Lok Pal Bill

I am rather tired at the mindless glorification of Anna Hazare and the call for Lok Ayukta’s and the Lok Pal Bill. I have not gone into the details of the whole affair but would like to urge a word of caution.

In all Christian legal systems the burden of proof is on the accuser and if there is a shadow of doubt the defendant is set free. Because of this in all countries which follow a free and fair legal system, people with power and money are impossible to convict of any misdemeanours  and they get away with all sorts of crimes. The issue we are facing today of corruption in high circles is one such, which no country in the world has been able to prevent because of a free and fair legal system.

Because of this, people have tried to weaken the fairness of the legal system so that people can be punished even when there is a shadow of doubt. So we had the system of sending people into exile in ancient Athens and ‘police’ encounters in modern India, Guantunamo Bay in the U.S.

The Lok Pal bill is from whatever I can make, out an attempt to beat the legal system, by providing something which is not as vicious as ‘police encounters’ but not as tame as a free and fair legal system. It is also an attempt to give power to the people. Both are dangerous and will hurt minority communities in the long run.

The NDTV website in their attempt to explain the Lok Pal bill defines it as follows:-

The Jan Lokpal Bill (Citizen's ombudsman Bill) is a draft anti-corruption bill drawn up by prominent civil society activists seeking the appointment of a Jan Lokpal, an independent body that would investigate corruption cases, complete the investigation within a year and envisages trial in the case getting over in the next

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/what-is-the-jan-lokpal-bill-why-its-important-96600?cp

It is based on the assumption that ‘good’ people will be in charge and so will ensure justice. All children of tyrannical parents know what ‘good’ parents have done to us. We also know how many of the ‘good’ people who pilloried Clinton in the US turned out to be having not so ‘good’ lives. Lord Acton’s warning should be kept in mind – power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. If the Lok Ayukta’s and other such institutions are given power they will only breed more corruption.

Our present voting system (which is one of the cleanest and fairest in the world) is to ensure that ‘good’ people are elected. Instead 25 % of the MP’s are criminals. That does not justify doing away with our fair system and replacing it with an ‘honest’ dictator!

We need to use the force of Gandhian logic and moral courage to fight corruption and not seek more powers. Gandhian logic was – do without. If a man wants a bribe to give you what you deserve, do not pay him and do without. Lead peaceful protests and use the RTI Act to the maximum extant. Form organisations which will help people use the RTI Act. Moral courage is to stand for justice when you are in a position of power and not succumb to pressure and threats against you. This is, I believe, is the way of Christ – not crusades and more power.

It pains me to see so many ‘Christian’ forums giving mindless support for the movement of Anna Hazare. I would wish that they would form NGO’s to fight for justice with the present legal systems available.