“Every time we turn our heads the other way when we see the law flouted, when we tolerate what we know to be wrong, when we close our eyes and ears to the corrupt because we are too busy or too frightened, when we fail to speak up and speak out, we strike a blow against freedom and decency and justice.” 

― Robert F. Kennedy

This old quote from a different country far way somehow seems to perfectly fit this country now. Like a glove.

In this nation of 1.2 billion+ people, one man has had the guts to stand up and fight the scourge of corruption in a very visible and all-encompassing way.  He is doing this in spite of all the criticisms that he’s up against, criticisms that sometimes verge on demonizing him.  He started the battle with Anna Hazare, and even after parting ways is not giving up. Anything but.

You go, Kejriwal!

Clearly, he doesn’t have all the answers on the right way to proceed. Who can, in this nation of corrupt underbellies?  So, he is relentlessly trying anything and everything to get the word out and to rouse the nation –

Fasting, check.

Protesting – loud, non-violent, civil disobedience and in-your-face, check.

Media-blitzing, check.

Politics, check. [His party home page has this apt slogan – We the people of India are the change we seek.]

He is stepping up his revelations about the corrupt – be they high ranking politicians or prolific business people, all very powerful people. And he is creating fear and anxiety (also enemies) as the guilty begin to dread each week and each disclosure.

Yes!

From an article in Outlook; click on picture to read article “Aam Army”

Thankfully the media is paying close attention to what he is saying, and therefore spreading the word so that the whole country hears about the looters. Not just Indian media, but now more global publications such as The Washington Post, Forbes and The Wall Street Journal (check out this wonderful satire) are starting to pay attention.

[The flip side of this is that the media has a super-short memory – only until the next big story erupts or is manufactured. So, Kejriwal’s revelations seem to appear and disappear like lightening bolts].

Who is Kejriwal going after?

On the one hand, you have corrupt politicians (irrespective of political party or affiliation) stealing from the government coffers. And on the other hand you have the uber wealthy Indian industrialists hiding their black money in Swiss banks, not paying taxes that they owe to the country – on the wealth that they accumulate from her.

Just last week, I had published a post about the fall from grace of Rajat Gupta. Compare his crime to that of these thieves, blatantly stealing from the country and its people! He’s been punished.

But will these looters ever get their due?

Still, Arvind Kejriwal toils on, against all odds and all critics – one stalwart and his circle of supporters in this vast country, doing all he can to expose them – the rich and the famous – “leaders” who are also turning out to be the ultimate corrupt rogues of India. Along the way, he is slowly but surely picking up more steam and supporters.

I found a recent opinion piece about the man that will probably interest you as much as it did me with this intriguing title, Six reasons why Arvind Kejriwal makes a bad politician. It showcased his character in a way that made me root for him even more. He has all the refreshing qualities of an “anti-politician”. 

Let’s give the man his due, and for the good of the country, we need to hope that he never backs off of his agenda for the country.  Now that he has a political party, there’s a pragmatic way for people to make a real difference by supporting him. And if there was anything India needed at this time, she needs that. His party even coming out as a strong, honest opposition to whoever ends up ruling would truly be counted as progress.

Only the people can make him a real force in the the next election and therefore, in the country.

The question remains, however – will they?

Photo from The Hindu; Click on photo to read the article

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