission. The body, in principle, offers a level playing field. But in the case of an anti-corruption body, it is in the common interest of all corrupt political players, across party lines, to come together as a cartel to thwart its functioning. The very reason why existing bodies drafted with good intentions, like the Central Vigilance Commission (created by another Gandhian), have become ineffective.”

Lokayukta for Goa: Guest Post by Bhagyesh Hede

(The initial success of Anna Hazare’s fight against graft has reinvigorated the debate for an Ombudsman policy. While the media focuses on big-ticket corruption in states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, little attention is paid to lesser known corruption havens like Goa. I am delighted to publish a guest post by my learned friend Bhagyesh Hede, who argues for founding the institution of a Lokayukta for Goa.)

Goa is one of those corrupt states that wants to continue its reign of corruption. The Goa government has  stayed away from great administrative laws. Thus, while many states in India have made provisions for a Lok Ayukta, Goa is neatly left itself out.  I propose that the institution of the Lok Ayukta be set up in Goa, with the following considerations:

1) Having the CM in its ambit along with the MLAs and ministers and also each public  body including the Panchayats and municipalities.

2) Having Lok Ayukta with a constitutionally independent mandate of operation supported by an independent Lok Ayukta police. The police should be beyond the jurisdiction of the home minister's executive powers.

3) Having a penal code that has a maximum sentencing of corrupt to 35 years. With multiple counts of crimes having sentences not running in parallel but sequentially. So we must have sentences running 90-100 years in case there are people caught in 3 counts of corruption. Remember, corruption is the greatest crime in this country, worse than rape. It is the rape of the motherland. It needs the greatest punishment.

4) Constituting Lok Ayukta with an annual monetary allocation of 5% of the state yearly budgeted expenditure. This is easily possible as the current going rate of ministers bribe is 10% of the tender value. So we are actually saving 5% for the State government.

5) Having Lokayukta coming fully under RTI. And also having its own penal code applying upon itself.

The next big political revolution is not about giving unfulfilled hopes to people, but taking away the rogue privileges of our political class. Some of the issues that need urgent thought is putting the floor of the house in the purview of the law of the land, codifying in words how the house of parliament and assembly is run, adding a conflict of interest clause for the politicians and finally a stronger whistle blower act to protect citizens who bring out the truth to public. Breaking the nexus between capitalist society and politicians needs to be urgently addressed. A nexus so deep that gives rise to hospital buildings  without doctors, 3-4 lakhs or rupees to buy microscopes no one knows to use. Where people are slaves to capital and not vice versa.

So my request to each of my fellow goans is to take your shot at how you will structurally strengthen the Goan polity. Not by personally coming to power, but by creating unblemished and august institutions that operate such that no matter whomsoever comes to power, will render the greatest service to the nation. Its only he/she who achieves this will ever be remembered until immortally.

Vinay Hardikar: 3S Bharat

SWACHCHA  BHARAT, SAMARTHA BHARAT, SAMRIDHA BHARAT ( 3S BHARAT ) :  PROGRAMME

I am writing this as a follow up of the first draft on the above campaign. I agree that all of you must have expected this much earlier. My only excuse is that I was waiting for the outcome of the fast of Shri Anna Hazare.

Whatever the political implications and interpretations of this grand protest gesture one has to agree that Anna (as he is known in Maharashtra) deserves kudos for earning pride of place for the fight against corruption in high places in the political agenda of the country. His demand for the speedy passage of the Jan-Lokpal Bill has been conceded and the Government has also bent to accept 50 per cent peoples’ representation on the Committee to draft the Bill. How fast the Committee will work and whether the Bill will be carried in the Monsoon Session of Parliament remains to be seen.

All said and done, we have to understand that this is a “corrective action” and not a preventive measure. Secondly, as long as someone is going to be ‘appointed’ by someone (a committee in the present case) political machinations cannot be ruled out. Thirdly, the corrupt in India who thrive rampantly when strong anti-corruption laws are already in place will expectedly be diligent enough to bye-pass one more hurdle-the office of the Jan-Local. Lastly, supposing someone is really brought to the book by the Jan-Lokpal, considerable time will have lapsed in the process and the irreparable damage to the country will already have been done.

We need, therefore, an active Civic Forum to define and initiate preventive measures. In the last draft I had listed 10 demands. If we agree that these demands are sharp enough to sustain a nation-wide campaign I submit the following structural blue-print for the   3S Bharat.

The campaign will operate at the National, State and City/District levels and organizing committees will have to be set up at the respective levels.

The above organizing committees will set up study groups at their respective levels for the following demands and areas of action:

1.       Review of all taxation-related laws.

2.       Possibilities of legal action/s under the present law.

3.       Electoral reforms.

4.       Vigilance on black money in and outside the country belonging to all-politicians included.

5.       Vigilance on corruption, favoritism and red-tapism in government offices.

6.       Vigilance on development policy, development plans and their execution at all levels.

7.       Identification and resolution of other civic issues.

8.       Advocacy of a culture of decency, dignity and transparency in all walks of life.

Of the above, the first four groups will function at the national level and provide guidelines for volunteers at all levels.

For the items 5 to 8 in the above list local committees will need to be set up. If we take 5 as the minimum number for one of the above committees, a city/district level unit will initially need at least 50 volunteers- to man the organizing committee, the above sub-committees and a few others for miscellaneous functions. These broad figures will help to visualize the size of 3S Bharat at the National level.

We will also have to take a call on how often the activists should meet, the kind of infrastructure the campaign will require, membership and fund-collection and other allied issues. Last but not the least we MUST have a novel action plan and also a fresh gesture/action/identification symbol – it has to be simple, prominent, eye-catching and inspiring.

Allow me to speak my mind on this. The corrupt system has thrown up its garish stereotypes which tend to get more vulgar by the day! Glaring badges, flags, banners, cut-outs, dress codes etc for identity; protest marches, slanderous slogan shouting, hysterical idolization of fallible individuals as campaign; utopian dreams as ideology and the frustration of non-deliverance….the list is endless. Let us not fall into that quagmire!

Let us be more intelligent than the corrupt system and its limpets; let us be more creative than our past leaders; let us show the stamina for a long-drawn “War on Corruption” instead of the short-lived promise of “Solomon Grundy”.

Let us reach the battlefield before the enemy.

Any thoughts on this?

Vinay Hardikar

9 April 2011, Pune.

Anna’s last chance

I am surprised by the public outpour of support for social activist Anna Hazare’s fast against corruption. Perhaps the supporters are unaware of Mr. Hazare’s weak credentials as a crusader. Readers following Maharashtra politics will remember how Mr. Hazare had launched several such fasts in the past against thugs in the Maharashtra Government, only to withdraw them after a token assurance from the state’s chief minister. Like Shane Warne’s complete mastery over Daryl Cullinan, the rioter and businessman Manohar Joshi (appointed as the Maharashtra Chief Minster by Bal Thakre in the mid-1990s) had Mr. Hazare’s  number: every time Mr. Hazare undertook one his fasts, Mr. Joshi made a few random reconciliatory noises, to see Mr. Hazare immediately give up his fast.  The only goon Mr. Hazare succeeded displacing in Mr. Joshi’s time was Baban Gholap, then Maharashtra’s social welfare minister.

This fast is therefore Mr. Hazare’s last chance for redemption, and I believe he has gotten the timing right: India’s civil society is looking for its Egypt moment, and being too secure and worldly-minded to come to streets and protest, the middle-class and the urban elite are searching for an icon to lead the fight, and Mr. Hazare provides them an opportunity. I only wish that Mr. Hazare fights until the end and does not frustrate his supporters once again.

What is India’s Election Dish?

Apart from cash-bombing the voters and the candidature of rogues and thugs, there’s only thing in common in all of India’s elections: Biryani, our undisputed national election dish.