When Kisan Baburao Hazare, known popularly as Anna Hazare, started his Lokpal Bill Movement, it attracted attention of masses, particularly youth in large numbers. His ‘Fast unto death’ at Jantar Mantar – a place which may soon have section 144 around it with a permanent status quo for being a protest center stage, has quickly helped Indian media gain new TRPs. The year so far has been very favorable to them. Record breaking competition of corruptions, leading to loss of parliamentary sessions, and political discourse at media studios or anywhere but parliament. Setting up of clumsy committees following every scandal is nothing new to anyone, but they too filled the gap in the headlines which sounded more like sports news with a ting of media that never lacked the expertise in the art of news making. All this is nothing new to most of us. We have been seeing the unfolding of scandals as frequently as their fading up from our fickle memories. The fate of whistleblowers and role of politics in the enquiries is concealed to none. In this hostile atmosphere where corruption is a norm and very much a part of us from cradle to grave, we may keep pointing fingers to others – sometimes politics, bureaucracy, the system or the people richer or higher in status to us, but in all this, we are ignoring our own role. In any game, if players do something like this, the game is sure to be lost. Supporting or standing in protest may give us better photographs or status messages to be posted on social networks or simply a deceptive feel of being on the right side of the fence, but least chances of helping the cause in general.
Recently, I drove to airport to drop my sister who had a morning flight from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport. The renovated airport took me to a surprise and gave a feeling of progress in leaps and bounds. My surprises were soon put to rest when I confronted traffic police who caught me on the wrong side of law. I had stopped the car infront of the no-parking sign to receive a phone call. Without arguing on anything, I obliged and asked the policeman to write a fine. “Rs 2500”, shrieked the man, in Haryanvi accent, with invigorate confidence. My hands, which were in my pocket to pull out my wallet for a small fine for wrong parking, instead came out with a handkerchief to wipe the sweet on my forehead. I had no cash in my pocket of the amount that sturdy policeman intimidated me with. Policemen don’t have a machine to wipe my card for transactions and I started wondering and wishing for such possibilities. “Sir, I just violated the parking rules”, I said in a feeble tone. “Yes, Rs. 100 for that and rest for a digit zero that is missing on the number plate”, came a crisp reply from the accompanying moustached policeman this time, who seemed busy looking at the fine book kept on the pillion seat of their bike, as if he was looking to suit my name at the proper place in the receipt. I tried my best to teach them what Aryabhata taught world long back – zero has no value, but all in vain. After all the arguments and cross-arguments, I gave up and there started the negotiations. Zero suddenly got a value for me and no value for the opposite party. We removed few zeros and settled for Rs. 200. I thanked them in disgrace and left for hostel. To my conscience, I was trying to justify the bribe by all the possible means but the feeling of guilt was prevailing. I started questioning my ownself. “What was the fault of policeman whom I vehemently refused to pay a bribe for passport enquiry?”, I asked myself. I seemed to mould the principles based on situation. In all this frustration, I tried to diverge my thoughts by surfing internet. With lot of things going in the background, I reached to the site of Delhi Traffic police which defined the said offense under section 50/177 of Motor Vehicles Act and a fine of Rs. 100 for the same. I realized that the fine I was supposed to pay for violation of two rules was actually the same amount that I paid as bribe. I was fooled by my own ignorance. A knowledgeable and aware citizen is the one who can bring a change and be a part of anti-corruption movement every day – rest of us are all just victims. Ignorance is bliss and I am not ready to accept this anymore.
