I know how I feel only through the music I hear... Not by the words I know...

The Hazaars movement for the Annas, the paisas and the rupees

No I am not against protests... More so the peaceful ones... In fact, I am really happy to see the mass movement that is happening (no I do not smell jasmine or any other flower just yet)... But I have a small question... How many people REALLY know what the movement is all about? Specifically, what the Bill is supposed to have and not have? I am no expert and I am sure like me there are many people who are against corruption and are happy that "some" law will be passed which addresses the cause... I do not want to think about the Bill at all... That is not really for mere mortals like me who did not even have the opportunity see inside a Vidhan Sabha (Yes, I missed my school trip to the Vidhan Sabha!)... I want to think about corruption as a person... About what a common man sees in his everyday life...

Is corruption (and I mean the petty bribes and all) really that bad? Let me be clearer about what I mean... Imagine you are caught by the traffic police for drunk driving... How bad is your urge to stop yourself from being in the courtroom by offering a bribe to the cop (who by the way earns probably 1/10th of your annual salary and has a greater urge to take the bribe)? Now when you do offer the bribe and he accepts it who is at fault? Should you not be under the Lokpal Bill for "offering" a bribe?

OK... So you have a passport, right? How many of you needed the passport like really urgently? OK... Some of you did... Now did you not have the urge to offer a small "tip" to just get the files moving a little faster in the government's conveyor belt (even though you have no clue whether the belt will really move faster because of your "tip")? Now are you at fault or the person who probably didn't ask but did accept it (who didn't want the extra money)?

Anyway, I am no moral guardian... The bureaucracy is horrible... The politicians are pathetic... And some of the priviledged citizens are above all possible limbs of law, order and social norms... But to remove corruption you can't enforce it... You can't rule out mutually beneficial corruption... Scams have always been part of any nation... Some big, some small and some which change the course of a nation... But a Bill is not a solution.. It will never be... Because corruption (or the root of it all - Greed) is innante in a human being... You will still continue to enjoy your "on-the-rocks" and drive back your car... You would still want your work to be done before others... You would continue to try and find a shortcut in all that you do; in work or otherwise...

The Bill would probably put a questioning authority to the whole system in the country... Agreed that it might be good... The Election Commission is a similar independent body but does that stop rigging? Anyway... I am naive... Not well-read enough to think like others do and hence I just question... I agree to learn more... But till then I stick to my thoughts...

By the way, what are kids and foreigners doing in the protest marches all over the country? I guess they know more than I do... Hmmm... Anyway, I support anti-corruption movement but I think a Bill is no solution... Period... Where is my scotch?

(Oh... By the way I don't know how to drive and I waited a solid few months for my passport to come even after paying for the sweets and savouries for the police-kakus...)