THE POLITICS OF
GRABS
A silver line is now visible in the dark clouds of politics.
All eyes are on New Delhi and the Aam Aadmi Party which has catapulted the
expectations of the common people. AAP is seen as the magic wand to wave away a
plethora of ills sowed by seeds of corruption. Though Arvind Kejriwal himself
has said that he does not have a magic wand the general supporter of AAP
dismisses this as humility on the part of their leader.
For decades and decades now the decadent levels of political parties
have been exposed and many have steeped to abhorrent scum levels and mega
scams. Major cover-ups and cheap exposures / sting ops have’nt singed their
thick hides. In fact, the sinister levels to hide and plant a scapegoat to side
track has been mastered by all these National Parties. This aspect has also petered
down to prestigious big Institutions which holds our Nations name with honour. In no small measure have been the league of
regional start up parties which have whipped up parochial and petty local issues
to score some point or other over rivals who almost measure up to their own “standard”.
Any meeting with a mainstream MLA / Minister is fraught with barricades
of multifarious levels. And here is where “help” is available to lower the
layers of difficulties. A straightforward solution to any civic issue will not
be allowed to be addressed unless it is “processed” by “layers” who come in
different forms. The common law abiding citizen is not the one who requires governmental
clearances to start an industry / Building project/ medical college / school /
hospital / or any such activity
requiring high capital investments. He may just about require sanctions for setting
up a shop / build a home/ get a birth certificate or some clearances to secure
a home loan etc etc. And it is in this sphere of common activity that
corruption has spread its tentacles. The octopic grip of corruption has spread all
over the Country that it has now been institutionalized.
When a common law abiding citizen gets to think that paying
some money under the table for a legitimate service that should be available
free is really OK….it is sowing the seed of decay from which will spring the creeper
entwining the entire system into a trapping climb where vice and more vice will
psyche the person to be thinking that it is perfect to be corrupt. To address
this malady will be an acid test for AAP but with support from the masses and
the thundering intone of rhetoric conveyed in no uncertain terms…..the corrupt
New Delhi bureaucracy has to wake up right now.
AAP and Arvind Kejriwal couldn’t have come at a much better time than
now. While Anna Hazare’s mass movement
was the springboard for spear heading AAP the shine/appeal of Anna has terribly
worn off on the general masses seeing him rub shoulders with BJP and being
quite patronizing to Rahul Gandhi. In fact, Anna Hazare is now seen as a
disturbed and irritated person because Arvind Kejriwal is making all the right
noises!
The culture of grabs which is inculcated into a Councilor/ MLA/
/ Minister has to be eradicated. The feeling of greatness with trappings of big
cars / house / guards / paid hangers on/ can only be curtailed with denial of luxurious
facilities. And being a servant of the electorate rather than treating them as
servants has to come within. A mega transformation is the call of the day. AAP
can do it.
The AAP has a real tough time ahead…it has to prove to do…rather
than what it can do. So far it has
always been….I / we will do. Time is short and AAP will be a flash in the pan
if it cannot do. Even if AAP delivers just 50 % of its manifesto promises…..it
will be a great going.
Ajit Lakshmiratan
