Who is our true representative?

With Anna Hazare and Team continuing its protest against Government pushing forward its demand for a strong Lokpal Bill, Government seems ever unrelenting trying to concoct all kinds of stories to reject the proposals of Anna Hazare. Turning 180 degrees from its earlier act of constituting a joint drafting committee for the Bill to hold healthy discussions with the Civil Society in order to come up with the Lokpal Bill before Monsoon session of Parliament this year, the politicians have proved their unwillingness to create an all powerful ombudsman to curb corruption. After being rejected whopping 10 times since its first conceptualisation 42 years ago, the current version by UPA led government seems very close to see the light of the day. However this would be just a illusion, a make-believe step to quieten the comman man, nothing but a fangless watchdog on the bare mercy of its master. The institution, if established, would neither be able to investigate the high profile corruption scandals like Cash-for-votes scam, 2G scam, Adarsh Society scam, CWG scam, Land-grabbing scandal, Karnataka mining scam for its inability to bite into States’ affairs, MPs acts in parliament, higher judiciary or the PM; nor would it bring any relief to common man from petty bribe system in Indian bureaucracy, as this Lokpal will be able to check no-one but the grade A officers. Although it may seem quite obvious to us that the political parties or the higher government officials would never like to tie a knot on the same hose that is watering their gardens, but the dirty games played by the politicians like Kapil Sibal, and none the less our very own honest and man of high integrity – PM Manmohan Singh, calling the civil society activists unrepresentative, and daring them to stand in General elections is highly uncalled for.

The daily dialogic tactics resorted to by the spokespersons of the GOI force me to ponder, that is the current government really voice of the nation? In this grand nation of 121 crores people, almost 84 crore are in the age group of 15 and above. I find it highly illogical to believe that in a country where 5 crore (2 crore according to Govt. Sources) children are victims of Child labour, how can a decision made by just those who are 18 and above can be called the decision of nation. Still respecting the principle of Universal Adult Franchise enshrined in our Constitution, the electorate strength for 2009 General elections was 72 crore. Out of this, only 44 crore voted. Now I am sure that many of us just consider it too comical to vote, but still with all the red-tapism existing in Indian Administration, and innumerous issues of Domicile and identity to procure a Voter Card, how can we expect all of the 41 % people living below poverty line (Rs 14 a day in rural and Rs 21 a day in urban India) to put that extra effort to get voter’s card and then go to the polling booths to choose their representative!! (And that too when 30% population was registered as migrant from last place of residence in 2001 census). Even looking into this further, India is divided into 543 constituencies and 272 seats are required by a party to win the elections. Each candidate is declared winner if he has mustered highest number of votes in his constituency. Considering case when there are just two candidates and dividing the total number of people who vote by 543, we have 13 lakh voters and winner needs just 6.5 lakhs+ votes. A party can win the elections if it has the support of 272 x 6.5 lakhs, i.e.  just 18 crore people. Now actually in 2009, only 44 crore voted and UPA could get only 262 seats, this brings the calculation to just 11 crores. However UPA still got a popular vote from 15.3 crore people (including the seats it lost) and was able to form the government after coalition with some other parties. Now here we can ponder upon another important question, that how can a coalition with no party getting absolute majority and eaching having very different ideology, be handed power enough to decide about what we get, how we get and when we get??

Now this is the statistical fact about UPA (the United Progressive Alliance) govt. which was voted in power by only 15.3 out of 44 crores who voted in a nation of 72 crore adult population, with a total population of 113 crore in 2009 (now 121 crore); and led by a PM who was not even elected by General Elections (Manmohan Singh is a Member of Rajya Sabha from Assam, which is 1500 km away from Punjab where he was born and brought up)

And still they call Civil Society activist Anna Hazare and his team unrepresentative, which has been supported by one and all, the youth, the old, the rich the poor. Whether it be a public forum, a Talk show on TV, or social networking websites, Anna has his support . People came in swarms to see him showing solidarity, when he went on fast on 4^th April at Jantar Mantar, and later for Baba Ramdev too, who fasted for the same cause. Even the elitists have justified his actions and supported Jan Lokpal Bill, to whom our government apparently gives special favours. Bollywood stars like Aamir Khan who have fan following in crores, throughout the world have voiced their suport for Jan Lokpal Bill. Aren’t these the voices of India? A recent census says that 85% of people in Kapil Sibal’s constituency- Chandini Chowk in Delhi, support Anna’s movement. Now what has govt. to say about this. I am sure they would certainly have some or the other rhetoric on everything, but this is certainly not sufficient to quench India now. We demand a strong Lokpal and must raise our voices in unison. The upcoming fast from 15^th August by Anna is the time when we must come forward and contribute as much as we can towards this third freedom struggle of India, Freedom from Corruption, Freedom to get what is rightly ours.

(Disclaimer: All the facts are correct to best of my knowledge, any corrections can be pointed out)