WHO IS SUPREME IN DEMOCRACY; PUBLIC OR PARLIAMENT? (Once more.)

Parliament is supreme legislative and executive body in a democracy; agreed. That does not mean that it is above the public who elects its representatives and sends them to the Parliament House to form a “parliament” to make right rules for good governance. The existence of Parliament depends on the public from where it draws its strength and pay package as “public servants” to serve the public individually and collectively. Democracy is a government of the public, by the public and for the public and NOT by a few and for a few sent to the parliament by the public who later shift their loyalty from the public to themselves; to serve their own selfish interests. Thus the public is the master and the parliamentarian public servants. The irony is that once in power, they consider themselves the masters and public their servant.

What to do when the elected representatives in the Parliament do not act in the interest of the public at large, start looting lacs of crores of taxpayer’s money and amassing it in their foreign bank accounts, starving the poor by created inflation, taxing the public in every possible way and keeping the maximum in their pockets and giving minimum for the 120 crore population of this great nation of ours in the name of progress? They have not given us good governance and an effective Lokpal Bill to arrest corruption so far; nor do they intend to give. That is why some one like Anna had to appear on the scene.

Anna says Janta is supreme; UPA and some others are saying that parliament is supreme. The ruling party and their supporters are saying that Anna and civil society member’s method of putting their demands by fasting is undemocratic; they should get elected and come to the parliament to raise their voice. In other words they are saying that public has no right to raise their voice from out side the parliament in a democracy to air their grievances and demand justice? A thin end of the wedge is being created by the ruling class and vested interests to divert the attention of the intellectuals and public from a serious matter like eradication of corruption and good governance which if stopped at this stage shall have serious repercussions in future. The question is why this situation has reached when someone like Anna Hazare has to come on the stage to save the public from its elected representatives? Why there is so much of support to Anna from all sections of society? It is the cancer of CORRUPTION causing inflation and misery in every sphere of public life that has compelled the masses to rise and defy the government from enacting their toothless Bill and support Anna’s Lan Lokpal Bill.

Our leadership; our parliamentarians, politicians and administrators are mostly CORRUPT leaving aside a very few who are honest or neutral. The elected ones were supposed to make rules in the best interests of the taxpayers and poor hapless masses who have no individual voice of their own and to give them their fare share of development. Instead, they have looted this nation by lacs and lacs of crores of public money and amassed it in other countries. A clear case of criminal breach of trust of the public who elected them and placed their money in their hands for public use; and an offence equal to one against the state that has been deceived by them! They have made and now trying to make ineffective rules and laws to swindle public wealth and to save themselves. At least fifty years of Indian independence have been a sad storey of rampant corruption in all government departments. The list of Indians with black money in Swiss banks as disclosed by Wiki Leaks is a shameful criminal record of those involved.

Public is more than fed up of corruption. They want effective laws; effective JAN LOKPAL BILL as proposed by Anna and civil society because they have no faith that their elected representatives sitting in the parliament would give them an effective law to deal with corruption. The irony is that knowing all the good points of Jan Lokpal Bill they would not like to accept it. If they do, they would be behind the bars sooner or later. They would not like to loose their ill gotten billions and see themselves behind the bars - - - - naturally who would like? Some give and take as the PM is saying. Is it the amnesty from being punished and allowing to keep the ill gotten billions? What else is stopping them - - - - - saving the next PM in line - - - - - our prince charming? Some compromise has to be reached midway - - - perhaps - - - in the larger interest of the nation. But “We the people - - - - - -“are empowered by the constitution to raise our voice to be heard by the parliament when needed, to legislate in the interest of the nation and public at large. Our constitution has been amended many a times after independence; it can be amended again if needed. CORRUPTION IS NOT TO BE ALLOWED FOR THE SAKE OF BETTER GOVERNANCE FOR US AND FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR CHILDREN. Anna and the civil society members are doing a good job enlightening the public about the difference between government’s Lokpal Bill and Jan Lokpal Bill. Others should join at their level. All patriotic people, organizations and parties should join in the crusade of Anna to enforce JAN LOKPAL BILL. Enforcing the public will in a non violent manner for a right cause is not undemocratic. The government should gauge the mood of the masses gathering in lacs at India Gate, Ram Lila Maidan and all over India at their own on one call from Anna and read the BOLD writing on the wall.

Wing Commander V. Singh (Retd)