The grey area

Talking about corruption is fashionable isn't it? After all we are one of the most corrupt countries in the world and we don't need any UN or any other international agency to come and tell us that. It's the system we all deal with all through our lives on a daily basis which proves it us.

However we all do want to change this. We want a revolution, we want the system to be changed, we want corrupt to be brought to book, we want accountability etc. and this is all fair. We deserve it. This change desired by so many is big news. This is the India on the move, this is the Indians taking matters into their own hands and ensuring that what has carried on for years will not go on.

I think we as people have become insensitive to the news of the corruption scandals but we do want to know what is being done to bring the corrupt to books and ensure that the stealing should not go on in the future. Since the politicians have lost all credibility the media, civil society and the judiciary has taken up the cudgels on behalf of the normal people to clean up the mess. So we start hearing terms like the media overreach, judicial overreach but the question which comes up is who is policing the media and the judiciary. Who ensures that when media goes to town with a story it is truly conforming to the journalistic ideals or when the judiciary is acting then there are no vested interests are involved.

At the same time there were two comments on NDTV over the last couple of days which brings out the helplessness of the politicians -
- Maharashtra CM talking about the fact that any government official is afraid to procure anything due to the fear of being pulled into a corruption scandal. This means that CCTV cameras needed for additional security have not been procured for Mumbai.
- Arun Shourie recounts an anecdote from his time as a central minister where he was hesitant to act on certain matters as he was sure that he would be pulled into corruption quagmire if he did.

How do we deal with this grey area? Are all politicians corrupt? Is all media and judiciary honest? Are we hampering our progress because of this "fear" of being called corrupt? How do we deal with that anybody can come up and say "tum chor hu" and then one is deemed corrupt unless proved otherwise?

Nano drive

During my last trip home I actually got the chance to drive a Nano and I jumped onto it. The first impression as soon as I opened the door was – not bad, this is not so small inside as it looks from outside. The interiors were functional and simplistic, nothing fancy but the plastic quality for the controls as is usually the case with cars in India could do with improvement. The car started promptly at the first crank and the controls lit up some kind of bluish-greenish hue…reminded me about the Indica, Sumo console…after all the car is from the same stable. We were 4 grown adults and all sat comfortably. The driver position is upright and one gets a good view of the road. My biggest surprise was the drive quality – the engine was responsive, suspension handled the potholes better than some other cars which I have driven and it is nimble. I did not get a chance to try the AC and hence don’t know if the engine response suffers when the AC is switched on. However on the roads I did get psyched out when I saw big vehicles coming from the opposite side. I also didn’t get the feeling of safety sitting inside. Nit picks aside safe to say that I was impressed with the small wonder. Make it electric and voila it gets more interesting…

I am Anna! No I am not

Yes I support Anna's movement but can I proudly say "I am Anna!"? No I cannot. For one to say "I am Anna" I believe that one needs to be a principled person who has not just supported but also fought against corruption. I unfortunately, am not that person.

I have had my share of facing corruption and have buckled in face of it - yes I got a driving license for motorcycle, car and truck at a time when I didn't know how to drive a car and even now don't know how to drive a truck. I had to pay Rs. 800/- to get my passport delivered. I had to pay Rs. 100/- to lodge a police report when my mobile phone was stolen. I advised S to pay Rs. 200/- to the thullah on the road when he pulled us up for driving on the wrong side etc. So yes I am not Anna but maybe the start of my redemption is to support him. Anyways, there can be only one Anna Hazare.

However, keeping the emotions out of the discussion I believe that a policy framework against corruption will be a big step in starting the march towards eradication of corruption in our country. I am not a romantic to believe that a Jan Lokpal Bill will kill this beast but I do believe that if properly instantiated and implemented this could act as a catalyst.

Everyone in the country is not corrupt and probably majority don't want to be corrupt but its the "system" which defeats everyone. Its the corrupt few who ensure that others have to conform to this "system". There are also arguments that what can we expect our government workers to do considering the fact that they are not paid sufficiently and with rising living costs they have no other option but to buckle to the lure of the easy but needed money. Yeah! I guess that argument applies to the babus in the municipal corporation or the transport office or the electricity office or the police station. How can on the other hand we justify the Bofors scandal, the Commenwealth Games fiasco, the 2G spectrum, the Fodder scam - the list just goes on....Corruption can be small and it can be big but that doesn't change the fact that in our country it really pays and anybody who is not corrupt is considered stupid or naive. This needs to change!

I cannot even try to analyze the problem or suggest solutions but maybe in addition to the Anna's effort it would be helpful if all of us do introspection and think what can we do from our side.

I do hope we get the Jan Lokpal Bill but even after that can we proudly say "I am Anna" in the future? If all of us can...then we probably would have achieved a real change.

Surreal...fairytale

On the 2nd of April the dream of 1.2 billion Indians came true. 11 men achieved the collective aspirations of a nation. Yes ... India won the Cricket World Cup. The wait of 28 years was over. Many still considered the victory of 1983 a flash in the pan but this victory has proved again that we belong at the top of the world cricket.

At the end of the excruciating day when MSD hit the famous six to win the tournament I just sat in shock for a few seconds and then burst out in crazy whoops...jumping up and down with S....before calling home....calling friends....and then celebrating in a quiet way in a country where they don't know the sport.

It was probably the first time that I literally cried over a match and even a couple of days later all the replays of the fabulous achievement are making my eyes moist. Just to see that Sachin has finally achieved what was his due gives me goose bumps. What a man...what a sportsman...and finally a set of team mates who did it for him.

1983 was a blur for me as I was a little kid when Kapil's Daredevils humbled the WIs but this victory will live on with me always.