There is a lot of discussion going around the country about the extent to which the people involved in corruption should be penalised. I am shocked at the level of acceptance people have for corruption. I am shocked by the extent to which they believe that corruption is that just another thing happening around.
When you get to know that so and so minister has amassed so many lakhs of crores of public money, let us be aware that it is not just about that one man living in ultra luxury for himself. It just does not limit to Government losing some money. It means that the money that could have saved several human lives has been redirected to satisfy the greed of few people. When people take the money meant for public good away from the people, they take away the hope, the chance - sometimes for better living and sometimes for life itself. The accounted number of people who die in our country because of poverty and bad living conditions has itself put us to shame. Let us not forget that most of these figures are underestimates.
A locker full of money in some Swizz bank account is the death certificate of hundreds of farmers in Vidarbha. It is the death certificate of the patients waiting endlessly for treatment at Government hospitals. It is the death certificate of the head of the family who chooses pesticide over the pain of seeing his family starves. The hands which take this money away are not just full of notes - they are red - red with the blood of innocent people.
Murder may not necessarily be direct always. If that was the case, the Government may not really have enough grounds to be after Dawood. A person is held responsible for murder if his actions led to the death of another person. I am no lawyer, but it takes no law books to understand this simple fact. If a person has created conditions that led to the loss of life of another person, then the minimum case that can be taken up in India courts is that of abetment to suicide. A petty thief who murders someone to escape getting caught is tried for murder while the top brass which systematically annihilates communities together are considered worthy of petty punishments!
Someone who voluntarily acts against the better interest of the nation - someone who misuses power and responsibility to weaken India - someone who exploits his/position to divert public welfare money into Swizz account is a traitor.
I am shocked that the public is actually debating the extent to which such people can be punished and the Government is happy to keep such things out of the list of most serious crimes!
We should be the most tolerant, resilient and the most indifferent species and community ever on the face of this earth!
Sir, you are right in regarding these crimes as the most serious. But is it just the mistake of our leaders and politicians? When Anna hazare sat on fast, people were out in the streets in full support of him. They went to Freedom Park on a candle light vigil. These same people later paid bribe in order to get their passport, to get a new gas connection, to get their licenses without test, etc! If a minister or a cop or bureaucat accumulates money, the question is, where this money comes from? Aren't we, the people of India, the so-called common man, equally responsible for it? The problem with us is our attitude and indifference towards problems like these. We are great preachers, but we never do anything about it. And this is not limited to corruption. I saw people getting emotional, even crying, after watching Stanley ka Dabba (a movie based on child labour), but i am sure these people would never hestitate to order a cup of tea from "chotu" somewhere!