He is docked and not garlanded
Detention of social activist Anna Hazare aged 74 proves without shadow of doubt that India which claims and proclaims to be the biggest democratic country on the face of earth has jolted its reputation and earned a big black dot on its face.
Indian population is a bit over 1.21 billion as it has been found out during the recent census carried out in 2011 while as per statistical figures of 2001, Hindus are 85% whereas Muslims number 13.4% while Christians and Sikhs are 2.3% & and 1.9 % respectively meaning by that Hindus are in thumping majority in the country and one way or the other, Anna Hazare being a Hindu himself if I am not mistaken has stood up against the majority. The activist is protesting against corruption in India which is very much rampant in the country in any case. Since August 1947 when India gained independence from the British rule, time and again it has been read in the press that many senior government higher-ups have been implicated in various money scandals. Regretfully plundering of national exchequer is becoming alike more or less a qualification as against condemnation. Many have already been punished for various terms over the years while some are still languishing behind the bars on the same account while many are running from pillar to post to clear their names from the list of corrupted people. Greed and lust of money to a great extent has eroded the very basic moral fiber of all the society in general and of those who plunder the wealth in particular irrespective of the fact whether they are caught up or not.
Hats off for Anna for happily and willingly enduring not only unforeseen hardships but even risking his life to go on fast to death which is quite an extreme action to be honest and is nothing but just one step less than self-immolation and that too at the age of 74 as a sign of strongest protest against looting the national wealth. Life undoubtedly and undisputedly is the dearest possession of anyone irrespective of gender, religion, age, education, nationality, location and status and hence from this point of view none wants to risk his or he life whatsoever unless and until there is no way out. The moral conscious coupled with national obligation obliged the gentleman under the reference to stand up to the occasion in protesting against the corruption believing that his agitation will at least minimize the corruption to some extent if not eliminating it all together. He is in no way protesting for his personal gains nor is he trying to conceal his own corruption rather on the other hand he is just trying to put in his howsoever meager efforts they may be to clean up the society where he is born, raised and lives. What else he, or for that matter anyone else, could do for the betterment of the society as a whole?
Shouldn’t he be garlanded as against detention is my question to the moral conscious of the tall claimed secular and democratic country?
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With my honest and solemn prayers Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait /
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