Why Some People are Sceptical about the AAP

It is official. It’s the Aam Aadmi Party – the AAP. Why would it be good for the nation? 

First, the party hopes to address corruption. And second, they intend that there will be no muzzling of the aam aadmi. They have a proven track record. They’ve invited honest feedback while others have tried to muzzle the opinions of the common citizens of India. Ordinary people have gone to jail for daring to criticise political parties and their leaders. Rule by fear.

Still, there are some people who are wary of giving the AAP a chance. They want change with all their hearts. They hate the corruption they face daily. They know what it has done to the nation. 

But these are some of the things that stop them. There’s the fear of the unknown. They don’t wish to take a chance with a new party. They’d rather settle for whatever is known. At least it has constancy – they know how to handle the corruption and they know they have to pay up – whatever the price – if they want daal roti or anything legitimate done for themselves. Who knows what might be brought into the equation through unknowns? 

• It doesn’t matter that the known parties are trying to muzzle the ordinary citizens and sending them to jail for voicing their opinions. 
• It doesn’t matter that thanks to corruption in individual members of existing parties many Indians have remained mired in poverty with a complete lack of health, education, shelter, food, clothing and employment. 
• There have been scams to make land grabs legitimate. This has resulted in suicide and depression. 
• The corruption perception index puts India at 3.1 out of 10
• the air we breathe, the soil we grow our produce in or let our cattle graze in and our drinking water makes ours an environmentally poor country to grow up in. 

We would rather take all that than take a chance with a new party.

We are meek and submissive as our current politicians want us to be. How was it possible to put those ordinary individuals in jail? We could all see that state machinery was used - for example, the police. Who had the power to call on that state machinery to do their bidding? Do we have to be scared of passing our opinions? Or is it something we are used to anyway so where's the problem?

And last, but not least, there’s apathy. “It is hot, I am busy, I hate politics, we'll always have corruption in politics or how will just one vote – mine – make such a difference” are all excuses we use to remain apathetic.

My hope is that come election time each and every Indian will know and appreciate not only Arvind but all the AAP party members of which there are 300 right now. 

Here are some of the things I appreciate in Arvind - the AAP leader. He has an elephantine memory. Politicians have tried everything in their power to bring him down but he’s always come back with facts and figures to confound their efforts. They’ve made accusations that he is self serving; that he wants to enter politics for himself; that he’s simply using the platform of corruption for his personal ambitions. His response has been to let them know he's only joined politics to fight the system from within. He, Anna and so many Indians tried letting politicians (of all parties) know how much the aam aadmi hated their corrupt ways. This was without wanting to join politics but through peaceful protests. The response from politicians was to pretend they were agreed to bringing in a law to punish corrupt politicians. Their version of that law, as we all know, was to once again put themselves in charge of the investigations against themselves.

I’d like to close this post by talking about Anna and Arvind. They are two sides of the same coin. Arvind’s move of forming a political party has Anna’s blessings. Anna has promised to campaign for Arvind’s party members as long as they are not corrupt.  The 2 As make the most perfect foil for each other. Both have the good of their country at heart. Anna likes working with his hands. Who isn’t impressed with the way he’s turned his village from abject poverty into prosperity. Not for him the complexities of the letter of the law and debates. Those are in the capable hands of someone with a memory for facts and figures - the articulate Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party.

Note: The Aam Aadmi Party website has pages under the title “Agenda” that explain exactly what they are planning to tackle and how. Watch this video to find out what you can do to join the party, what pamphlets you can distribute etc.

Why (We Feel We Should) Post Regularly on Our Blog

What I mean is, why has that golden nugget been dinned into my head and probably yours? I’ve regurgitated the wisdom, passed it on and encouraged it to go viral. But on thinking about it, I feel I mightn’t have given it enough thought. And then again, who am I to refute it when

• every search engine guru says that in order to make our presence felt in blogosphere we should write a post at least once a week if not more? 
• blogging networks promote the same wisdom? They reckon the busier their network, the more Google will promote it. They believe it is in their interest that there should be non-stop activity through their blogger members

• writing posts, 
•  conversing with other bloggers and 
•  entering competitions

They try everything in their power to promote activity so that their network shows up on the first page of Google’s search engine. They are the owners of a blogging platform and individual bloggers are their industrious bees.

With a zillion bloggers on the internet, that's a zillion posts a week competing for attention. What a glut. A zillion posts on every topic under the sun – some repeated over and over. And over. To test this theory, I searched Google for the following phrase – why post regularly on your blog – and guess what? There were about 67,700,000 results in 0.16 seconds. Most had written on why we should and how we should and a few on why we shouldn’t.

I've thought long and hard about this and come to the conclusion that I enjoy having a presence on the net but if that involves even a hint of frenzied, desperate action, I don’t enjoy it. Writing a post week after week means searching for a worthy topic to discuss week after week. Why? Not because I want to but because I believe Google and others want me to. Some will reward me with a rank and others, with my blog showing up in search engines on the first page. What will that get me? Very gratifying attention. For a nanosecond (as someone I've quoted later in this post, has pointed out).

So I’ve done my bit by churning out a post with the right keywords and tweaked for SEO to please Google (and others). Now I can sit back on my laurels and reap the rewards. Gosh no! I’ve got to comment on posts to please them too. If commenting on someone’s post is only so that they comment on mine, if I desperately want Google to know I am a busy bee with forward, backward and sideways links to my credit, is it a compliment to the post I’ve just read and commented on? Not really. I posted the comment to curry favour with Google. I hasten to declare I am not sitting in judgement but if that is the case, I have two questions -

Who, therefore, controls my actions on the net? And who am I trying to establish a worthwhile relationship with?


The ones whose blogs I really enjoy, I subscribe to. Whether they write once a month or once every three months, I’d come to know and happily head on over to at least read and often, to comment. But do I remember what they wrote about in previous posts? Very rarely. But I remember one thing for sure - that particular blogger writes something that consistently resonates with me.

Does Google remember their posts? Yes. It will throw up their post if it has value and is tweaked for keywords and search terms again and again. That is why it is so important for them to, first and foremost, write quality content. And that takes time, effort and their full engagement – heart and mind. If they must churn out a post every week, how do they keep that integrity intact?

Ah, I hear you say - at least it reminds Google of my existence. But, I counter, it makes inroads into your time. There’s so much to do and if you spend all your time blogging and reading other blogs, responding to comments on yours and leaving comments on theirs, you end up feeling spent, exhausted and caught up in a mindless, meaningless spiral.

It somehow reminds me of my generation hell bent on acquiring an academic degree. We might end up in a job that makes absolutely no use of our degree but a degree we must have.

As someone said here, People are flooded with information. There is noise everywhere. Long gone are the days where you need to be in front of people every single day. Posting regularly might get you high up on Google’s rankings for a few days but the positions will be short lived. 

Is it really worth the time and effort? That is for each blogger to decide. (I know there are some who are paid to advertise goods or services on their blogs. It isn’t them I’m talking to at all.)

Of late I have seen a few really worthwhile bloggers hang up their blogging shoes. Between jumping off and spinning on there is the option of slowing down.

Also, I have to ask - do they leave a vacuum? That depends on the content of each of their posts and what it meant to us (not to anyone else). We, humans, will definitely miss some of them. As for Google, the world of blogging goes on - a merry-go-round that makes you feel dizzy. There’s more and more .... and more churned out hourly. And Google is busy crawling them all.

I continue to write as I enjoy writing, especially when something disturbs me or when my creativity decides to come out of hiding. I continue to long for kindred souls who feel the same as I do in my posts and I love it when they respond. But I write only if I have something of my own to say; something I feel an urgent need to share. Then the writing is done in minutes. This excludes the edits and re re re re edits till I feel satisfied I’ve said my piece and conveyed exactly what I want to. That, for me, takes a while. As for commenting on other blogs, in my case it is random and disorganised. But, to my logical mind (if I even have one), reading and responding to one or two posts a day is time reasonably and well spent.

Even if we slow down there will still be enough on the net to keep us informed. It will simply be less dross, less repeats and more golden nuggets, unique and compelling. Wonder if you can ever change your formulas to recognise that, Google. After all, you lack the one important quality – that of being human and understanding humans. Whether you do or whether you don’t, this human isn’t planning on posting once a week and is willing to take the consequences. I have enough deadlines to contend with without adding yet another.

I’d like to dedicate this post to “India Against Corruption”. They’ve started a fast at Jantar Mantar this week asking for a probe against corrupt individuals who’ve siphoned off a huge chunk of the Indian tax payer funds for themselves. 

The connection between their fast and this post is only this. The corrupt individuals are ministers in power and 

There seems to be a clamp down on the media so that this monumental effort by India Against Corruption goes unreported and unnoticed by most Indians. 

There are huge crowds at Jantar Mantar supporting IAC. Here’s a link – http://www.granslive.com/public/showEvent?eventId=6cc031b0-0608-47c4-921a-d5ae35f9fd2e - see the event live for yourselves. 

If nothing, it helps us understand what is involved in staging protests, how hard it is and how willing IAC and its members are to give of their time and effort so that fifteen ministers who have been accused of siphoning off huge sums by our country are held accountable. This protest is to ensure they are probed by an independent panel and not by their own cronies or by organisations they themselves head. In between the live protest, you can see Arvind Kejriwal explaining what exactly they’ve been accused of, who is sitting on the panel that is supposed to probe their crimes and what IAC is demanding should happen so that the probe and its findings are swift (not delayed with one weak excuse after another) and fair. 

One thing everyone acknowledges is that IAC and its members are doing this for their country rather than for themselves.

Please feel free to share the links or dedicate your next post to bringing attention to this fast (in spite of the stifled Indian media) if you believe these fifteen ministers (http://news.indiaagainstcorruption.org/iac_new/index.php/fast-against-corruption) should be probed as IAC says they should be. The probes are for hundreds of crores of rupees where
1 crore = Rs.10,000,000 or approximately USD 209,000 – an amount most of us won’t see as individual bank balances in our lifetimes.

Here’s a facebook link - https://www.facebook.com/FinalWarAgainstCorruption - “Like” it if you want to show support.



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Indian Public Wary of Copycat Fasts?

Was Anna's fast immoral? Was it illegal? If not, will others try and arm twist the government in the same way to justify any old demand?


On the 14th of August, 2011, Manish Tiwari, Congress spokesperson, had declared the fast illegal. He'd asserted that Anna had "violated basic courtesy" and that he "had a lot to answer for" without substantiating those vague accusations. He'd declared Anna corrupt. Everyone knew that was the politicians' plan A - discredit team Anna and malign their characters.

Gandhiji's words making it clear what fighting anyone in power entails

Besides Mr. Tiwari, many Indians had written in the papers declaring the fast illegal. They blithely ignored the fact that most Indians felt

• cornered, angry and helpless by the daily harrassment they faced from the municipality;
• by huge amounts of tax payer money disappearing into the abyss of individual politician pockets; 
• that it was the result of sixty years of rule by all parties in power at various times in those sixty years and none bringing in the anti-corruption bill as it did not benefit them personally - just India and the common Indians. 

To want an anti-corruption bill with teeth that benefitted India and knowing that the only people who had the power to make it into law were against it, was a very hard place to be. Team Anna knew what they were up against. The fast was the only way to bring the issue of wanting strong anti-corruption laws to the fore. They did not know for sure how many Indians would support them but there was a groundswell of support for Anna's fast. If they ensured the protest was peaceful and non-violent, they were within the law to protest by fasting. It was perfectly legal.

Deciding to take on this machine of greed was hardly immoral. Team Anna was obviously not doing it for themselves, for glory or for power. They were doing it for a better, less corrupt India. Team Anna had the backing of so many Indians because of their impeccable reputations. Indians felt they could trust team Anna and came out in their droves to support the fast. The common Indian's desire for noncorruption in government might not be in the interest of individual MPs greedily slurping up tax-payer money, but whether politicians like it or not, Indians have, once again, realised

• the power of uniting for a common cause, 
• for laying themselves on the line, to be counted for and 
• for ensuring, through well organised groups, that tax payer money is spent by the government on India - not on themselves. 

After all, whose voice is clearly heard? A billion lone individuals or a billion strong force?

As for fasting to arm twist the government to bring in a law that benefits all of India except the corrupt few who won't allow it to happen for sixty years, you tell me if that isn't justified. Besides, the government has only allowed for it to be discussed and sent to its standing committee for final approval. Their decision will be made on the 24th of September, 2011. All of India and Indians the world over are waiting and watching closely to see whether they still try to get away with bringing in anti-corruption laws with no teeth so they can continue looting the country. 

One word of caution - only exceptional, well organised people of high moral fibre are able to get away with such "arm twisting" - if you'd like to call it that! It happened after sixty years of various individuals trying through the normal channels. It shouldn't be tried by lesser mortals unless they don't mind being the butt of amused jokes and light hearted ridicule. People aren't fools. They are wary of someone fasting for their own individual benefit and not for the common good of all Indians and of India. Don't expect them to come out from all corners of our country in support.They did this time because  team Anna's cause was their cause too and the team had impeccable credentials.

India Against Corruption - Anna's Message

My Dear Fellow Indians
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A decisive battle against corruption has begun. We are not against any political party. We want systemic reforms. We want a corruption-free India.

After all, what are the people asking for – a strong anti-corruption law which provides for honest and time-bound investigations and trials that result in jail for the guilty, confiscation of embezzled money and their dismissal from service?

Are we asking too much?

For two months, we were talking to the government. Government seems unwilling to take even small steps against corruption. Government appears insincere. We have met all prominent political leaders. We have tried everything. What do we do now? When I announced my indefinite fast from the 16th of August, the government threatened that they would crush us the way they crushed Baba Ramdev's peaceful agitation.

Friends, this is a historic opportunity. We can't afford to lose it. We are determined to fight to the end. If they arrest us, we will peacefully offer ourselves. If they use batons and bullets, we will happily lay down our lives but will not leave the place. We will not retaliate. It will be a completely non-violent movement.

“If you fast on 16 August, you will be crushed” – this is what they are saying. “We will impose section 144 on Jantar Mantar” – this is what they are thinking. But I say that if every citizen in this country takes off from his work from 16 August, comes on the streets in front of his house, at the crossing, with a tricolor in his hands shouting “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and raising slogans against corruption, they will fall short of batons and bullets.

The government may arrest one Anna Hazare but how will they arrest 120 crore Anna Hazares? They may
impose section 144 at one Jantar Mantar but will they impose section 144 on the whole country? And let me tell you – the police and army is with us. At traffic signals, policemen stop us, express their support
and wish us well; at Raj Ghat, the policemen donated generously for the movement!

So, will you take off from your work from 16 August? Will you descend on the streets with me? This year, the country will wait for 16 rather than 15 August.

In solidarity,
Anna Hazare

(Please make copies of this pamphlet and distribute it in large nos.)

For more on India Against Corruption please go to http://nevermindyaar.blogspot.com/p/india-against-corruption.html or http://www.indiaagainstcorruption.org/ 



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India Against Corruption - A Unique Photo Exhibition

India Against corruption has captured the hearts and minds of Indians around the world. This photo exhibition shows the support this movement has received from ordinary people, from well known individuals, Non Resident Indians, street actors - a huge spectrum of Indians who are totally fed up of and disgusted with corruption in government.

This movement (IAC) has explained how the government manages to swindle the tax payers of their money. IAC explains the laws that have allowed the government to get away with duping India of zillions of rupees.

IAC has come up with a bill known as the "Jan Lokpal Bill" to improve our lax laws.

Exactly as predicted by Gandhi in the following photo - the government ignored, laughed and is now fighting the Jan Lokpal Bill tooth and nail, using delaying tactics, introducing amendments which would render it ineffective in curbing their excesses or introducing exemptions to the bill. They've also tried to malign the drafters of the bill who, along with Anna Hazare have started this movement. And now, the latest I've heard is that they would like to curb blogs they feel are "maligning" the government.


Two photos from the exhibition to pique your interest:

 

What's admirable about this photo is that Anna Hazare is a Hindu but quotes from the Quran.

IT HAPPENS ONLY IN INDIA...

This link will take you to this most unique photo exhibition.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=224865794209780&set=a.186653318031028.51064.165845033445190&type=1&theater 



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