Dear Shri Anna Hazare,
There is no doubt that you deserve much respect for what you have done in the past for the people. You are an example of what one can be do if there is true desire and dedication for social change. However, the fast unto death for Lokpal bill is not a cause that you should die for. I have a few point to let you know before you die as I am sure that the government will not succumb to the pressure, or as they call blackmailing, you are trying to put on them.
Will Lokpal bill change anything? My experience tells me that the answer is NO. There are many laws, and surprisingly many of the are the best in the world, in India but they are just there in the rulebook. Unless and until they are implemented properly, the law is useless. For example there is one RTI act with all good intent but what is the end result? If someone really becomes nuisance for the corrupt officers, builders or businesses then the man is first threatened and finally murdered. Even the confidential letters of the whistle blowers are leaked from the PMO office and people like Satyendra Dubey are killed.
In fact, there is already law, rule or procedure to check corruption or do good to public at large but they are just not implemented properly. There are laws for sexual harassment, domestic violence and dowry death but how many people are convicted each year for dowry death in the country? Just a few. Why so? Has dowry system or demand for it has disappear from our society? I am sure that you will agree that the answer is NO. But no one bothers. When a low quality road is constructed in front of my and your house, the PWD engineer comes and certify the road as of good quality and the contractor get the money. But we know that the road cannot even stand one rainy season. It is known from PWD engineer to the CVC but no one really bothers.
If you are really concerned for the wide spread corruption then just look around you and you will find many other ways to fight against corruption. Just go to any government office or outlet (Even the private businesses) and you will find many causes to fight for and do good the people of this country.
I disagree with you that a Lokpal, a new constitutional institution, will be able to stop corruption in wholesale. The failure will not cause because the Lokpal bill is weak or strong, edited by government ministers or social workers. It will happen because the corruption has become part of Indian life and we encourage corruption when it good for us. Yes, I have seen a lot of support for you on streets of India and the Facebook and other discussion forums. But, ask these supporters a simple question
- How many of them has not paid for their driving license?
- How many of them has not paid for their passport?
- If there son/daughter will get admission to a good educational institute (even private schools) for a fee, will they refuse to pay fee and let their kids suffer?
- How many of the prefer to stand in a queue rather than pay a fee and get things done easily and faster?
Many of them might say that they have not bribed anyone but use a middlemen/service provider. What these service provider do? Many of these service provider bribe the officer on behalf of your supporters.
Why this happens? Because there is no transparency. No one knows what is happening. Even the supporters who are with you would not prefer to stand in the queue at AIIMS for a medical emergency. They will use their contacts and money to get themself treated well and fast or they will go to a private hospital. If we are looking for a equal, just and fair society then it should not happen.
I believe that the corruption at the higher level shows what this country has become at large. We are happy as long as it serves us but we dislike it when we are not getting a pie of it.
I request to abandon this hunger strike and fight for transparency in the system. We need people like you who can stand for us and bring good to our society. I do not want you to die at Jantar Mantar of hunger. Bring the ethical and moral change in the society so that people feel guilty to accept or demand for bribe because at the moment people are not ashamed of asking for bribe. People (officers) feel it their right to take bribe as part of whatever they do. Unless a social change is brought, there is nothing a new institution can do to this country.
Wishing you good health.
Yours,
Satyendra Gupta