The fast that Anna has undertaken has focused the attention of the nation on the greatest internal threat - that of corruption. The popular response that this has generated can only restore faith in India's democracy. There is one aspect which I find very puzzling. In countries like Egypt entrenched autocracies needed popular movements against them to change. In India, we can simply vote them out. Why is the people movement not focused on demanding that their representatives take the lead in Parliament in championing the Jan Lokpal Bill - the focus of current attention. Instead, the focus seems to be on ignoring the political class.
A true reflection of the maturity of Indian democracy would be to have each constituency summon its representative and question him on his stance on the bill and demand that he support it. I think that would make it difficult for any government or party to NOT pull in the same direction.
Another possibility would of course have been for the "honest" PM to accept the demand to set up a committee to evaluate the bill. However, that would require a thinking man - and a leader, something this country certainly lacks.
A true reflection of the maturity of Indian democracy would be to have each constituency summon its representative and question him on his stance on the bill and demand that he support it. I think that would make it difficult for any government or party to NOT pull in the same direction.
Another possibility would of course have been for the "honest" PM to accept the demand to set up a committee to evaluate the bill. However, that would require a thinking man - and a leader, something this country certainly lacks.
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