10 Lame Arguments that Critics give against Team Anna and Jan Lokpal Bill

Let me list some the arguments that the critics (like Aruna Roy or Nikhil Dey) of Anna Hazare give and how one dimensional and for the lack of a better word, lame they are...

1. Anna's fast is unconstitutional, undemocratic - Shouldn't immobilize the system

Anna's fast is a peaceful protest after a series of scams and constant denial by the UPA government in acknowledging the seriousness of the issue. Anna has struck a chord with masses because the idea of Jan Lokpal Bill resonates with the actual needs of the masses. Team Anna throughout has made sure that the public agitation doesn't take an ugly turn and remains completely non-violent. They have also made sure to plan their activities in a way so it doesn't disrupt day-to-day life of the city.

2. Fasting to death equals black-mailing, and will be misused in future

Satyagraha and fasting are legitimate methods of peaceful protest and endorsed by leaders like Mahatma Gandhi. Also, do you think any fasting for any agenda would capture people's imagination like it has now. Did it work in Baba Ramdev's case? Yes, he has a huge following but did his agenda and the solutions he proposed resonate with the sentiment of the masses. No, they didn't.

3. People on streets are hysterical and blindly following Anna

Every man, woman and child who is on the street has been a victim of corruption at some time in their lives... the passion that you see in their eyes and their slogans is not funded by some foreign hand (what a ridiculous idea propositioned by the government)... People don't need to know the intricacies of law to know they want justice and not some toothless make-believe law. The question is that how can you have a body investigate the government which is under the patronage of the same government?

4. Laws are not made by public but parliament

People would have been happily been at home if the government was doing its job. But apparently only arm twisting works with this government. During CWG and 2G scams, all people needed was an assurance from their Prime Minister that bringing the accused to justice is his first priority. But instead the Prime Minister was hiding behind ridiculous reasons like compulsions of a coalition government. No statement were issued Sonia, Pranab, Rahul, PC or Manmohan Singh... Why?

Just because people elected you, does that mean they can't question you before the next election. To vote you out in the next election, is that the only option? Aren't you answerable, accountable to people while in office?

5. Lokpal may become autocratic in future

Today UPA comes out as an autocratic government in this whole scenario; a government which won't care about what people want unless they are campaigning for elections. Congress has betrayed the voters who elected it in its second term at the centre. They are so deep in denial that they don't realise that they are digging their own graves.

On the other hand, Anna's Jan Lokpal will be judiciary dominated instead of government's 'government' dominated Lokpal. Judiciary, which itself will come under the ambit of Lokpal. Judiciary is the only function of India's democracy which is least corrupt, and can be relied upon to take care of sensitive portfolios like Lokpal.

6. Lokpal will not end corruption completely

Then what will? Should we not even take the first step? What stopped the governments in last 40 years to pass the bill? Clearly, Lokpal Bill was never in any political party's interest as opposed to people of India. In this fight, Parliament (political parties) and people are on different sides. Every government (including UPA) had elements which have promoted personal profits over public interest... and these are the people who are resisting Jan Lokpal today.

7. People are corrupt, not just politicians or bureaucrats

Yes, I agree, but the comparison is not fair. When you say people are corrupt, it's a general argument. But politicians have stolen real public money - A Raja, Kalmadi, Yeddyrappa are real people who have done real scams with real money involved. People are forced to pay bribes, while politicians and beaurocrats abuse the system and power vested in them by the constitution.

8. Anna has become a cult leader

So had Gandhi. First you ignore them, then you ridicule them, then you fight them and then they win. Then you thank them for ages. Anna Hazare and his team were no Baba Ramdev. It's not a one man show. Anna's movement is about real empowerment of people through information. This is social activism at it's best.

10. Lokpal not needed but should strengthen existing government agencies

Why wake up now? Why sudden interest in strengthening the government agencies? Nobody thought of it before, when there were scam exposés one after another...

How can you expect CBI to be fair in investigating the people who pay their salaries? If they had been fair, if these agencies actually were pro-public, there wouldn't have been all these scams. All these exposés about CWG, 2G, Adarsh, not one was done by CBI... it was either news channels like TimesNow, or the CAG, or social activists. People have lost trust in the government, political parties, police and the CBI... An agency only dedicated to corruption and irregularities is the need of the hour.

Anna Hazare has taken the bull by it's horns and the people of India are behind him ...

Written by Siddharth Rajan >>