The other day, I was surfing channels in the evening and got stuck to HBO as a very thrilling movie was being aired.
In between in many news channels I saw an old man, Mr. Anna Hazare announcing that his fast won’t end till he gets the proper notification from the govt. on the Joint Committee on the drafting of Jan Lokpal Bill.
I paused for a second but after all I was loyal to HBO. Its about corruption! The word I am very much familiar with and immuned to. It does no shock me. It does not shake me….not at all, trust me! Len den...hota hai, thodi bahut har jagah pe hota hai…kya badi baat hai? But I am not a victim of corruption.
Just that…. Only once I was asked for 1 lac to get admission in the university which I did not pay. Only once I had to use my bureaucrat father’s influence to get the marriage certificate and passport issued within a day, which otherwise would have taken months without paying bribe. Only once I was asked for Rs 2k by the police constable to settle an issue with the transporter who was asking for extra money for delivering the car. Only once I saw a friend getting a fake certificate by paying 1 lac to a particular university. He used it and doing job happily. (Strangely it reminded of fake pilot scam, I too travel in air) Did a chill run through your spine too?? I felt so… Only once I was asked by the police not to register any complaint for the mobile theft citing it as a petty issue. (Strangely I, at once can remember many more similar instances…how??) ……or may be more than just once I have faced similar issues.
So what? Itna toh chalta hi hai. I have been doing good throughout. I have got myself good degrees, my certificates and marksheets got me a sense of pride, I made my parents proud the day I was felicitated by the education minister of the state for being in the state topper’s list, I got awarded by the health minister of the state as the best story writer in the state, I got myself a good job, then I hopped for the next best…all without facing the whims and fancies of the system, without paying a bribe.
I am happily married and well settled in my cosy comfort zone, enjoying the best of my life, living in one of the posh areas of the city, eating out at restaurants, reading as many books as I can, holidaying every 6 months, I travel in flights, I frequent shopping malls almost every weekend, I get gifts from my pampering husband, parents, in-laws and friends, I spend the whole of summer in an air-conditioned car, air conditioned office, air conditioned malls and an air conditioned home. I can call pizza hut, dominos’ or any good eatery to order dinner, I have an expensive microwave to heat the food in late night, I have a double door refrigerator to get me chilled water, I have the latest model of aqua gurad to make to germ-free…..and the list goes on! All without being corrupted and all without facing any corruption. So I relished chicken curry when the 72 years old man was sitting at Jantar mantar without any food for four long days and I did not feel guilty.
I attended office, planned which movie to watch this weekend and concentrated on the employee compensation project which I have to submit to the professor-XLRI by 13th April. 13th April…!!! I heard it somewhere else too. Yes…the same old 72 years old man has announced Jail Bharo Andolan on the same date. But I have to concentrate on the project…. I have to get good marks.
My resume will weigh more and I can be much more salable in India Inc. Is not that important? How can I waste my precious time in such petty issues?? Jan Lokpal Bill… Whats that? Must be something to tackle corruption but why hell I should be bothered? At least as long as I am not affected. Who knows its not fuelled by any political intention? Who can guarantee its not being a media-spree? Who the hell on this earth can be so selfless to take this much of pain?? Anna Hazare?? The man who fought the second world war? Who lives in a temple, who donated all his earthly belongings for the welfare of people?? Who was awarded with padmasree? Who looks like a saint…a sacred soul?? Huh!! May be…! But even if it is something gandhian, something like freedom movement…..mujhe kya? Why should not I be concentrating on my mutton biryani recipie I found on Sanjeev Kapoor’s website? Oh yes…I saw few advertisement pop ups in many website to support Mr. Anna Hazare, requesting to give up one day’s food, to be a part of the movement but I closed all them. Bugging…!! I must plan my investments for this year. I must carefully finish writing my appraisal form (it’s the hike time after all). I must concentrate on the new property we are buying, I must concentrate on my health, yoga and pranayam taught by Baba Ramdev.
Well…I have heard Baba Ramdev too is supporting Mr. Anna Hazare…!! Ohh…nothing to be serious about it!! I get mails in my inbox. I get updates in my Facebook page, people adding anti corruption badges to their profile pictures, crying foul over the whole corruption issue, citing Mahatma Gandhi, Bhagat Singh, creating groups to support Anna ji, (ya…have read so much about Gandhiji, Bhagat Singh, nice stories of bravery, patriotism…) What the hell…!! How come they have so much time to spare? I am uploading the pictures of my last vacation in facebook. I am replying to the comments I received on them. I am joining the groups for the winning cricket team of India. I am posting pictures of M S Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh. Ohh yess…World cup! What a win by Indian Cricket Team!!! I went out on 2nd April 2011 at mid of the night to celebrate the WC victory of Indian Cricket Team. I was amazed to see the significantly slow city being thrilled to such an extent. I saw people coming out with their families, kids, with the tri-colour, many in their night suits, many with drums, many shouting, screaming, dancing. I was amazed because for the first time I was seeing such a spontaneous outflow of happiness, celebration & togetherness on one common (national) issue.
I was happy to be a part of the madness, the celebration. Ummm…Should I have been thrilled the same way in the mid-night of 8th of April,2011 again?? When it was announced that the Govt agreed to all the demands of Mr. Anna Hazare who was on indefinite fast for the Jan Lokpal Bill?? (one common (national) issue….is it??) Was it the same way people would have felt on the eve of 15th of Aug, 1947? Should I have gone out and celebrate this victory too? How…how silly...!! But was somewhere my inner self was rejoicing….?? A sense of victory was prevailing all over?? If at all yes then why?? May be because Anna ji declared it as the victory of democracy, as the victory of people….may be as my own victory!!!! But I must suppress the feeling. Yes…I must! I was never a hardcore victim of corruption, I have always managed by paying just few bucks, by doing some jugaad, by making some phone calls, by using some references. I am ready to do the same for the rest of my life and for the generations to come, I feel so happy and safe in my comfort zone….in my selfish shell. Then why the hell I should go out shouting against corruption?
Why on the earth I should go and join Mr. Anna Hazare? Why the hell I should leave all my comfort and embrace the pain of transition my country facing today?
I am deaf to the wake up call, I am blind to the sun-shine, I am lame to take a step forward, I am heartless, I am hopeless. I have stopped dreaming long back...i have stopped living too. I now have a dead conscience which tells me every now & then that i should not…………………………………………HENCE I DID NOT!!!
