The Forgotten Legacy

Son-in-law of one Prime Minister, husband of another and father of a third, its unfortunate that his daughter-in-law and grandson have forgotten his great legacy.  Her Government splurged Rs7.25 crore on the birth anniversaries of Indira and Rajiv, but...  nothing on Feroze's birth centenary.  

Over 50 years ago, an elegant Parsi in the Lok Sabha spoke , better to

say roared.  He was exposing the first scam though he belonged to the ruling party.  His father in law, Nehru was hearing his thundering words.  Nothing prevented Feroze Gandhi from exposing corruptions.

The most extraordinary aspect of Feroze Gandhi's work was the forensic precision with which he collected facts and the manner in which he marshalled his arguments.  He exposed the scam on the Life Insurance Corporation by Haridas Mundhra.  Feroze exposed how Mundhra manipulated the LIC to purchase shares in his little known companies.

Bowing to pressure, the Government appointed a commission of inquiry headed by Chief Justice MC Chagla who upheld Feroze's contentions and said that the Finance Minister should take responsibility.  TTK resigned, Finance Secretary was sacked and Mundhra jailed. 

Feroze exposed corruption by Dalmia- Jain in the take over of Bennett and

Colman by siphoning the funds of public money in Gwalior Bank and Bharat Insurance.  They were the directors of these banking and insurance companies and transferred the money for their own company, which lead to the immediate collapse of these public institutions.  

Feroze exposed Birlas, Goenka ("not the one running a newspaper).  Such was his impact that within two months the insurance industry was nationalised.  When some alleged that Feroze was doing these all for Tata's, as bother parzis, next came against Tata.  Feroze exposed Telco for charging more than double for an engine to railways, which lead to exit for Tata and formation of locomotive workshops in public sector.  

Mahatma Gandhi is said to have told Feroze's mother Rattimai in Allahabad in 1931:  "If I get seven persons like him, India would be free in seven days".   Feroze the greatest campaigner against corruption passed away in 1960 at the age of 48.  Seeing the huge crowd, assembled for cremation, Nehru said : "I did not know that Feroze was so popular".  

Sent by friend Veera Mahabat,           veera32000@yahoo.co.in      
20th Nov. 2012. 

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Mumbai Zonal Coordinators

Mumbai had 87 Lakh registered Voters in year 2011.  Normally, voter turn out for elections is about 45%.  This means that about 46 Lakh persons may not be voting at all. This might include non-existent persons, so deducting 10%, we are left with about 42 Lakhs who can be persuaded to vote intelligently.  If even 33% finally come out and vote, AAP could get 14 Lakh votes. 

An analysis of the last National Parliamentary Election shows that the SIX Mumbai Parliamentary Constituencies are represented by those who together received 15.7 Lakh winning votes (average 2.6 Lakh votes per Constituencies) from about 9,500 polling booths for Mumbai.  This is very close to the above number of possible voters, who could be persuaded to vote intelligently instead of sitting out the election process. Thus our Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) must work to garner about 2.6 Lakh votes from about 1,600 polling booths, per Parliamentary Constituency.    

Currently, our 16 Zones of Mumbai must increase their footprint by Voter Registration so that the next election will galvanize 15.7 Citizens to vote for AAP.  It seems each Zone must spread message to about 1.0 Lakh registered voters. The work done by JNM in the past city elections, indicates that the voter:volunteer ratio is about 50.  Using this ratio, it seems each Zone must have 2,000 registered Volunteers servicing  about 590 polling booths. These must on the last day pull in 2,000 Supporters.

These 4,000 Volunteers & Supporters per Zone must be deployed for the following activities come election week and before:  

Polling Booth Volunteer  = 2 x 590 = 1,180 .

Polling Desk Supporters = 3 x 590 = 1,770.

Tail Twisters for Voters  = 1.4 x 590 = 826 (both Volunteers and Supporters).

Voter Contact Vlntrs (before election day)   = 1000 (5 days x 55 per day)  This to be done twice. 

Election Process Admin  Volunteers = 50 (Muni Offices, RO, Police Stn, Complaints, Letters)

Election Process Support =  50 (same as above)

Voter Education Volunteers = 100 (talks at 300 meets in 15 days, 5 Vlntrs x 20 simultaneous meets)

Material Distribution to be done by Voter Contact Vlntrs. 

Total: 1180+600+50+50+100 = 1,980 Volunteers, 1770+226 = 1,996 Supporters.  In addition to the above, some 200 key central IAC-Mumbai Volunteers will be needed to: plan, budget, monitor, administer, counter the political process.  These will have to be representatives from the current 16 Zones.  Further, each Zone must have a minimum of 50 contacts to: plan, monitor, administer and counter the process. 

The five Zonal Coordinators per Zone and six Central Coordinators (from among them), must understand this plan and work to reach the needed goals.  Weekly meetings to encourage the Zonal Volunteers to internalize this plan and to work selflessly for it is the need for the next one year before elections come close. Frequent meetings with possible voters, visits to the housing complexes and buildings, engaging some slums and shops, all these tools are needed to ensure ONE LAKH votes for AAP per Zone.  The work by JNM in the past years, leads the belief that this target is achievable with consistent and persistent work, done selflessly in national interest.  The current month of October has established that all the main existing Political Parties are together on one side and its the Citizens on the other.  These Citizens are the Voters who must be informed to act in their own interest. 

This is a draft and will be revised next month or early December when the AAP is formed.  

JAN AANDOLAN OR JAN POLITICS

My good friend AjayS from Nagpur, many friends and Activists of Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and other cities have this huge dilemma before them ...
Kya Kare, Jan Aandolan Ya Jan Raajniti?  The Groups they have nurtured need to take 'a stand'.  In fact, a friend PiyushB closely associated with IAC movement, wonders why the IAC national movement is turning towards politics at all. 

My request to all is ... please consider both, they are the two eyes-hands of the same Aam Aadmi.  The Jan Aandolan will monitor, exert with questions for full answers, seek to solve the exposed problems with help of the Aandolan Party, (which will have elected Sevaks to implement the required changes as per our India Constitution).

Activists will be SEVAKS in both avataars, as per their inclinations, participation, skills and competencies. Citizens thus get the FULL MENU for their daily life and struggle. The Jan Aandolan Sevaks will serve as a check on the Aandolan Party Sevaks, those who come for meva and not seva will be identified and set aside in an open manner. The Party Sevaks will take the approval of the concerned citizens of the Constituency, for those who will serve a SINGLE term of elected office, put up such Candidates for election, work as a link between citizens, the Andolankaari's and elected party representative (and engage in Party Management). This close relationship will also prevent any smaller tainted sub-group from hijacking the Jan Aandolan or the Aadolan Party. 

Why must any concerned Activist or Group choose, when they are ENTITLED to both.  More citizens will seek to join this nation building movement, seeing that they have a choice of responsibilities.  This will strengthen participatory democracy in India.  It is only when citizens accept that the current cesspool of India politics CANNOT change for the better that, the conflict of one or the other comes up.  Most concerned citizens will obviously prefer to stay away from politics and expect the dirty-politicians to respond to their demands.  This is NOT HAPPENING, so IAC has taken up the challenge to CLEAN UP the dirty politics and, to do so, some HAVE to join it. 

This has always been my stand and for the past SIX years, JNM has been taking token actions in this direction.  Citizens unknowingly gave up charge of their lives to the current style of politics and now find it does not serve larger interests, so they must themselves come inside and clean it up.  Moynihan famously said politics is too important to be left to the politicians.  So  please guide Volunteers to select one or the other arm as per their ability.  Similar things are found in the Professional and Business world and IAC has to innovate and adapt. 

I see first timers developing skills as Aandolan Volunteers and later as per their abilities, a few joining the Aandolan Party for taking up elected office as a national service for one term.  Thereafter, the Party management work will enable them to use their experience for greater good.  Those who do not go the Party way, will continue to mentor and propagate the Aandolan activities and provide the feedback loop for the Party.  Where is the conflict of interest or the betrayal? 
 

Logo ko jodne ka kaam karo, na ki todne kaa.  Jai Hind!

Quick Road Pothole Repairs in Daly City

It is possible for a couple of persons to fix potholes in a hurry.  See the adjacent picture.  First the hole is cleaned up of loose mud and gravel.  Then assuming it is dry, the 'cold patch' mix is poured into the hole and leveled out uniformly.  

It must be understood that the 'cold patch' is a bituminized fine gravel available in plastic bags of about 10Kg each.  See the bags in the foreground of the picture.  After the leveling is done and the loose gravel around is cleaned up, the whole is patted into place with a flat plate.  The man bent over is holding one in his left hand.  Next, a motorized compactor is run over the entire area of the patch for ten minutes. Particular attention is paid to the edges to seal them to the existing road surface.  Note, no road roller is needed.  Notice, all the materials and the compactor are brought to the site in a small van and the two workers clean up and leave in 30 minutes.  

I was impressed with the quick clean job done in a professional manner by a pair of workers.  Maybe MCGM should invest in this set up for each Administrative Ward in the city and suburbs.  The Corporator funds could be used for funding such a project since it will bring relief to millions of citizens of Mumbai.  This decentralized approach will give better control to the various Wards in the city.  There will be no need for hundreds of Crores of Rupees of contracts given to centralized contractors who are unable to deliver in quality and time, and not accountable to the local citizens.  Such centralized contracts should be reserved for main roads, highways and serious street faults.  Lack of such simple solutions for the regular monsoon pothole issue is causing a dis-connect between the citizens and the muni administration.  Jai Hind! 

Who Can Be IAC Andolan Party Citizen Representatives for Elected Public Office

In the past almost two years, the world has seen a very unusual and peaceful struggle by India citizens under the brand IAC, to protest and seek solution for poor governance and delivery of national services.  All kinds of urgent reforms have been bandied by the intellectuals and a global first, hundreds of thousands have come on the streets in a peaceful satyagrah, protesting alleged corruption and scams of humongous levels.  Many Parliamentarians, Assembly representatives, Ministers and Administration officers have been blamed for the Loot of the Nation, but a majority of these worthies who are 'clean' and working diligently for bettering India governance, are unable to counter the 'tainted'.  On the one hand, public satyagrah is identified as a solution while on the other hand the Constitution needs that systemic changes can only come through the institutions of Parliament and State Assembly.  Since serious corruption and cronyism is alleged of some of the elected and selected representative, it is a no-brainer that selfless concerned citizens must take up elected public office and clean up the mess with the help of the existing 'clean' politicians.  

Charles De Gaulle remarked that Politics is too important to be left to the Politicians. Our India Constitution requires that "We the People ... ", as 'owners' of the nation, exercise our duties and rights with responsibility.  Citizens need to participate and focus on Citizen Politics instead of the Transactional Politics, that India suffers from at present. This adjacent poster picture# is very apt. Selfless citizens will be reluctant to give five years once in their lifetime for the nation, but we have scamsters queing up at midnight for 'tickets' and 'post', armed with bags of illicit money and pernicious influence.

As long as the IAC-Andolal Party requires that the Consensus Citizen Candidate will: act positively on constituency citizens feedback, occupy public office only ONCE in a lifetime, reduce all perks of office; much of the cronyism, corruption and transactional politics will disappear.  However, for such negatives to reduce from the India Politics in general, it will require that citizens demand this new and higher benchmark, from ALL politicians and their Parties.  Jan Jaagran must focus on this kind of voter education.  Citizens must identify the tainted and vote them out of office.  It will be the endeavor of IAC to set better benchmarks for Indian Politics.

Those who go for public office need to be: Saadhan Sampanna Sukhi Samruddha. Those who have fought the 'system' for their own/public issues, who will abide by the team resolutions, who will always be citizen centric, and treat the 'elected office' as a position of 'public trust', can best serve the nation.  The need to reside and work for at least five years in the chosen constituency and to learn the process of administration of some governing branch of village, district, state or nation, through sustained inter-action, will be essential for efficient performance when in office.  A fair degree of education and knowledge, either through formal or informal systems, will be useful for efficient delivery of citizen expectation.  The Andolan Party will need to setup a shadow executive government and pull in citizen experts for various branches of administration.  At all times the motivation must only be selfless national service.  The Andolan Party will need to conduct awareness and training workshops in targeted constituencies for all of the above points.  A well designed plan to bring in systemic changes in national and state statutes, policies, systems and institutions must be prepared after extensive national debate and consensus.  It is a given that the existing tainted and obstructive politicians and administration will fight tooth and nail to prevent execution of such a plan, but if sustained Jan Jaagran on issues is in place, slow but sure progress is possible.  All historic and digital media, must be used to educate the citizens. Since about fifty percent of the some 250 million households have TV (Census-2011) and about 80% of the citizens have media awareness (NFHS-3 survey), it is only effort and credibility, that is lacking on part of those who exert themselves for selfless national service.

The need for Citizen Politicians to have high integrity and spotless record while essential, may be difficult to come by, due to the entire nation being dragged into some form of corruption, misuse of statutes or influence peddling.  It has been famously* said that many rural citizens (rural population is about 69% of the about 1,210 million total as per the Census-2011), have only one demand, that they be classified as BPL (Below Poverty Line) to enable governmental largess, which explains again how the current politics has reduced the nation to beggary.  The equivalent in urban area is managing 'domicile and low caste certificates' by any means, to benefit from various 'schemes' for education, jobs, promotions, reserved constituencies for elections, and subsidy.  All the high sounding requirements will be difficult to come by, but selfless citizens need to work towards these goals and the public must accept that random mistakes will occur and bear with them, during the period of change in national politics.  Let us not wait for Harishchandra's in this cesspool of Indian Politics and Society, but be initially satisfied with a good degree of honesty.

Citizens on their part must always exercise: the need to monitor, right to get answers and duty to act on problems.  Those elected for public office must gracefully vacate office if 'charges are framed' for alleged wrong doing.  Criticism without do-able and validated solutions must under all circumstances be avoided. Suggestions without working-plan and participation must always be restrained.  In fact, concerned citizens will have to dig in their own pockets to fund the minor expenses of their chosen candidate's election, and also fund their post election establishment.  Sustained volunteerism will be needed to get their citizen candidates into office and to vote out the tainted ones'; this is not optional.  It is obvious that the dedicated Youth, wedded to 'selfless national service' must come forward and seek training for IAS and Political Science.  They must volunteer and build a better India since they are going to live in it.  Dharma from the Seniors and Karma from the Youth should be the motto for this and the next decade.  This is a generation long struggle, even the OECD nations have to still continuously struggle to keep their authority and 'ownership' of their nation. The world today accepts that India does not lack talent for setting standards.  Let us show the world what good global standards should be.  Jai Hind!

# The origin of this poster has been traced to FaceBook member: I Love Delhi, who has not yet confirmed its antecedents. Credit for the poster is therefore pending :)

* Arvind Kejriwal in his book SWARAJ.  Copy posted at htpp://iacmumbai.org  

Walk in San Francisco

Went for a walk in the Potrero Dist. adjacent to Design Dist near downtown San Francisco City, California on a late Saturday morning.  The Rhode Island St. between the 16th and 17th Street, a block about 250 Meters long was blocked off for all kinds of vehicular traffic.  Citizens and kids were out enjoying the weekend sunny late morning.  The SFcB (San Francisco Center for Books) which has its center there, had arranged a free design and printing workshop, right on the street.  Posters were put out well in advance for the citizens to enjoy the event.  This is a common activity here.  Certain city blocks are made pedestrian plazas in the summer and early autumn weekends, to encourage local citizen social interactions.  There may be Farmers Markets, Garage Sales, street foods, painting marathons, etc.  One is expected to use the public transport or personal vehicles parked far away and walk around in the area and take in the planned local activity, which are generally educational.  Even the street Market will have lots of info on the products, with owners explaining and answering queries.   Local eateries and cafes, put out small tables and chairs on the footpath and citizens enjoy the open eating and fellowship.  A great degree of cleanliness is visible with lots of trash boxes in the area.  

This printing workshop brought to my attention a very interesting 'button' making setup.  The adjacent picture shows the manual button jig-die press, along with parts to make the buttons.  There is the clear-transparent PVC circle, then the paper printed matter circle, then the metal underlay, which are all press-bonded together in the first step.  This is then pressed into the back circle plate which has the clip for wearing the button on the shirt.  This setup is for 5cm buttons and the parts have an excellent finish.  

The setup can be purchased locally, the message on the button is locally made for local public cause.   The details for the setup are shown alongside.  I have been thinking, maybe our Activists and Volunteers could use such a setup and make meaningful buttons for public cause at very low cost.  I checked out the parts and setup, and found I could make one button in less than a minute.  Ordering ready buttons from vendors for our activities is always costly with no control on quality.  

Walking around the area I came upon a small  manual letter press for making leaflets, cards and A4 size posters in mono-color.  Children and adults were encouraged to try their hand and understand the process.  Similarly, there was lithography and transfer printing setup.  For a large size print, they had organized a three tonne road roller to press the inked block on the paper.  This drew large crowds and bids were placed for buying the limited editions of art made by popular local artists.  

Thinking of aamchi mumbai, I feel the above activity, buttons and cards are all eminently do-able and will encourage citizen participation and bonding.  Public cause messages can be given and citizen awareness raised easily.  The increased public participation due to national level IAC activities can be used at such platforms to educate citizens on their duties and rights.  Jai Hind!   

Meditation 101

Someone once asked Gautam the Buddha: "... you have meditated for so many years, what have you gained?".  The Buddha said ‘nothing’. Shocked the person says ".. nothing?". "So why have you struggled so many years if you were gaining nothing?".  The Buddha answered: "... I gained nothing, but I lost my anger, suffering, delusions, pain, worries, sickness etc.".

This is the true reality of meditation. One gains almost nothing. There is in fact nothing to gain, what you need to gain is already within you. You were born with it; it is your unrecognized true nature, buried deep within your ego centric contaminated mind.  Only when this contamination is cleared (the glass is emptied can anything new be put in), your own true divine nature reveals itself to you. Meditation is the process of getting rid of the garbage under which your mind has buried itself, to reveal your true divine nature to yourself.  

Go for it and be joyful always :)  Only 30 minutes a day, early when you wake up, these are your very own minutes, let not ANYTHING - ANYONE take them away.

IAC - The Way Ahead ... an FAQ. Draft of Wed. 08th August 2012

It makes me feel good that there are Volunteers / citizens who will seek to engage positively when there are disagreements or doubts.  Unfortunately, these are few and so the misguidance and pain for many.   Due to the thoroughly depressing condition in India, many jump to conclusions not based on fast paced events.  Having reviewed my essay and also ArvindK letter, certain topics need explanations.  Clarification will be given by Mayank ... Please chat him. 

1. On referendum.  Yes Mumbai has the best record and given time and proper planning it could have been done.  Each time in the past, we had over a week to implement.  This time there was hardly a day. So, it could not be done. 

I am told that since Anna sat on fasting ... 5th day, IAC Volunteers were on phone with Delhi, to find a solution due to our Teflon Govt. leaders.  Many suggested, that seeing health condition of various key persons on fasting, that this fasting be stopped since Govt. will not respond at all.  Many suggested that selfless persons be put in Parliament and andolan be done inside.  On ninth and tenth day, at most fasting centers, it seems, overwhelming majority of those attending, wanted some form of parliament intervention by IAC.  Understand that ArvindK, AnnaH, and others were not in a physically fit condition to take normal discussion routines.  Mayank confirms that he had relayed wishes of Citizen Candidates to them. 

So decision was taken to put up selfless persons under a 'andolan type party'.  News channels, then ran their own phone-in and opinion polls which verified that thousands of involved persons wish similar but unclear methods. 

2.  Gram / Village status.  Yes, it is a given that Jan Jaagran is not satisfactory, in cities and villages.  How long must we wait, another 44 years?  Will the 200 million in abject condition wait patiently for better 'delivery of governance' or will they not revolt violently?   Sorry ... I am rhetorical, but how else to convey my pain of 40 million households still without electric energy after 65 years.  We have tripled our population and increased electric generation ten times, yet we are unable to reach all, the pressure of numbers has its own arithmetic. 

Your query is have Gram/Village citizens been consulted.  I ask you, consult for what?  IAC is talking of bringing in legislation to consult them and take their consent for all programs, resources and plans that affect them.  Are they likely to refuse this?  Is this not what Amendment 73 was implying by bringing governance to village level.  This was twisted and Collectors manipulate the Panchayat under instructions from corrupt political high command.  Is this not what ArvindK book is SWARAJ all about?  He did visit a substantial sample, so has Anna.  We lack the competence to visit 500,000 villages, even if we have the intention.  So trust of the village citizens should not be lost here. 

3.  Honest Administrators have poor election record.  Seshan, JP, and many others are glorious examples.  They did their best within the existing crooked system.  Even Dr. S. Swamy swears it is possible to tackle the corrupt within the current system and laws.  I asked him personally at Pune, how many cases, how many years, and how many citizens benefited.  Woefully little and small.  My question is how to address the issue of our humongous population, we have over 200 million in dire straits.  Has any of these wonderful and capable officers, been able to substantially get them independent and develop their potential? 

Yathaa Prajaa, Tathaa Rajaa.  This is the inverted world of democracy, accept it and adapt to it. We need to do more of Jan Jaagran to get better persons elected and increase their strength by delivering good results for the middle and bottom citizens.  Right now the middle have got some improvement in the past twenty years and hence some support us, wanting more results very quickly.  Even Anna said, he would lose his deposit if he went for elections.  This is a fact, but we must not lose heart.  Some of us in JNM faced similar situation during the recent Assembly election for Andheri constituency, when I as agent had to respond daily to numerous notices.  Questions were raised about the EVMs too.  Manipulations were alleged, but we were with one candidate, a token at best.  Now, we need to put up at least ten percent, maybe 60 for parliament for the whole nation.  India has 60 selfless persons who are tough.  Let us shortlist them and prepare battle plan. 

Let it not be said, that we did not try all reasonable methods and stay peaceful and within the law.  Even the Courts ask litigant to approach only after exhausting all avenues.  The citizens need to see the effort and have a feel for the pain.  They need to participate and NOT vote for the TAINTED PERSONS.  How to get them to realise this need, is our problem.  We need to  bury our differences and force them to see the light; instant gratification of money against long term gain from authority to choose better persons.  As we have been saying:  do not give us handouts and benefits, give us the right to rule ourselves and decide for ourselves.  Do you understand me?   The recent claim of 'free mobile' is a great example to blast the nation with.  Let us work on cartoons, talks, TV remarks, etc focused on this issue, let us not just stick with FB :(

4.  Watching the new elected.  Yes, there is no guarantee that the selfless chosen may not go sour.  We can sow, but we must also weed, before we can reap. Any farmer ... and we have 150 million households out of 240 who are such, will understand this weeding and sowing business.  No need for pesticide as you put it.  There are many methods, you have listed some.  The basic, is: only one time candidate for the lifetime, with a in-house monitoring team.  These methods work in corporate too, so we need to figure out and keep changing to meet the situation.  In any case, episodic corruption and misuse of power is not stopped anytime in past or present.  We need not wait for Siddharth the Buddha, Vardhamaan the Mahavir and avataar others to, for admin issues.  The goal post shifts, so must our methods.  As you rightly said, NaBhoto, NaBhavishyatey even for KrishnaAvataar, let us take lessons from his reported life and act accordingly.  Chanakya Nitii.  Am I right? 

5.  Lokayukta and Assembly of States.  Seventh schedule of Constitution: State List section.  This our andolan is a long drawn out battle.  Let us make a beginning.  Talk did occur much earlier about Himachal elections.  Let us see if we have the Volunteers, dedicated as a TEAM to make it happen :)

6.  Alternate Solution.  I do not know of any, and I have personally been talking to Judges, Lawyers, IAS officers, etc.  Working on this political intervention has been fine tuned over the past SIX YEARS by JNM.  Many political parties have been formed: Loksatta, Forum for Presidential are two that I know off and have been fortunate to interact with the protagonists.  All realise that this is the only available step, but let us look at other methods.  No election is being fought for the next twelve months, right? 

7.  Committee elections.  This was done as a token with our Mumbai Zonal Teams.  I wish it could be implemented right off the bat for the whole country for the 'andolan party' and cnadidate selection.  But from experience of the past decade, I know it will be impossible, but we must try for 'full PAT with a strong dose of Decentralization and Integrity'.   I understand from Mayank that some work in this direction has commenced.  Please reach him for details.

8.  Political strategy.  I am unable to comment on this.  Obviously, being politics in India as in USA or Japan, it will have its opponents to strategy and dirty tricks.  This is the pain that some must bear; same as Mahadev Shankar has to bear the poison in his throat.  Who wants to be in the decision chair and who wants to  give once his-her five years?  Very difficult for the selfless and honest person to do, though the devils will make haste to line up at 01AM anywhere :) 

(compiled by Praful Vora, iac.mumbai.vora@gmail.com)  

Arvind Kejriwal’s letter to Volunteers after the end of anshan

The following is the English translation of Arvind Kejriwal’s letter to Volunteers after the end of anshan. The original letter which was written in Hindi can be read at the link: 
http://news.indiaagainstcorruption.org/iac_new/index.php/arvind-kejriwal-s-letter-to-volunteers-after-fast-breaking

Dear friends,

          There are mixed reactions at the end of Anshan. The general populace has welcomed our initiative of providing a political alternative to achieve the goal of the movement. More than 90% of the people surveyed by various channels and also by IAC have welcomed this decision. But a few of our friends who are very dear to us and who have put their mind body and soul into this movement for the past two years are feeling hurt. Notwithstanding the fact that they are small in number, it is they who have toiled selflessly and nurtured this movement, served the nation and loved me like anything. They have written emails and SMS to me blaming us of cheating them. Their blame is that the movement has been sold. There can not be 100% unanimity on any decision. Nonetheless, I write this letter to recap all the incidences as they happened with the hope that after going through this letter they don't doubt our integrity at the least. 

          They are basically asking two questions. 1) How and why was it decided to enter politics?  2) Why was the Anshan called off abruptly? Some of them charge that the whole Anshan was a sham, with its outcome pre-decided.

          I hereby present the events as they transpired with full honesty. It is entirely possible that these may appear empty words to you today. However, I believe that opinions will change looking back at my past record and my future conduct.

We started the Anshan honestly, fully prepared to sacrifice ourselves. I am a diabetic. If the anshan was pre-planned, the easier way would have been to end it in two days taking recourse to the fact that I was diabetic. Nobody in the world believed that I could surpass 48 hours. If it was all preplanned, if my will power was weak, if I lacked courage, or did not have the will to sacrifice, the easier route was to end it all in two days on the pretext of doctor’s advice. Thereafter, on the seventh day, Delhi Police too ordered us to get hospitalized as counselled by government doctors. My Ketone levels by that time had increased substantially. According to doctors, it was way above the dangerous level. If my intentions were bad, or if I was a coward, it would have been very convenient for me to get hospitalized. But we stayed on against the doctors’ advice.

          In the meanwhile, Annaji was monitoring our health very closely. He was very worried about the health of all of us who were fasting. It became obvious to him during the course that the government was not going to accept our demands of SIT and Lokpal Bill. On the other hand, from around the 3^rd or 4^th day itself, people started demanding that Annaji should provide a political alternative to the nation. People were shouting slogans, distributing pamphlets, raising banners demanding this. The same type of message was coming to Annaji from all over the country.

          Although the number of people at Jantar Mantar started increasing, Jantar Mantar is not the whole nation. The energy level and anger visible in August last year was missing in other places across India. Why did this happen? After speaking to people across the country, we found out that people had stopped believeing that coming out on to the streets was the only solution. People concluded that howsoever long we fast, the government will neither give SIT, nor LokPal. At the same time, people had faith in the leadership of the movement. They were losing faith on the method of taking to street and anshan in order to achieve our goals. For this reason, people were not taking holidays to take to the streets. They needed renewed hope. They sent message that if Annaji were to provide a political alternative, people’s hope would be rekindled.

          On the 9^th day of the fast, 23 eminent people wrote to us. They appealed to end the fast and provide the nation with a political alternative. What should be done next? It was decided to ask the people. The question was put to the people. Two days looked a reasonable timeframe in which the answers would be solicited for a decision to be taken thereafter. However, many television channels imediately started their own surveys. In a matter of few hours, the opinion and reactions of thousands of people from all over the country was obtained. We too received many reactions on emails, sms and phone calls. A massive majority of more that 90% of people were demanding a political alternative.

          Considering all this, Annaji after consulting all, decided that he would give the nation a political alternative and it was pointless to carry on fasting. Annaji announced this from the stage.

          90% of people surveyed through different media said that Annaji should provide a political alternative. If we were to disregard the public opinion, we would be called stubborn, insensitive to junta's feelings and branded as undemocratic . Now, when we submit to the will of a huge majority of people, we are blamed of bad intent from the outset. Present day politics is a quagmire. We do not take pleasure in this quagmire. In the next two years, if the government enacts JanlokPal, Law to Swaraj, Right to Reject and Right to Recall laws we will exit politics straightaway.

          You may disagree with the decision but I assure you that the intent of those taking the decision was never bad. I reiterate what I said on my last day of fast. Providing a political alternative does not mean we end the movement. It means that we are expanding the movement and making it bigger. Till today the movement was on the streets, from now on we will fight on the streets as well as in the parliament. You have participated in this movement selflessly till date. I hope that you will continue to do so with the same sentiments. You have adored me incessantly. I hope, I will continue to receive the same love and wishes from your side.

          Announcing a political alternative is quiet easy. But to provide a clean and meaningful alternative is very difficult. We are faced with innumerable challenges and issues. I am highlighting a few of them below and I hope to elicit your views on them.

1)    What are present day India’s problems and what are the solutions according to you? What is the India of your dreams?

2)    How to select candidates? We want this to happen through people participation.

3)    How to ensure that once elected, they don’t renegade and turn corrupt?

4)    We do not want ours to be just another political party. This party will now be the movement. According to you, what should be its form?

          I look forward to your response. You may send them to indiaagainstcorruption.2010@gmail.com or to our address at A-119, Kaushambi, Ghaziabad -201010, Uttar Pradesh

Yours affectionately

Arvind Kejriwal.

INDIA AGAINST CORRUPTION - THE WAY AHEAD

For almost 65 long years, India citizens have been struggling to realize the dream of the Mahatma and many other revered freedom fighters.  This dream has been to create 'all inclusive' citizen centric national systems and institutions, which will respond positively to the ever growing/changing needs of the citizens.  A lot has been achieved for a population that has tripled in the given time frame but India finds itself wanting more than just political freedom and some economic prosperity.  Even these have failed to reach a majority of the citizens, in spite of India giving itself an amazing Constitution, which makes the citizens the 'owners of the nation' and therefore supreme at every level.  The era of selfless and nationalistic leaders did not blossom to achieve the dream stated above, due to selfish behavior of some of those in corporate, political and administrative power.  A series of ever growing scams, cronyism, misuse of power-money-muscle and corruption of all kinds, going back to most of the 65 years, have caused serious setback in the natural growth of the nation of 120 Crore citizens.  The failure of the governance systems and national institutions, to address these serious problems, caused the creation of a national movement called India Against Corruption (IAC), during November 2010. 

India finds itself at almost the bottom on most 'global development indices' due to serious shortcoming in: Corruption Laws, Electoral Reforms, Judicial Reforms, Police Reforms, Gram Panchayat Reforms, Nagar Raj Reforms, De-centralization, Taxation Reforms, Education Reforms and Food Security among others.  While the political parties, many elected leaders and selected administrators, did work on all of the above national issues, unfortunately the results fail to deliver substantial relief to majority of the citizens, who find themselves unable to benefit from national development.  Dedicated and selfless citizens find themselves isolated and targeted at all levels across the country, such that Activists find themselves incapable of moving the nation in the right direction in spite of isolated instances of bringing justice to the troubled citizens.  IAC took up the issue of rampant corruption and framed a 'new draft bill' for a strong anti-corruption law (Lokpal at the centre and Lokayukt at the state level).  Such a bill has been pending for some 44 years.  The main protagonists of IAC were the same persons who had worked in the national governance systems and therefore knew its systemic shortcomings.  Many Activists across India, old and new, became Volunteers to take forward the national movement called IAC.  Shri Anna Hazare who had already worked with some of them for the RTI statute and who had caused the removal of some powerful corrupt politicians and administrators, was the natural choice for leading the IAC movement.  A parallel movement to control and bring back black money stashed abroad, was taken up by Yogi Shri Baba Ramdev. 

IAC Volunteers with Anna developed a Mahatma type national andolan/agitation to take forward this draft bill.  It was pointed out to the politicians and administrators that the 'owners of the nation' had woken up and wanted a strong Lokpal and Lokayukt law to control corruption, punish the perpetrators, recover the loot in a time bound manner with existing systems/institutions, working synchronously.  The agitation, peaceful in all respects, with Anna and Baba in the forefront, took the nation by storm, was widely reported in the local and national Media and digital world.  For some time the political parties and the current national Government were forced to admit the urgent need for such law and took a few positive steps in that direction, under pressure of repeated satyagrah.  However, in spite of many promises by some of the Government leaders and some in Parliament, the outcome is found to be zero. 

The stand of the 'owners of the nation' to make the 'servants of the nation' work for greater national good and fine tune the national institutions has only lead to false promises, incessant delays and more of the 3D poison (Deny, Divide and Divert).  Extreme forms of satyagrah have failed to move the tainted and criminal among the elected and selected officials in Government and Parliament.  It seems the dedicated and selfless among them are a helpless minority.  The India Constitution requires the Parliament and State Assemblies to pass laws and make required changes.  The only constitutional path available before the nation is now to send more selfless and capable persons into the Parliament and State Assemblies, to persuade citizens to avoid the tainted, to correct the system/institutions and bring in effective reforms that keep the citizens at the centre for all types of projects and plans. 

Continuing the current IAC agitation, andolan and satyagrah in its present form has so far failed to bring in a 'strong and comprehensive law and reformed system' to control corruption, but has raised awareness in the citizens and scared the tainted.  Now, about 44 years have elapsed for this one single reform; but we are closer to a participatory democracy than ever before.  This mission is now over.  It will be insane to continue indefinite fasting when a large number of tainted representatives obviously will not pass a strong Lokpal Bill in Parliament.  The best one can hope for is a repeat of the weak Nagar Raj Law passed by the Maharashtra Assembly.  The new mission is to channelize the current national fervor, to put many more selfless persons into the 'house of power' and achieve the needed goals stated above.  Such persons: Rashtra Sevaks, Rajya Sevaks, Zilla Sevaks, Nagar Sevaks, Gram Sevaks, chosen directly and only by the citizens, at all levels: Rashtra, Rajya, Zilla, Nagar and Gram, will eliminate all forms of Raj Shahi and bring in Lok Shahi, as was envisioned by the Mahatma and other important leaders of the past century. Their attitude will be of 'andolankaari's focused on service to the citizens.  Strong persons are needed to work as a team, and introduce/frame laws and policies to achieve the dream of an 'all inclusive resurgent India', by eliminating: VIP perks, nepotism, 3D poison, influence of money-muscle-power and other similar evils from the corridors of national power.  Such persons will have to work under the umbrella of an 'andolan type political party' and expose/prevent further misdeeds by the tainted MPs and MLAs and bring in reforms and fine tune national and state institutions. The mission for them will be to substantially improve the political and governance culture at all levels.  It is expected that such persons will offer only five years of their lives for nation building and then make way for others like themselves.  India has talent and capable persons, in all age groups, who are patiently biding time and opportunity for selfless national work, prepared to live simple ordinary lives to enable India to set new and better global standards.  The evils in India that seem to be the norm will have to be made rare and episodic. 

India can wait no longer.  The year 2014 brings an opportunity for Volunteers to persuade citizens to vote to bring in the best that India can offer.  These Volunteers will continue work at mohalla level and identify local persons who are acceptable representatives, to majority of citizens there.  Volunteers will study the electoral rolls and get removed non-existent voters, register new voters, engage youth for this cause and prepare for the coming national elections and for some state elections.  All planning and discussions must be Participatory, Accountable and Transparent (PAT) with a strong dose of Decentralization and Integrity. 

It is accepted that many well meaning dedicated citizens and activists will not find this a satisfactory mission and will therefore work for other constitutional methods.  They are welcome to follow their desires and also raise relevant issues and get them resolved/accepted at regular Volunteer public meets and various forums of the digital age.  It must be understood that this mission is being fine tuned even now and was taken up only when about 90% of citizens, Volunteers and Supporters at the recent 25th July 2012 agitation, across the nation, found it satisfactory.  This is an opinion poll subscribed to by tens of thousands of responsible selfless citizens.  Let those who object, not insult this choice but work to make politics and politicians a positive word.  Vande Maatarum.  Jai Hind.  

MEASURE OF SUCCESS

I DO NOT WANT TO TAKE ANYTHING   .... 1.

I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING .... 2. 

I DO NOT WANT TO BE ANYONE           .... 3.

The above seems contradictory to all one learns in life, in this current post-modern civilization.  One is encouraged, since infancy to gather things; in childhood and youth to learn all there is to know is ones' vocation or expertise; in youth and adulthood to rise to the top of the class in academics, sports, work, profession and society.  All these carry one through life and become: Assets, Status and Personality, or A-S-P.  Let us analyze how useful these really are for a continuously happy life leading to enlightenment. 

One is born with THREE things free, in this universe or multi-verse.  These are: BODY, MIND and LIFE-FORCE (this last comes from the Cosmos), or B-M-C.  One did not have to struggle for or obtain or achieve any of these, they were just there for one, absolutely free, absolutely organized; with zero effort on ones' part. Unfortunately, without deep meditation or guidance from enlightened ones', one is not aware of these most important free things.  The entire life is instead spent in achieving, struggling for: ASSETS, STATUS, PERSONALITY.  All kinds of compromises, manipulations and effort is spent to obtain these three things, under the impression that these latter three: A-S-P will help one have a better life, a perpetually happier life.  So a lifetime is spent to obtain with great effort and sacrifice A-S-P instead of using properly, the free B-M-C provided at birth. Here, by 'one', reference is made to 'the Self', the 'I' in each one of us. 

When in good health and in youth, the Self may ignore the Body.  Recognition and appreciation of the 'organized Body', its service to the Self, is rarely done if at all and this leads to misuse as in: over eating,  starving, wrong consumption, leading a stress full life, sleep deprivation, over sleeping, straining underused bones, muscles, sloth, etc. This is misuse of the Body which came free with birth. 

Similarly, the Mind is often used for temporary sensual pleasures, chasing meaningless dreams and fantasies, ideas without focus or plan, bad choices, anger, greed, contempt, pride, envy, gossip, association with persons who promote or subscribe to such things, etc.  It is said that most things a person says are not recalled even at the end of the same day. This is misuse of the Mind which came free with birth. 

The Life Force given by the Cosmos provides everything that is needed by each living and sentient being.  How many are aware of this and appreciate it?  Most think that they are the ones' who are providing, creating, maintaining, all possible things. The entire Cosmos responds positively to each one of us, to the Self.  One has to recognize this.  The Cosmos is interested in ones' evolution and happiness, yet one fails to recognize this.  Misuse of Body, Mind and Cosmos is caused by endless desires which cannot be fulfilled and so result in the evils of the Mind.  The environment is polluted, overused and misused, un-natural boundaries are drawn and possession is claimed for whatever Nature and Cosmos has provided free. Wars are fought, species are exterminated and controlled, even genes which evolved over millions of earth-years are not spared.  Useless pain for all of creation.

A lifetime is spent in collection of Assets by any means, without contemplation of the actual 'needs' and the means for obtaining them. Every day one says, today this is mine, tomorrow that will be mine, and so on.  With Assets, come the desire for Status and Personality. One hankers after fame, position, membership of prominent Associations or Organizations, university degrees, gives donations or uses any means to get ones' picture published and name printed on public property or society goods, joins public cause only to promote ones' Status.  Soon, fair weather friends will warn us to improve our Personality, for a 'make-over'. So one chases high fashion clothing, cosmetic surgery, health clubs and medication for a seeming fitter body, bigger house-car-gadgets-yatch-jet.  In short everything is done to show one has 'arrived' and is a substantial presence is society and nation.  In fact, today one with wealth is advised to use cryogenics to store ones' dying body indefinitely for possible future rejuvenation.  Scientific research is on to download ones' memory onto a tera-bit memory chip as an alternative to savings ones' conscience or life. 

Now, imagine that life is drawing to an end, as it must for each and every living thing and sentient being.  At this instant, think which is more useful: A-S-P or B-M-C.  Those who have been chasing A-S-P will without doubt have serious and untimely, debilitating illness or disease and all the money in the world cannot but extend a vegetative existence.  Same for Status and Personality; associates will probably have a party knowing that the end is at hand.  History is replete with the powerful 'kings' of yester year who were mourned only in passing or who's end was hastened by their near and dear ones'. 

On the other hand, imagine the same situation with one who has tried to properly use the free B-M-C.  Such a person will find listening to ones' Body brings rich dividends. Aging will be natural with generous faculties and death will occur at ones will or in good health.  One will have lived a 'full life'.  Mind will be in full control, used to implement what the Self and Intellect commands for general good.  It will be at peace and harmony with all of creation.  Realizing that one is: interdependent, interconnected and interrelated to the Cosmos and its Cosmic Energy, the same will be available for ones' use at all times.  This is to be experienced to be understood and believed.  Recognizing that there is a Force far greater than ones' I or Self, will allow one to invoke it at will for greater good only.  Such a person has raised Conscience to a very high level and is therefore on the path to 'enlightenment'. 

Therefore, to achieve this level, I return to the first three lines of this essay: 1, 2 and 3.  The first is important since if I focus on 'taking', I am creating Assets, which will only cause greed and selfishness.  The second is important since if I want to Know Anything, I will be wanting a high Status, which will cause envy, hate, contempt, etc.  The third is important since if I focus to Be Anyone, I will be wanting to have a great Personality, which will cause enmity, conflict, etc.  In any case, none of these help one in life as has been explained earlier.  Living a minimalist life, with humility and sense of service and co-existence with all creation, will give continuous happiness.  Making these a part of ones' life puts one in a perfect position for meditation and leads one to enlightenment. 

Thursday 05th July 2012.  

EASING PARKING BLUES

While recently traveling in Neuchatel in Switzerland, I noticed some rather nice innovations in most of the covered multi-level public and mall parking.  Each parking area has an electronic board outside, clearly visible as one drives to it, indicating the parking timings, time rates and number of vacant places inside.  Each parking slot has a lamp about four meters above ground.  This remains red when occupied and turns green when vacant.  When one is entering the particular parking-level, one can see at a glance the whole parking plate or zone and quickly determine vacant slots where one can park.  This does away with the incessant cruising and need for security on the particular floor to direct the visitors.  The slots are clearly numbered so that one can find ones' vehicle easily.  The parking level floors are fully paved, clean and have side zones for leaving shopping carts and garbage bins.  Well lit elevators take one to different levels. Clear lit indicators tell one how to reach the exit or the other levels.  Payment machines at the entrance and exit allow one to automatically collect the parking ticket with the date-time stamp and pay for the duration of parking by cash or card.  Human intervention is reduced to almost nil.  This last may not be necessary in India where labor is available economically.

It seems a simple infra-red proximity sensor coupled to high intensity LED lamps does the trick.  The totalling of the green lights will indicate the vacant slots on the outside electronic board.  The location of the red-green lamps and visibility from the entrance must be carefully planned.  Currently at most parking: open, covered and multi-level, one is stressed out rushing to capture an open slot and then trying to remember the location.  One will observe strange reversing and turning to get into a vacant slot, causing traffic hold up.  Witness the Mumbai Airport Parking issues, unnecessary pain; so also most shopping Malls.  With new multi-level public or private parking buildings coming up across the MMR, such simple arrangements with reasonable round the clock lighting (artificial or preferably natural with light pipes) and alert security guards with CCTV cameras, will go a long way in offering desired comfort to the citizens.  Let us remember that we now have TWO MILLION vehicles in MMR and rising by the day with sub-normal parking and even zero parking arrangements.  Since all these parking facilities are being charged a substantial fee, the added cost of red-green lighting and outside electronic boards, should not burden the service provider much. 

I expect the Activists focused on such issues will direct this idea to the right planning authorities and the MCGM will incorporate the same in their SOPs and DC rules. Jai Hind!