Arm Chair Activism or True Revolution -- Lokpal Bill Analysis

For those of you who know me already know that I am very opposed to the Lokpal bill. But I have to Admit apart from the fact that Team Anna is trying to shove it down the government's throat I didn't know too much about the Bill. But I am sure I am not alone, Most of the supporters also don't know what the bill is about. Someway is better than the way things are going so I can understand people getting behind a vision that will create a more Corruption-free Indian System.

This is My take from the bill, There are a few clauses that worry me as these are a form of Parallel government that may become the same monster we have on our hands in the form of the Congress party.

The basic aim of the bill is that

n It will create a Watchdog or ombudsman body that will oversee everything done by the government and prevent Scandals by Politicians and Government officials , Something that is Highly needed and I will also confess to that

o 6 Members will form a Panel:

§ “Members will be appointed by judges, Indian Administrative Service officers with a clean record, private citizens and constitutional authorities through a transparent and participatory process.”

§ “A selection committee will invite shortlisted candidates for interviews, video recordings of which will thereafter be made public.”

o A Few basic questions for this part of the bill are: Where do you find the Clean Record Government and Judicial Representatives ?

o Aren't these the guys causing the problem right now ?Private Citizens: out of a population of 1.2 Billion how do you select 4 or 5 private citizens, What is the criteria for selection and How do I trust anyone to do my bidding on governmental Matters ? And if there isn't another efficient way to Select a Private citizen than Elections then what is the point of this whole movement

o I am sure people will be tripping all over each other to be part of this investigation committee. Knowing the love of power we have, how can you be sure that these Private citizens are not harboring political ambitions ? or they will not become corrupted by the system ?

o Also since you can see so many corruption cases how can 6 people handle all the investigations ?

o Will I have to give a CAT style entrance exam or write an essay to get an interview call.

The Worrying Clauses are:

n Lokpal will have the power to initiate prosecution of anyone found guilty.

n Lokpal will have police powers as well as the ability to register FIRs.

n Lokpal and the anti-corruption wing of the CBI will be one independent body.

These clauses have given this bunch of ambitious future Changers so much power that they are bound to get corrupted. All these clauses are the powers that are given to a government and over time people stop doing their duties but keep exercising their rights. What is the guarantee that these people will not turn out to be the same people we threw out of the building ? and How sure are you that they will not abuse the power they have to their own advantage.

Also the Financial and Fiscal impact of this movement cannot even be quantified i will try

This is my analysis if this really has to work at every level:

n At the top 6 Committee members overseeing the LOKPAL investigations

n Every State has let's say 1 Lokyukta(Lokpals for States) Committee which has say 6 more members (6* 29 states= 174 members)

n Every Lokyukta Committee will have atleast 6 more members in every district that would mean at least 640 Districts X 6 members each (3840 members)

n And Finally Every Village has atleast 2 members so 638,365 villages X 2 = 12,76,730 Committee members

n So the Total numbers of Members you need to Run a Successful Lokpal Committe are 12,80,750- you might have a 10,000 in 1 chance to be on a committee somewhere.

The Financial Compensation to these people should be high so that they don't get corrupted with amounts of money. I do trust people's integrity but I don't think I can fry and eat Integrity.

So Let's say a member gets an average payment of Rs. 20,000 per month (it's a low number but let’s trust integrity also)

so that will mean Rs. 2,40,000/ year X 1,280,750

Brings our Total to Rs.307,380,000,000 (Rupees Three Hundred Seven Billion Three Hundred Eighty Million ) !! Did you burn your Anna Hazare Sign yet ??

I understand the Attraction to get behind a movement that is against this corrupt government but we have to take a look at hard facts. Team Anna has done a very good job manipulating the youth through Social media, Status Messages like the ones below are posted by my friends who I have known for a long time, Some are written out of the information they have some are Copy and paste one’s.

“Anna is set free.. This is seems to be a replay action of what Gandhiji did to British raj. I hope the results are the same. :)”

“I guess the Govt is still waiting for someone to approach them with a bribe to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill!”

“Anna Hazare says bring back the Black money.
Do you know what will happen if 1,456 lac crore comes back?
1.India Financially No1
2.Each district will get 60000 crore and 1 village will get 100 crores
3.No need to pay taxes for next 20yrs
...4.Petrol 20Rs, Diesel 5Rs, Milk 8Rs
5.No need to participate in this revolution just support Anna Hazare by posting on your wall.
I did my job for a better India on a brighter tomorrow!”

“Mixed Emotions:

Jailer asks Ajmal Kasab: Y r u so happy today?
Kasab : I m not indian, I hate India, I Killed Indians, but I' m very safe in India.

Journalist asks Anna Hazare: Y r u so sad today?
Anna: I'm Indian, I Love my India and Indians, but feel unsafe and I'm not sure when I will be Killed. But, I will still continue to fight.”

“Government against corruption?? i doubt that...the government is against ppl opposing the corruption!! Shri Anna Hazare hum aap ke saath hai..”

“Before 1947 Gandhi ji was FREE to express his disagreement through peaceful means. Today after 64 years of INDEPENDENCE a person is fighting against corruption but Govt is not giving him space for protest. Govt is trying its level best to crush this mass movement against corruption. IS INDIA REALLY INDEPENDENT? 16th Aug, 2011. We all have to support Anna! This is a NOW or NEVER moment. Are YOU READY?”

· Cabinet Minister have a maximum age limit of 70 years

· No Minister is allowed to run for more than 3 terms in his lifetime

· Any MP ever connected to a Scandal and proven to be guilty has to be banned from Election and Immediate relatives also have to be disqualified.

· Any Person who has a court case against him should not be allowed to run in an Election

· The IAS has to be phased out and replaced with young MBA’s (we have a few million of those each year) who have a business mentality and can bring it to their positions

· The government should introduce an incentive/penalty plan to reward/punish government workers for doing their job. A person who completes all the work he is assigned will get a bonus and a person who fails to meet their quotas will get 3 warnings and then will be fired

For Now what can be done is that we vote in every election. Make sure we register a No-Vote if you don’t like the candidates in your area, A No-vote will ensure that all the candidates get disqualified and a new election will be held with new candidates.

Let’s try and use the rights that the Constitution has given us 1^st and fulfill our duties, If we are doing that I don’t think a corrupt government can stay in power and slowly but surely the system will get cleaned.

A reminder from History : Gaddaffi, Saddam , Stalin, Lenin , Hitler, Mussolini were all trying to liberate their people from Tyrannical rules, But power makes everyone hungry. And trust me just because an Old man wears a white hat doesn’t mean he is going to be your Gandhi. Until I get proven wrong and publically laughed at All the best

Democracy going to the Dogs ?

Hi All, I have not Written in a long while but here it goes,

There has been a lot of talk about Anna Hazare's Lok Pal movement and how that will help Indian's use the Democratic process better. But we keep forgetting the Big picture, Whatever is wrong with India is due to the Ministers WE ELECTED, with or without Participation. So what are you all complaining about.

I am a big fan of Democracy and let me tell you What Anna Hazare is trying to become is the person, That 41 years ago help "LIBERATE" Libya from an "EVIL" leader and his name is GADDAFI. That's why its very important to follow DUE DEMOCRATIC process, it's not the perfect system but the fairest.Anna Hazare is not a democratically Elected leader and he should not be talking decisions for the rest of us, unless he wins an election. The lokpal bill is not a Democratically selected bill.

Yes it seems like we need a revolution to get out of this mess India is in but who are the leaders of the Revolution be ??? Rahul Gandhi ? Milind Deora ? or some other old Hack ?? The problem with the Indian middle-class (I am one of them) is that WE DONT VOTE, and why is that because we are too busy staring at the TV or "WORKING".

The Population that votes gets what they want,

• The 27% below poverty line people always vote , what do they get - Alcohol, Money, Houses/Slums, Electricity for their Slum, Ration cards etc,
• The Rich people vote they get publicity because they are "helping" the nation chose leaders
• the Farmers vote and get Free electricity, Farm subsidies, No Income tax etc
• What does the Middle Class get for not Voting ?? Higher Taxes, Corruption, No Development, Joblessness, Lower Standard of living, Inflation and big MIDDLE FINGER,

And the Middle Class Deserves it, If you think talking to your Friends and bitching at NDTV about how corruption is killing India is voting then you are wrong, If we really want change Why dont we go out and do the simplest thing in the world, Stand in line and vote.

Also if your name is not on the voter list, dont be relieved go to the office and make sure you have it on there. The Government knows the Middle Class is like the GUY/GIRL WHO GOT RAPED SO MANY TIMES HE/SHE ENJOYS IT or Doesn't EVEN CARE about IT ANYMORE and that's why they want to put the smallest obstacle in your way and know that you will not follow through and fix it so that you can use your right to vote

A few years ago a report said Bombay alone was contributing for 40% of the Income-tax revencue for the whole country, It was 2% of the population then, and i'm sure Bombay's voting rate would've been less than 50% and the middle class voting rates would've been less than 25%, So 75% of Bombay's middle class are not part of the discussion when it comes to big picture issues. So who's responsible?

We have to realize that Democracy is a Duty not a right, and if we keep failing at it we are giving rise to Anarchy, Ask the People of Afganistan or some african countries and see how fortunate we are to be able to elect a representative, But we don't value it, This Government- Middleclass relationship is an abusive one because the "Middle-class is the Wife who cooks the food and then goes and earns money to support her Drunk husband, But the Husband is busy using that money to sleep with Whores and know all that she still sits there and cries, Doing nothing" if the middle class doesnt want to be jerked around like this it has to rise up and do the fundamental Duty and vote for the person they choose.

"56% of the Indian Populace is Middle Class" - you know with 10% more votes in the same direction and you will get what you want, the leaders you want, the issues that affect you will be looked at, you will be part of the debate.

I think it's necessary to clean your own house before blaming the BMC for not picking up the trash at your doorstep

And After that long rant, HAPPY "INDEPENDENCE" DAY