Lokpal Bill Passed in Lok Sabha! No History, Only Confusion!

After nearly twelve hour debate the lower house of the Indian Parliament, Lok Sabha, passed the Lokpal (anti-corruption Ombudsmen) Bill by a voice vote just before 11 pm yesterday. In the process ten amendments had been conceded by the ruling coalition owing to demands by opposition political parties.

Yet nobody rejoiced over this historic beginning. Only dirty politics lingered on and an ill Anna Hazare continued his fast making the common man the most bewildered one. Team Anna’s flop show in Mumbai with just 10000 supporters around was put in sharp contrast by heavy politicking on the floor throughout the day.

While Team Anna kept on blaming and thundering on the government, specifically the Congress party, for cheating the Indian people it was very clear in the lower house that no political party wanted a strong Bill. The main opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who has been the mainstay support group for Team Anna, had in fact tried by all means to delay the Bill further and differed on the basic issue of establishing Lokpal counterpart in the states (Lokayukta) on the excuse of a threat to the federal system of governance in India. Its lobbying made it amply clear that in the states ruled by the party corruption was only a ‘state’ issue. At the end of it the Party had its victory cry defeating the Constitutional Amendment Bill for granting a constitutional status to Lokpal. Since this practical proposal was originally suggested by Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi it was anathema for all.

Thanks to the series of scams in the last two years the BJP’s only focus had been to go on embarrassing the government for short-term and even long-term election gains. Yesterday, on a real people’s issue and on a movement for removing rampant corruption from the country the party still chose the same strategy finally proving its hollow support for Anna and its absolute lack of any meaningful policy.

Team Anna refuses still to realize the facts. In fact, Anna again declared his intention of opposing Congress in the forthcoming elections if five states and even in the general elections in 2014. So, he know at least the fact that nothing is going to happen till then which is always ensured by the BJP. Is Team Anna or has it always been a mouthpiece of this party? Facts are overpoweringly in favor of such a premise. To make the confusion confounded, Anna Hazare had reportedly invited the controversial yoga guru Baba Ramdev to join his fast. Why? For attracting more crowds or some other sinister political design? Team Anna seems to be learning the art of opportunism very fast thanks maybe to its mainstay political party or parties. 

Finally, the citizens of India must decide how and in what method the evil of corruption is to be eliminated from their country.