Anna's call may not change the system: Arundhati

In her first public statement on Anna Hazare's campaign to draft an effective Jan Lokpal bill, social activist Arundhati Roy said that corruption was presented as a moral issue rather than a political one to Hazare's supporters who thronged Jantar Mantar.

Speaking to rediff.com, Roy said that Hazare's movement did not have any particular call to change the system that is causing the corruption.

"For me the first thing that is going to stem this chain of corruption is to stop this crazy privatisation of public infrastructure and natural resources. Then, once you systematically correct this, corruption can be stopped considerably," she said.

"Then you can have the Lokpal Bill because it is the system itself that is manufacturing corruption. It is like putting a band aid on a very grievous wound," Roy told rediff.com.

When asked if the scores of people who responded to Hazare's call would have equally responded if it had been explained to them in such complex terms, Roy said that they would.

"People, the common man, are not stupid, you know. The tens of thousands of people who gathered in little towns and big cities to protest are perfectly capable of understanding complex issues," she said.

"There have been so many rallies by people from small towns against what I am talking about (anti-privatisation of public properties), but those are ignored," Roy added.

Roy was speaking post a 'Public Convention Against Corruption' organised by The Coalition of Democratic Movements. Eminent members of the civil society spoke at the three-hour convention and included journalists, trade unionists, lawyers, social activists and non-governmental organisation founders.

Roy said that it was no surprise that the middle class responded to Hazare's call.

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"Most of these middle class people who flocked to Jantar Mantar and much of the corporate sponsored media had benefitted greatly from economic reforms that have led to corruption on this scale. Not surprisingly, several corporate CEOs generously donated lakhs of rupees to support the campaign," she said.

"When corruption is viewed as a moral problem, then everyone -- fascists, democrats, anarchists, god-squadders, day trippers, the right, the left and even the deeply corrupt -- can rally to the cause," Roy said.

Supporting lawyer Prashant Bhushan, who has been subject of attack in the past two weeks, Roy said that the "viciousness of the smear campaign against him is proof enough of the threat he poses to vested interests."

"I have known Prashant for years and I can vouch for his integrity. In a filthy battle such as this, in which facts are made up, none of us can ever be pure or righteous enough. However, the fight will continue. Retreat is not an option," Roy concluded.

Prashant Bhushan, who is on the joint committee drafting the bill, reiterated the need for a strong Jan Lopal Bill.

"When the 2G case came up for hearing in the Supreme Court, the judges remarked that they had never come across such figures before. I mean look at it. The Bofors case was the largest corruption case to have come in the public purview and it amounted to Rs 64 crore," he said.

"The 2G scam, however, runs into tens of thousands of crores. Such rampant corruption is taking place because of the privatisation of public corporations 00 airport, water, electricity -- you name it. By allowing non-transparent financial systems, you have opened up ways of enormous profits for the corporate sector," Bhushan said.

Referring to the string of scams that have come out in the fore, Bhushan said that developments in the last year or so have sent down shivers down the spines of guilty corporates.

"It is not surprising that these forces will do anything in their power to deter the forces behind the exposure of such scams. The Central Bureau of Investigation and Central Vigilance Commission are so thoroughly compromised that they don't act unless directed by a judge. An effective Lokpal bill will ensure that they are prosecuted. I am not saying that the bill is perfect at this stage, but it will definitely get better with public consultations and discussions," Bhushan told rediff.com.

Social activist Aruna Roy said that there is s strong need for a Lokpal bill, but that the present draft should be bettered with discussions and debates.

"There is a fragment of the political class who want the Lokpal bill to be passed because they believe that when passed as law, it will crumble under its own weight because of the number of provisions it has. This should not happen. Civil society has different voices and mutual exchange of ideas should take place so that a strong law can be put in place to root out corruption," Roy said.