NEW YEAR RESOLUTION

Every morning is the beginning of a new day, the beginning of a new week, a new month and a new year. But certain days have been identified as important and we celebrate them as New Year's day like the morning after Diwali, after Holi, after Pongal and so on. But, always a new day starts in the morning. The year 2011 ends tonight at 24 hours. It will be neither the end of the day nor the end of the night but it will be end of the year. Indeed the new year would begin in the morning tomorrow and this would be the mid-night in England. Aping the British,we also started celebrating New Year's day in the midnight.

Then,some of us make a resolution for the New Year. What should it be ? To be more prosperous than we were the year befor, to be more powerful than the previous year or to become more famous than the last year. I think the resolution should be that we would try to make our surroundins better than they were last year.

LOKSABHA ON LOKPAL

You might have heard the debate on the Lok Pal Bill in Loksabha and seen the arguments our politicians gave. Do these people represent India, the Jagat Guru? Their level of arguments, personal accusations and approach to a serious issue was strange to say it mildly. In this whole exercise we are all defeated. The common man is defeated because he did not get an effective tool for reddresal of grievances. The government is defeated because it did not have its way in the last and Anna is defeated because the crowds are gradually thinning on the ground. The government will never bring an effective or strong Lok Pal Bill because it will be 'noose around their neck' as lalu Yadav has timely realized. They will not disclose the names of those having ill gotten money in foreign banks because it will bare them naked and they will not act against the culprits because they happen to be their kith and kin. We cannot expect much in the circumstances. We have to live with HOPE ,let us keep it alive.

CORRUPTION IS IMMORTAL

I doubt if the disease of corruption can be eradicated.It is almost immortal and may take another shape if removed from one place. I illustrate the fact with an assumed satirical story of an office clerk. The clerk had become infamous for corrupt practices he followed and despite transfer after transfer he always found ways of receiving bribe. Then he was transferred to sea coast for some assignment. He was getting bored of not receiving his daily dose of bribe. He sat one day on the sea shore asking fishermen not to enter the sea. When they asked why no entry. The clerk said 'lahren gini ja rahi hain tum unhe bigad doge' (waves are being counted and you will erase them). After repeated pleadings and requests he bargained for his dose, saying the officers will also share the amount. The fishermen went for fishing. This became a routine and the fishermen knew what to do.

So, this imaginary story tells you that any number of Lokpals or Prithwipals will not be able to eradicate the menace of corruption. We must realize that those who give bribe are more guilty than the ones who take it. Bribe givers are not being punished and therefore when 'miyan bibi razi kya karega kaazi' (when bribe giver and taker are concurring what will Lokpal do?). People are getting frusrtated and becoming Naxalites. Perhaps Islamic laws can be more effective but then what about democracy?. A dictator like Neta Ji Subhash Chandra Bose might do some good and this also will be at the expense of democracy. Hople Anna Hazare is able to refine his ways to deal with the devil of corruption.