India’s crusade for real independence
As Indians, we are proud of great things India has
achieved. We are proud to have practiced biggest (and almost) uninterrupted
functional democracy in the world. We have maintained a healthy economic growth
while remaining a nation free from any major debt! We are proud of Vikram
Pandit, Indra Nooyi, Booby Jindal, Nikki Haley and Lakshmi Mittal, the biggest
steel producer in the world! But generally we are much lower.
But then suddenly we became the “World Champions” thanks
to our elites and their honchos stashing the highest amounts of stolen cash in
foreign banks! The amounts are so big that they must be written in
“exponential” form!
But our government seems least disturbed by this. Even
after these banks have given details of who has stashed how much, our
government has so far refused to divulge these names, as if it is remaining
silent using “Fifth Amendment”.
But then a frail, saintly man of 73 with no assets, no
wife or family, started a crusade against corruption that he calls “Struggle
for Real Independence” and the whole Diaspora of Indians all over the world
rushed to support him!
Anna (elder brother) Hazare has gone on an indefinite
hunger strike till the “Jan Lokpal Bill” that will reduce if not prevent
corruption is passed by the Parliament in place of an inadequate Lokpal Bill
tabled by Government.
Now a few of the elites are in custody for questioning
and are enjoying the hospitality of the Indian Government in Tihar Jail! But
they know too much and could incriminate their powerful & influential
“bosses” and so common man is afraid of their “walking” free! All the “stolen
wealth” belongs to honest Indian taxpayers, who can barely make the ends meet.
I think Indian Government is blissfully ignorant of the
depth and intensity of people’s wrath! If the government doesn’t wake up to the
writing on the wall, it will turn the Ramlila Maidan into Tehrir Square! Why
our own government is denying permission for fasting to Anna, something even
the British Raj hadn’t done in its waning days? Anna is correct in saying we
never got Independence in 1947! We simply replaced the “White Brits” by “Brown
Brits” and these “Brown Brits” are denying permission to the New Mahatma!
This movement has brought people of all religions
together like never before bringing prestige to the word “secular”! Not only
Delhi and other Metro cities or second-rung cities but even the villages are
participating in these demonstrations.
The whole atmosphere is so charged that all it needs is a
spark and nobody knows what would then happen. Anna has repeatedly stressed that
this crusade will be totally no violent. I hope it stays that way if, God
forbid, something happened to Anna!
The Delhi police put 22 pre-requisites for granting
approval for Anna Hazare’s crusade for “security reasons”! What risk was Anna
posing to the security? And now the Police are removing these very
pre-requisites, making them look really dumb! The Central Government is hiding
behind the Police making me wonder who the boss is!
Instead of chasing the terrorists, police is after this
frail, old man whose only strength is his clean, spotless character and
unwavering determination. It is time our Prime Minister quits to join this
crusade spearheaded by Anna Hazare. If our Prime Minister does that, he will
forever be in the hearts of all Indians. Anna Hazare is the pride of India!
K. B. Kale, Jakarta
First published in JP on 25/08/2011
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