Even as Parliament gets down to discussing the details of the Lok Pal Bill, we need to take some learnings from what has happened in August. First, India’s middle class and youth have genuine reason to be unhappy. Anna tapped into their discontent about corruption, and struck a chord. There is a need to address this discontent. Second, there is anger against the political class. This too should be addressed. This needs a dialogue between people and politicians. We have to move from confrontation to constructive co-operation.
India’s democracy needs to become of, for and by the people. India’s government must become an agent of the people. We need to create greater trust and deeper engagement between people and politicians. After all, our shared goal is to create a better future for our nation.
Continued tomorrow.
