Is Hazare right?

KOCHI: At a time when ‘I am Anna’ has become the ‘in’ thing, bubbles of doubt are surfacing in Kochi seeking the basics of what has been dubbed “the second freedom struggle”.Although everybody agrees that “eradication of corruption is absolutely necessary,” certain sections differ from Anna’s method of protest. “When a Bill has been presented in Parliament and is awaiting the approval of people’s own representatives, holding a protest to force the government to pass the bill is highly unconstitutional. I strongly agree with the anti-corruption sentiment that seems to be unanimous in the country at present, but, I do not completely agree with Anna’s means to the end,” said T P M Ibrahim Khan, president of the Kerala CBSE School Managements Association.Another reason attributed by these differently-thinking people is the cold response to a mass protest march held at Delhi by workers in February this year. “When over 2,00,000 workers participated in the protest march held at Delhi against various issues like price rise and reckless contractorisation, our efforts were blown cold by the authorities as well as the public. The crux of all the issues set forth by us is that our economy should be clean and transparent, which includes anti-corruption,” noted S S Anil, Ernakulam district secretary of the Bank Employees Federation of India. “I whole-heartedly oppose corruption. But, I do not support the notion that this movement is a magic wand against corruption,” he added. Writer and film director C Radhakrishnan opined that though corruption has to be wiped out, Anna’s protest seems to promise far more than it can provide. “There are already many laws in place to control corruption. If these laws are properly implemented, there is no need for a new law. If all those who are out on the street supporting Anna Hazare had really felt the need for eradication of corruption, the existing laws would have already been beautifully implemented. We need to fight corruption at every level. And that battle will be a really tough one, he added.