According to Time magazine, Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption movement that saw Indians rally in support has been named among the top 10 news stories in the world this year, which listed the Arab Spring and killing of Osama bin Laden as the top attention-grabbing headlines. The selection of the ‘India Against Corruption’ campaign as one of the important events world wide is a timely recognition of the effort in India to cleanse its government and political system from the scourge of corruption. And therefore it is only fitting that Time magazine should indeed acknowledge the anti-corruption crusade led by social activist Anna Hazare. And given this global recognition, it is only appropriate that as the year 2011 draws to a close, the Lokpal Bill, to be introduced and subsequently passed in Parliament, is done with civility by both those within Parliament and those outside. This will mean that the UPA government, political parties along with Team Anna will have to close ranks and work together in ensuring that the Bill for a Lokpal institution is put into place during the winter session of Parliament. The biggest test right now for our elected representatives is whether they can give quality time in Parliament for the Lokpal draft bill to be debated and passed.
And because of the political opposition to FDI in retail, a big chunk of time has already been lost. However even as the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Friday tabled the Lok Bill report in the Rajya Sabha, both Houses of Parliament were adjourned till noon on Friday following uproar over opposition demand for resignation of External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna for his alleged involvement in a mining scam. Earlier the opposition's call for Home Minister P Chidambaram's ouster intensified on Thursday with a special CBI court permitting Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy to prove his claim of the minister's alleged complicity in the 2G spectrum scam. The problem seems to be that there is too much happening outside Parliament, especially in the courtrooms, which is having an adverse impact on the House. While Union Ministers or people from the ruling government may be caught in allegations of corruption, this does not mean that the Opposition should disrupt the normal functioning of Parliament.
With little time left before the current winter session ends, sanity must return to Parliament so that important questions of national interest like the Lokpal Bill can be debated and the most acceptable law passed. The credibility of our Parliamentary system is at stake. Global attention is centered on how the country’s law makers can address the corruption within the present state of affairs. At least for the immediate, the Opposition parties, especially the BJP should not be looking at dislodging the Manmohan Singh government. With an important legislation on Lokpal pending this will not be good politics for the BJP. Rather as the main Opposition, much responsibility is expected from the BJP to work alongside the government and come out with a strong Lokpal Bill. As for the team led by Anna Hazare, they have already demonstrated what they are capable of. By way of protest and rallying people around the India Against Corruption campaign, the government as well as Parliament have been put on notice. They have nothing anymore to prove to anyone. Everything that they want in the Lokpal Bill may not be possible. Having acted as the watchdog for a strong Lokpal, Team Anna must now leave the matter to the collective wisdom of Parliament and the good conscience of our elected representatives.
