I’m sure it was heartening for most of us to see the country come together as one when supporting against the Anna Hazare campaign for the Lokpal bill. But as I always like to say, the campaign is fundamentally flawed and here’s a reason as to why.
Corruption is not something that crept into our ‘system’ overnight. It has been nurtured over the years by all individuals. A few used it at first, as a quicker way to get their work done and the rest naturally followed. Today, when the issue has gained larger proportions, we go to the extent of blaming the system and try to exonerate ourselves.
In fact, I think what the Anna Hazare campaign has actually done is to expose our hypocrisies and duality of nature. Its time we clean our own filth before cleaning the nation’s. The last time Anna campaigned in Delhi, thousands of people gathered on the streets, all across the county. For a strong anti-corruption Bill. The youth went a step further by calling often for Government heads to roll. Quick as they were to point fingers at the Government, most were quick too, in forgetting a very integral part of their ‘traditions’. This ‘tradition’ being Dowry.
Confused ? Its pretty simple. Dowry has become such an integral part of ‘Indian tradition’ that we forget its implications. Dowry, going by its definition in the Dowry Prohibition Act, is the giving of ”any property or valuable security”. Yes, both families do exchange valuable gifts before, during and after the wedding. But it is no hidden fact that in a majority of cases, the girl’s family also ‘gifts’ plenty to appease the bridegroom and his family. A survey of 2008 shows that the average cost of such ‘gifts’ are at least Rs.1 lac. Even poor families earning barely Rs.5000 a month are not spared.
Isn’t Dowry corruption, thus ? Monetary gifts and other valuable property is used as an incentive for the groom to marry the bride. What’s so different about other forms of corruption ? RTO officers are also given ‘cash incentives’ to speed up license issuance. Traffic cops are given the same when we get caught violating rules. We may claim to be forced to pay bribes in the latter cases, but what about willingly taking Dowry ? Aren’t we as much or more guilty than any corrupt politician or bureaucrat we complain about on the streets ?
Several thousand men descended on Delhi’s streets for the anti-corruption cause. But how many would be prepared to break this ‘tradition’ of theirs at home first ? Only then can they claim to have the right to fight for a good Anti-corruption Bill. Every 12 hours a woman burns to death due to Dowry harassment in Delhi alone. More than 8000 women, in 2008, due to the same, all over India.
Like Michael Jackson so famously said – “I’m starting with the man in the mirror; I’m asking him to change his ways….take a look at yourself, And then make a Change.”
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