Recently a status updated on one of my friends profile caught my eye. It said "Do not fear CHANGE....It is the need of the time" and I started wondering if that is true and if so up to what extent. Of course the status was in support of the ongoing Anti-Corruption campaign led by Anna Hazare and team but I know that this statement could be applied everywhere. For example, I have been reluctant (though I don't admit it openly) to switch to a new company. Reasons can be many but one that stands apart is that I am in my comfort zone here and am afraid what will happen if I might not be able to achieve the same if not more in the new company. This would be the case with majority of us. And now I ask myself why fear the change. When I started of with my career in Syntel, I did not have any work experience, nor did I have any friends in my team but I still managed and did pretty well. What I understand now is having an open mind towards any work that comes my way has and will definitely helped me tackle my fear, my anxiety. The same fear gripped me (and I assume it does grip all) when I was about to be married.
But the question that now comes to my mind and should probably come to the minds of every Indian is on a bigger issue. Why is the government fearing the Jan Lokpal bill? Why is the government afraid to come in public and make a statement to offer the people of India their views on the difference between the three available versions of the bill? Isn't this what the government want - A completely transparent process where everyone is entitled to his/her own view? Or are they afraid of the change that the authority of the Jan Lokpal will bring along with itself if passed as put together in Annaji's version of the bill? I had multiple arguments with my friends, I have almost spoiled my relations with my cousin debating over this. This change in form of Jan Lokpal is definitely the need of the day.
Some say Anna Hazare and team is trying to create an institution so powerful that it will destroy the very democratic fundamentals on which our constitution and country is built. The SC/ST leader is now saying that we should respect the constitution as it was put together by our great forefathers like Dr. Ambedkar. I say, respect is in its place but if the system and constitution formulated some 60 odd years ago would have been robust enough to tackle the corruption then no one would have demanded the change in the first place. If you are so much in favour of the constitution put together AS IS, why not respect the thought that Dr. Ambedkar had about reservation for SC/ST/Dalit/Minorities. He had visioned a decreasing percentage of reservation in the education system over a period of time so that system becomes a level field for all in few years time. But did that happen? No. The corrupt politicians have continued to provide reservations based on caste to create vote banks and people of India are fooled.
Why was there a need to formulate TADA and other laws against terrorism? Why is there a need to amend the constitution every now and then? If amending the constitution so that it benefits the politicians is not dis-respect of constitution then getting the Jan Lokpal bill too isn't. And even if it is, then it is indeed a time to change the constitution. What will happen even if the institution of Jan Lokpal becomes corrupt and nothing improves? Worst we would have yet another corrupt institution looting us. But isn't that what is already happening where we blindly have to follow what Supreme Court and Parliament says? Don't the politicians loot us of our hard earned money? Would the situation be that different then what it is today? Its up to each individual to decide whether or not they want this CHANGE...
