The Fight has Just Begun

From The Merit Of My Soul

The crux of the exhortations made by Gandhian Anna Hazare at the Ramlila Ground on 21st Aug 2011, was regarding the commitment of the people to take the fight against corruption in public life, by individually and collectively acting in keeping with their conscience, which only knows and understands what is morally and ethically right. This will demand of the people small and big sacrifices in their life and living, and for which they must be forever willing and ready. Wrong survives and blossoms in society when the majority is indifferent, callous or else afraid to act and stand up against it. Those in the government and civil society know it equally well and it is the manipulation of this reality which accrues financial advantage and power. The topical debate and movement for the introduction of the Jan Lok Pal draft bill in the Indian Parliament, will loose much of its meaning and effectiveness, should the people of the country in all and most walks of life not be driven by sincerity, in their desire to exorcise the evil of corruption from public life. Each one of us will be required to individually and collectively stand up and fight this malaise, which has besieged the country. It is only then that the demonstration and movement which has come out on the streets and roads of Delhi and other metropolises/cities/towns/villages in the past four or five days, will have the possibility of cocking a snook at corruption and misuse of  authority by the politician, bureaucrat, judge, civil servant, corporate and business people and whosoever has arrogated whatsoever power he/she has in personal and public life.

Corruption in public life must be in our quadrant of influence than merely concern. Influence will necessarily mean that what we do about it must start from us and affect a change in our personal life. Concern while good up to a point continues to remain an indulgence of the burgeoning middle class or the mocking chattering group and therefore does not veritably contribute to either our betterment or that of society. To think about and expect any society to be free of corruption and graft in absolute terms, is a monumental fallacy, which must be abjured. Yet to sustain and promote such a culture in society is not anybody’s brief and must be understood in its entirety. Corruption does not survive and propagate itself in a vacuum but instead in a venal environment of  unethical and immoral beliefs. To stymie its growth and proliferation in society, we need to impact this pervasive environment as also our ill founded beliefs. A right minded and thinking individual has the ability to carry out course correction to his beliefs and thereby collectively contribute to the cleansing of the environment. This impact brings about the requisite transformation in the culture of a society. History is replete with the examples of societies undergoing unrestrained changes, triggered by the change in individual beliefs and the public environment. The ubiquitous Indian culture of ‘chalta hai’, ‘jugad’ and ‘sab bhrasht hain’ may well undergo the desired change and completely overhaul the psyche of the people, especially the youth, in the liberalized democratic economy of  INDIA.

My take on the matter will always remain and what has been reiterated by Anna Hazare on 21^st Aug 2011, to live by the “Merit Of One’s Soul” than all else. The fight against corruption in public life has just begun and needs to be sustained by the People of the country.

Brig(retd) S D Dangwal, VSM

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