To Mr. Hazare,

Dear Mr. Hazare,

First of all I would like to mention that I AM NOT AGAINST YOU or your Ideologies or your "Fight Against Corruption". I wanted to mention this specially because some of your supporters, might call me "unpatriotic" after reading this. And being in a civil society like ours, I would hate to be trampled by a Mob just because they thought I am not supporting your cause and hence am not Indian enough!

I have tremendous respect for you and would like to thank you for the work that you have done for our country so selflessly over the years! To me, your movement for the "RTI Act" has been the pinnacle of your success as a crusader for the people. Hats-off to you that you still have the guts to stand and fight the Govt. ... something which even the richest and most established Indians fail to do.

Some wise man once said somewhere that "A movement can only be successful when the timing is right". What better example than your current demonstrations for a strong "Jan Lokpal Bill" !! I am ever grateful to you for choosing the correct time-Just after the Cricket World Cup - to begin your Anti-Corruption Movement! Although corruption has been in our country since the days of the Ramayana and Mahabharata ... but the month of April 2011 was probably one of those very few times when we Indians, for once, behaved like "Indians"! The time couldnt have been more apt to start a peoples' movement! Your cry against corruption on April 5th 2011, captured the imagination of a nation that was still in a party mode after that historic Win 3 days back!. It was simply a master stroke and I bow down before you for that.

But since that day, the one question that keeps on bothering me whenever I see / read / hear about your fight is that what are we fighting against / for ????
Are all those people flocking every single demonstration in your name, even know what they are shouting for? .....Do we want to eradicate corruption? or want a super-strong Jan Lokpal Bill? Coz to my limited understanding, I think the two are very different aims.
Although I know pundits will say that a strong Jan Lokpal Bill is the key to exterminating corruption in India, but Sir, am sorry I cannot agree to that. What you are proposing and your supporters are supporting (many without even a clue), is an utopian system where you think that having a LAW to punish the the lawmakers will solve the age old problem of corruption in our beloved motherland!

You propose that the Lokpal will be supervised by the Cabinet Secretary and the Election Commission. As a result, it will be completely independent of the government and free from ministerial influence in its investigations..... REALLY !!! I dont buy that!.. Atleast being an Indian I CANNOT believe that "ANY" form of civil institution in India can be free from ministerial influence!

You mentioned that Members will be appointed by judges, Indian Administrative Service officers with a clean record, private citizens and constitutional authorities through a transparent and participatory process. Sir, with due respect, we average Indians are more interested to look after our family and our well-being than that of the countries'!... If I were a member of the Lokpal and was "advised" by the "Well Wishers" of a minister to play-down the complaints against him / her, .... I am sorry to say BUT I will do that coz probably I love my family more than the country. How do you expect a normal citizen and the Lokpal to withstand the muscle and money power of a politician? Am sure, there will be people who will be "Bhagat Singhs" ... and I WILL BE THE HAPPIEST if you find 1000s of such Bhagat Singhs to work at every strata of the Lokayukta / Lokpal system.

I too, like every other Indian want to see the end of corruption, nepotism etc etc ..... but am just now sure how another Bill / agency.. will be successful in doing so! Am not sure how will you stop that truck driver from paying Rs. 10 hafta to the local constable every-time he passes the constables' "thana" !? How will you stop me from paying an extra Rs 400 to the conductor in train , to find a berth to sleep?? Are you sure your Bill will take care of these ? If Yes ... I will remove all deities from my house and worship your pictures instead!

I re-iterate that am NOT against a strong Lokpal Bill, neither am against anti-corruption, am just not comfortable with the idea that a strong Lokpal Bill is the answer to the problem.

Before I end I have a request: Mr. Hazare, with your conviction and mass appeal, can you please start another movement called "WE WILL NOT BRIBE" after this one is over? Can you please tell all those people flocking the Jantar Mantar, India Gate, Ramlila Maidan that ONLY the bill is not a solution? Can you please, for once, motivate your people not to pay bribes? Of all your speeches that I have heard.. I never heard you saying that "charity begins at home ...please stop bribing even the local policeman" ...!!! I have never heard you say "If your uncle is a Minister, please dont use his reference to geta govt. job"! Am sure you words will act like magic now !! Please motivate your people not to pay bribes .... and not to support nepotism! Please tell them that the Bill is just a mere tool for our self realization .... which we fools have failed to understand! Today we all are shouting in unison for a system run by the people for the people... but even before the bill is passed (IF you succeed)... please make sure those people involved are not "average" Indians like me. And for that we need you to tell us that Lokpal Bill is NOT the solution. I know you are trying to introduce yet another "system" to fight corruption .. all I want from you as a leader is .. change the existing system ..
Please just make sure that all those supporters of you dont go back home and "buy" a competitive seat or pay that extra 50 bucks to expedite their files in govt. offices....

Wish you success and hoping the Jan Lokpal Bill finally comes through ..

-An average Indian