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.