Genesis
While growing up in India in the '90s, the newspapers (remember them?) used to carry a caricature strip by the great cartoonist, R.K.Laxman. It would show this elderly bespectacled gentleman, watching the daily goings-on from the sidelines. His facial expressions would vary from bemusement to helplessness to cluelessness. We have witnessed a tumultuous 4 years worldwide, since the beginning of this decade. Most dictators and terrorists are deposed or dead, the Arab Spring came and went by with more action than results.
And then there is the new phenomenon in India called the AAP - Aam Aadmi Party -translation - Common Man's Party. Their symbol is a broom, to sweep away corruption. They have emerged as a potent third option other than the UPA and the NDA alliances. The AAP is a remarkable story because it has been able to achieve dramatic success in a relatively short time. Due credit must be given to Sri. Anna Hazare, who first raised his voice against the rampant corruption pervading in the last 5 years of the current UPA government.
Now there are 2 factions of observers - the optimists and the cynics. I have to admit, I fight my cynicism on a daily basis. It is hard to accept that someone has a purely noble intent. We are subconsciously looking out for any ulterior motives. To outside observers, the AAP seems to have started on the right note. They may seem a little out of their depth, but everyone needs to be given a chance and adequate time to prove themselves. The remarkable difference between the Arab Spring and this revolution in India is the non-violent nature of it. Democracy won in a spectacular fashion, where people voted for rank outsiders to form a government in the Capital of India. If someone said that 4 years back, people would think he must be high.
I am also a common man. I have aspirations and hopes just like everybody else - the 'Aam Aadmi'. 'Aam' also means Mango in Hindi. So I am Mango Man (get it?). Mango Man is everybody. He is faceless. He is a Superhero who has no supernatural strength. All he has is Hope. But corruption is like Kryptonite to Hope. AAP appears to be the beacon of hope for the Mango Man. They may fail, but they must prove that they tried their best. It can only be hoped that they don't follow the paths of their predecessors. It is not to say that AAP is the panacea for all evil. There are many important issues like National Security, hunger and poverty, that need experienced hands, so AAP needs to enroll the most competent personnel.
But this anti-corruption bandwagon raises another issue about the Indian society and its sensibilities, in general. The youth today want good jobs, education, affordable housing, pretty much everything. They are frustrated with the prevalent corruption in every sphere of life. They want to leave their country a better place for their children. But this would come at a tremendous price. Corruption breeds in the absence of law enforcement. The laws are all in place, but the enforcement is flimsy at best. If corruption needs to be weeded out, then people need to be prepared to face consequences for their actions. Almost everyone I know will just shrug their shoulders and grease someone's palm to get favors done; passport office, bank loans, you name it. Giving a bribe is also a malaise. Imagine people getting busted in large numbers across the country for their transgressions, there is no wherewithal to enforce the laws. There aren't enough courts and enough judges to process the cases. The Indian courts give out sentences after 20 years! The judge giving the sentence today may have been an intern at the time of the incident. Cases languish in courts for years on end. Knowing this, most politicians hire top-notch lawyers, bribe the judges and walk around with impunity. As long as there are legal loopholes, there will be no real justice. You can't catch fish with a small handkerchief. Conversely, using a large fish net with gaping holes isn't going to help much, either.
What can the Mango Man do? He doesn't have the deep pockets to hire attorneys to fight his cases. He can do only one thing - Vote. There are many who are watching AAP with keen interest. They are openly or secretly rooting for its success. But they are also wary of AAP becoming just another political party - milking the public's trust while in power. AAP needs to demonstrate that their intent is honest, for that, they need to focus on law enforcement. Also, for a society where bribes are commonplace, they will need to bring upon a social revolution demonstrating that laws are meant to be enforced and are equal for everyone. And there is no escaping if you break the law. Mango Man is anxiously waiting to see if AAP's broom will sweep away the ills of the society or sweep them under the proverbial dirty rug. I am Mango Man. So are you.
