Opinion Talking about the revolution

This movement made many,many people commit to their own opinions. Total support,opposition or something in between — the movement made you choose (even as a large section of the population remained untouched). Now that the euphoria has subsided,I would like to express my views as they are now. I do not wish to reiterate the importance and righteousness of the movement — consider that a given. Ultimately,I wish for something good to emerge from the process,for which it is important to examine the uncomfortable side of this issue. Here are some points that concern me:

“Gore British gaye aur kale British aa gaye” (The British have gone,but the ‘Black British’ have taken over). This is the most dangerous thought propagated by the movement. Us versus them,the politicians and bureaucrats versus the common people. In the Indian psyche,this hostility already exists. For many years,we have blamed the government for our problems,without any analysis of the root causes or any self-reflection. This only results in a simplification of the issue. I wonder whether the popularity of the agitation was because of this over-simplification.

Politicians and bureaucrats are not aliens,they are people like you and me. It would be naïve to assume that corruption exists only in the government systems. It exists in the private sector too,and if one thinks deeply,this tendency can be found in every individual. Politicians and bureaucrats have several powers,which gives them more capacity to be corrupt. When are we going to think about why the politicians are the way they are? We have always been taught that “politics is dirty”. Forget the “right kind of people” entering politics,it is considered unnecessary to even take an interest in politics. If we want “good people” to enter politics,who are we referring to,exactly? How do we define “good”? Isn’t it naïve to believe that a powerful law will bring about good government?

What is the meaning of this term,“the second Independence movement”? During the Independence struggle,our demand to the British was to “Quit India”; we wanted to handle the affairs of our nation on our own. This was simple,we were opposing outsiders. Now whom do we want independence from — the government that we have elected (40-45 per cent of us)? A government that is functioning the way it is due to our own apathy? If the leadership of the movement is equating the current struggle with the freedom movement,fostering hostility against politicians and politics without providing a strong alternative,it will prove to be highly dangerous.

What is the definition of corruption? Exchange of money is not the only form,it is the final form of corruption. Breaking traffic rules,buying movie tickets in black,using “creative” ideas to avoid waiting in a queue,using contacts to get one’s work done before others’,overusing resources,using or conveniently ignoring one’s age,designation,relationships,gender,caste,religion,economic status,education,intelligence etc. for one’s own selfish gain — all these can be included under “corrupt practices”.

I think the anti-corruption movement needed to provide a wide and comprehensive definition of corruption. In the last few months,there has been too much simplification — of the issue itself,of the solutions offered and of the definition.

“If you are not with us,then you are corrupt,you are a Congress supporter (Congress ka chamcha),you are a traitor”. It seems that the “spirit” created by the anti-corruption movement made people forget how to listen to another opinion. I want to highlight the importance of this middle ground,which I believe will help this movement in the long run.

A movement occupies an important place in people’s lives only when it becomes a process for long-term change. Dharnas,morchas and fasts are important short-term strategies. After that,it is necessary to provide a solid plan of action to the people. The salt march and burning of imported clothes were short-term actions,while using the charkha to spin one’s own yarn was a long-term programme,the link between the freedom movement and people’s daily lives. (I have used the charkha to spin yarn for many months. I can vouch for its psychological,physical and philosophical effects.) A lack of such short- and long term programmes is another downside of the Lokpal movement.

Laws exist because human beings do not behave kindly to their fellow human beings. In spite of laws providing a code of conduct in society,people put their selfish interests before the well-being of others,which necessitates punishment,fines etc. But these too prove insufficient when people find loopholes and use corrupt practices. In short,till most people in a society change for the better,laws cannot be totally effective.

We have enough examples of how laws can be twisted — whether it is the law against rape or the right to information act. It may be highly problematic if limitless power over police,law and justice is consolidated in the hands of one person. To take the honesty of 20,000 government employees for granted is worrisome. It is even more worrisome that the movement leads the masses to believe that such a law will be successfully implemented and will drastically bring down corruption. Who would be responsible if this belief is shattered? If no strong political/social alternative is given,if a logical end of a movement does not come through,it may not be long before an epidemic of despair sets in.

The main requirement right now is a political alternative which has the support of people. In our country,the ballot boxes have overturned established power structures. Now that the anti-corruption movement has captured the imagination of so many Indians,it can bring in the changes that Anna has visualised by contributing directly to the decision-making process in Parliament. It can become a dependable political alternative.

In a limited sense,that seems to be the only logical end,because you have to be in the system to change the system.

The writer is a Mumbai-based actor. This is an abridged version of an article that appeared in ‘Loksatta’