Anti Establishment tone of the Civil Society

One thing I have observed from Anna and other similar efforts by the people. is ‘we the people of India’ feel helpless and are ready to tolerate anyone and anything if one gives hope of a better tomorrow.

Anna episode is not the first such effort to eradicate corruption. People try to forget the past and support the new leader who can ‘fight against the government’ for them. People almost always support the one who speak against the government (definitely anti-establishment attitude is common). But the leader, especially the people around take the support for granted and more often than not abuse the authority given to them. People at the end get disillusioned, disappointed and dump the leader and revert back.

This time a good Lokpal Bill is on cards and will become law. What tactics is being used in the mean time is that all necessary? In Hisar the Team Anna, campaigned (maybe Anna have sanctioned the campaigning), but has the people of the country at large sanctioned?

Once the country has supported Anna and his Team, does it mean whatever they say is justified. And even if not, ‘we the hapless people of India’ have to tolerate? Do they have inherent right to speak on anything on any issue including Jammu and Kashmir? One can send his department dues to the PM? If found to have over drawn, then return the amount and self-declare innocent?

Why Civil Society in India always is a coterie of a few and rest all are to say ‘Jinda Baad’? Why we can’t take the corrective measures when the Civil Society is losing its track. Don’t we have better people to replace those who are becoming arrogant and misusing people’s power? Why can’t we question what Civil Society is doing? On the one hand, they say the discussions of the Lokpal Drafting Committee should be made public, and on the other hand, we get to know the decisions of Civil Society members and not the proceedings.

Should it be assumed that the handful people of the Civil Society are the sacred people, like the ROYALS in the ancient time, who will only do good for the people.

It is easy to mobilize people against government in India at any given point of time. Because majority of people feel the government is not chosen by them. Why:

• Low vote percentage (so far 56-64%)
• In First Pass the Post system the winning candidate may not have the majority of the votes
• The party which people defeated in the election may find parallel route of coalition to enter into government 

A government may have support of only 30-40% people!!

We should strengthen Civil Society and not surrender to it. The final aim should be getting the work done through the normal political process, using the power of Vote. Please do not say we already used our democratic power to choose a government. We did not do that properly. We must accept.