On 16th of August 2011, Indian democracy witnessed a political havoc when a citizen named Kisan Baburao Hazare aka Anna Hazare was taken into police custody and later to judicial custody as a preemptive measure for speculated threat to public peace, law and order as justified by India's honorable Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. There are many unanswered questions raised for this undemocratic act where a person without any background of breaking any law and order or causing any sort of disruption to peace was subjected to such custody and a basic constitutional right, freedom of speech was denied. But, this certainly did not reduce the enthusiasm or determination to fight for the cause of corruption. This triggered self-motivated and volunteered movement across the democratic India and proved that certainly a fear of being bullied was totally refused by citizens of this country. None of the citizens was directly affected by government action but still the spark of the moment spread spontaneously across the nation.
On that day, I woke up hearing this unpleasant news of Anna Hazare's arrest and felt pity on Indian Government who totally failed to tackle the situation. As many of my other fellow citizens even I decided to have a fast that day in order to show the moral support to the movement. Some questioned me "What would you achieve fasting over here as no one is watching you?" My answer to that was: "I am watching myself". It is the self decision and fight against all the bad thoughts which dissolved into me over the years. In my life I never felt so bad about corruption from bottom of my heart. The past moments kept haunting my thoughts where I had paid bribe to traffic police for getting away with expired PUC certificate just because fine for the same was Rs. 200 and I could get away with Rs. 40 or a situation where I had to pay non-documented Rs. 100 to police constable for no reason but just to validate my address for passport verification process. It's human nature to go by 'easy' way as opposed to 'right' way. The concept of corruption is so much dissolved in us over the years that sometimes we unknowingly propose or follow the option to bribe and get the work 'done' and we don't even feel bad about it. Traffic police job is to punish the law breaking personal and we stop him from doing that by luring with bribe and we say it is O.K. as it does not affect much. Traffic police also accepts the bribe to compromise with its task and this way act of corruption gets diluted and dissolved in us. Just imagine, the job of an army man is to guard the nation border and prevent terrorists from breaching it, but what if he decides to compromise with his tasks and take bribe to let the terrorists enter freely, will it be acceptable by us? Aren't we going to question his responsibility at that time?
O.K. some will agree that one should not encourage himself/herself for corruption, but what about others? What difference will it make if I stop bribing? Others are still doing it and there will be no effect. If you are thinking the same then you might be wrong. No change can make a big impact unless it has been started and you have to start with yourself or the only other option is to force the change. When you have convinced yourself about the change then only you can see that change being influenced and reflected to others. I believe the number of people with good moral values is more than the people who are lacking the moral values. It is just every time bad values cultivate faster than the good ones. If you reflect the courage to stand by your values then others will certainly get motivation to stand by theirs. If everyone starts to follow this then it will certainly appeal the remaining and we can see the change getting reflected in society. No fire can be ignited without a spark. So come and lets pledge with me to stop the corruption starting from yourself, make a difference and be a part of a change that you want to see.
