The nation has witnessed a huge spectacle from a section of visible population with Anna Hazare's fast for getting the Jan Lok Pal bill being drafted and implemented. His fast unto death was an event in which not only we witnessed the 'Tsunami of Sentiments' but was also used by media to create an atmosphere as if it a 'second freedom struggle'. While one can see that the dissatisfaction of the people from the system was overflowing, one also registered that this is a response to the massive corruption scams which have been unearthed during last few years. While Government succumbed to the mass pressure and the media projection, the whole episode also raised many a question about the message which the fasting and Jantar mantar protest gave.

Unfortunately, the criticism of elected leaders and the doubting of the democratic system itself were taken to the cynical extremes. One concedes that there are serious flaws in the electoral system, the money power, muscle power and Corporate influence, but to paint all the leaders in the same brush shows the warped understanding of a section of leadership of Jantar Mantar movement. Surely our electoral system needs serious re-forms but this type of projection also needs to be seriously questioned.

Corruption is the big scourge to the system. We do need to look beyond the leaders and parties to realize that Corruption is primarily due to lack of transparency of the system, lack of accountability of the elected representatives and the very nature of our economic system and injustices inbuilt in the social system. While one lauds the tremendous response to the anti-corruption movement, one can just hope that the sectarianism of Anna Hazare should be totally bypassed and the religious tilt of the imagers should be done away with. One hopes that while working on the Lok Pal Bill, the collective leadership of the movement will take note of these points to ensure that this movement does not meet the fate of two similar earlier one's and that Right-wing divisive forces are kept at bay.

Anna effect has forced government to act tough on corruption, of course the government has sensed the public anger against series of scams hence finally major crackdown is ordered. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested former head of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, Suresh Kalmadi, in connection with irregularities in the contract for the Queen's Baton Relay (QBR), The CBI is also probing alleged irregularities in the hiring of Swiss firm Event Knowledge Services (EKS) as CWG's technical consultant. Kanimozhi, the self-effacing journalist-poet is today accused of being a co-conspirator in one of the biggest scams the country has seen. CBI has charge-sheeted Kanimozhi in the 2G scam hence her trouble are about to start in a big way with already jailed former Telecom Minister A Raja and several important political and business leaders.

The road ahead is challenging, the vested interest will try to block the cleanup process with their full might and resources. The key to success for the entire movement shall be the constant public pressure to be backed by honest effort from select upright government agencies and strict monitoring of Apex court.

The nation has witnessed a huge spectacle from a section of visible population with Anna Hazare's fast for getting the Jan Lok Pal bill being drafted and implemented. His fast unto death was an event in which not only we witnessed the 'Tsunami of Sentiments' but was also used by media to create an atmosphere as if it a 'second freedom struggle'. While one can see that the dissatisfaction of the people from the system was overflowing, one also registered that this is a response to the massive corruption scams which have been unearthed during last few years. While Government succumbed to the mass pressure and the media projection, the whole episode also raised many a question about the message which the fasting and Jantar mantar protest gave.

Unfortunately, the criticism of elected leaders and the doubting of the democratic system itself were taken to the cynical extremes. One concedes that there are serious flaws in the electoral system, the money power, muscle power and Corporate influence, but to paint all the leaders in the same brush shows the warped understanding of a section of leadership of Jantar Mantar movement. Surely our electoral system needs serious re-forms but this type of projection also needs to be seriously questioned.

Corruption is the big scourge to the system. We do need to look beyond the leaders and parties to realize that Corruption is primarily due to lack of transparency of the system, lack of accountability of the elected representatives and the very nature of our economic system and injustices inbuilt in the social system. While one lauds the tremendous response to the anti-corruption movement, one can just hope that the sectarianism of Anna Hazare should be totally bypassed and the religious tilt of the imagers should be done away with. One hopes that while working on the Lok Pal Bill, the collective leadership of the movement will take note of these points to ensure that this movement does not meet the fate of two similar earlier one's and that Right-wing divisive forces are kept at bay.

Anna effect has forced government to act tough on corruption, of course the government has sensed the public anger against series of scams hence finally major crackdown is ordered. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested former head of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee, Suresh Kalmadi, in connection with irregularities in the contract for the Queen's Baton Relay (QBR), The CBI is also probing alleged irregularities in the hiring of Swiss firm Event Knowledge Services (EKS) as CWG's technical consultant. Kanimozhi, the self-effacing journalist-poet is today accused of being a co-conspirator in one of the biggest scams the country has seen. CBI has charge-sheeted Kanimozhi in the 2G scam hence her trouble are about to start in a big way with already jailed former Telecom Minister A Raja and several important political and business leaders.

The road ahead is challenging, the vested interest will try to block the cleanup process with their full might and resources. The key to success for the entire movement shall be the constant public pressure to be backed by honest effort from select upright government agencies and strict monitoring of Apex court.