R for Ramdev, R for Revolution

So are we at last witnessing an overdue revolution in India? Are we witnessing history in the making? Baba has set out to achieve the impossible considering Indian character known to us. But let us all hope that cynicism loses and Baba wins. First he gave health to the millions free of cost, the greatest service ever by an individual to the mankind. And now he has set out to affect overdue revolutionary changes in the system. Years back when I heard him first in a yoga shivir and on TV, I felt he was a true person with national pride and welfare of the masses at his heart. So do I feel about Kiran Bedi and Anna Hazare. It was natural that Haves among Haves, who have all along benefited from the corrupt systems we have been following since ages, w0uld feel scared. Hence the attempts by Digvijays (spokesman of the ruling party), Shahrukhs, Salmans and Suhail Seths to spread canards against Baba and malign him and his efforts. But hopefully they will find their faces blackened in the mirror of history. I found public pronouncement by Shahrukh of not supporting Baba Ramdev, day before yesterday, singularly interesting. I wondered who had asked for his support and what was his locus standi more than mine or yours. And no wonder that media, at least a part of it, as mouth piece of the cream among the Haves will openly or surreptitiously do its best to malign Baba Ramdev and counter his efforts.

What Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare are attempting is by no means a revolution. It is beginning of a revolution at best. And even if that happens, it won't be a mean achievement. It is the spirit of these leaders and their statesmanship that is thoroughly commendable. THE PROBLEM IS A TREE ROTTEN TO ITS WELL SPREAD ROOTS. The campaigns of these leaders are targeting a few rotten leaves, the roots remaining largely unattended. Any one who ever has had to deal with our judicial system, our bureaucracy, the land authorities or even those in position of strength in private sector will understand what I mean. If all those corrupt were to be beheaded or sent to jail, hardly any one from the civil society will be roaming free. It's because in law anyone who has taken or given bribe is corrupt. How many of us above forty or even thirty won't have taken or given bribe at some point of time? Or the demanded punishment is to be for those few who are unfortunate to be caught or is it to be for those who have indulged in corruption above a certain level? I am not sure nor those demanding or supporting this demand will be, I am sure. It is such demands, the impracticality and superficiality of these, that worries me. And demands for more laws to ensure better governance take us nowhere. RTI Act was supposed to be a powerful tool to ensure better governance and theoretically it is. But alas! authorities are treating it with disdain and one can't do much about it. The rot all around has been increasing inspite of the Act. The depth of thinking and character needed to treat the rotten roots is sourly lacking. What is required is corrections in and simplification of existing laws and will to implement the same. I can say all this with authority out of my personal experiences.

Still let us hope that revolution will at least begin at last. Honestly I shall be pleasantly surprised if it does.