If Shekhar Gupta ( IE, 25/6/11) and some of the commentators in the Indian Express have to be believed, the public in our Republic have no role to play. Indian people, rather Indian voters, elect our MPs and MLAs, and after that they have to wait for the next election to have their 'say'. The way Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev have been derided by the press, they, as the citizens or as the voters, have no right to raise the issue of corruption and black money and create public opinion to impress upon the government to enact a legislation to constitute a strong Lokpal within the framework of the Constitution. They question the legitimacy of the agitations against corruption and black money as Anna and Baba are not elected. Can we not question the right of the media which is also not elected by the people to comment and suggest changes or propose legislation. Mahatma Gandhi was never elected but he became the voice of the people for freedom. Martin Luther King was not elected but he fought for equality and won equal status for African-Americans.
Gupta tells us that this is the 20th year of reform but forgets to mention that it was not in the manifesto of the Congress. It was introduced by stealth by the PM Narasimha Rao and the FM Dr.Manmohan Singh. It was brought in to avert a financial crisis. Now we are faced with a moral crisis. The UPA and the Congress do not want to submit themselves to an authority which can take cognizance of an economic crime suo moto in spite of colossal financial scams under their regime either with their collusion or with a benign neglect. Power is not all. Power has to be backed by morality and probity. Otherwise it loses it legitimacy.
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/our-singapore-fantasy/808505/
June 25,2011.
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