42 years, 9 failed attempts to pass the Lokpal Bill spread over 11 general elections. Do I blame the netas for it? No. Survival is a politician’s first virtue, public service a distant second. It’s a beast extremely alert to the shifting winds and tides of public opinion.
To every man, woman and child gathered at what was hysterically called India’s Tahrir Square, I have one question to ask: What took you so long?
Revolutions are built, nurtured, directed to a logical conclusion. They are not born out of delirium.
Fear the day India needs the scent of Jasmine for an Axe Effect.
Yes, we needed the kind of outpouring we saw at Jantar Mantar. We needed it to send a message to the politicians to stop taking us for granted. To say enough is enough.
But amid all the cacophony it looked as if we whipped up incredible escape velocity to Destination Nowhere. The focus in the crowd was missing.
Revolutions are romantic. But why wait for 42 years, when a mini-revolution can be led by each one of us every five years. If the Anna Hazare, the Gandhi in me and you wakes up just for one day every 5 years, we can turn every polling booth into our very own Jantar Mantar.
But then it won’t feel so good, so heady. Back to Jantar Mantar, I think the drum roll suggests India has won the war-on-corruption world cup?
Those dancing with abandon won’t know the difference.
Esprit de l'escalier:
KAMAR KA KASNA SUNTE AAYE THE
HUMNE SOCHA KAS KAR DEKHEIN
KHOLA, KASA, KAS KAR KHOLA
PHIR DOBARA KAS KAR REH GAYE!
At some point in time we might be tempted to give front page coverage to IPL, or something which we might perceive as more sensational in that particular second/hour/day. Hope that we will realize the need and potential of this movement based on not what it is today but what it can bring tomorrow for all of us.
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