Why Jan-lokpal bill is overrated?

Let me tell you why I think its overrated. Let me also define the boundaries of the debate. Let me not get into this version and that version. Let me not question how committed any particular side is in bringing the best possible bill. Let me discuss civil society's bill, or even best parts of all bills.

U see, old saying "Power corrupts." Corruption comes from unchecked power and political power is unrestrained in India. Our MPs roam around with their sycophants, blocking traffic, openly defying quotas and doing things at whim. What we need is checked power, probably distribution and dilution of it. This bill, on the contrary, shifts concentration of power from one center to another. So much for a solution! What is the guarantee that this new center of power won't be corrupt. A watchdog for politicians. But who will watch the watchdog? And encompassing every public servant under this bill, a noble idea, will generate unmanageable volume of work.

Let me exclude politicians of every cast, creed and colour temporarily. I have been following some articles/editorials on the bill, news-men's blogs and tweets. The general sense that I gather is none of them are out-and-out for the bill. Most of them have serious reservations against the bill. Yet few others opine that this bill will do more bad than good. Mind you these are apolitical and informed opinions coming from learned people. ...from people whose bread and butter is this and they watch every political development from close quarters, often even have inside information. But ya, they still cover Anna extensively. They support Anna in Voltaire spirit, i.e. "I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it". One can doubt Anna's tool, question his ways but can't disagree with his goal, just like Gandhi. Following are just few links that doubt the bill. (Disclaimer: I have handpicked only criticisms. However Google for it. 90% results are criticisms only. Let me know if that number is exaggeration.)

1. [http://www.indianexpress.com/news/of-the-few-by-the-few/772773/0]: by PB Mehta. Widely respected and referred article. So very popular that there are criticisms of it too. Google for them too. "News You Can't Use!" is one such criticism.
2. [http://acorn.nationalinterest.in/2011/04/08/against-jan-lok-pal-and-the-politics-of-hunger-strikes/]
3. [http://in.news.yahoo.com/blogs/opinions/where-anna-hazare-gets-wrong-20110413-224657-743.html]: Another widely referred article.
4. [http://www.afternoondc.in/editorial/lokpal-bill-isnt-the-final-weapon-against-corruption/article_21765]
5. [http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2116247.ece]: The Hindu Op-ed page.
6. [http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/04/28/idINIndia-56634220110428]
7. [http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-why-i-oppose-the-jan-lokpal-bill-anil-athale/20110617.htm]
8. [http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/story/how-feasible-is-jan-lokpal-bill/1/134605.html]
9. [http://ibnlive.in.com/news/comment-is-the-jan-lokpal-bill-the-answer/148521-3.html]
10. [http://www.timesofassam.com/headlines/anna-hazare-and-jan-lokpal-bill-may-fail/]
11. [http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2011/04/jan-lokpal-bill-do-we-need-it/]
12. [http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/article1766916.ece]
13. [http://iamstillzero.blogspot.com/2011/08/lokpal-good-or-bad.html]
14. [http://greatbong.net/2011/04/13/on-the-jan-lokpal-bill/]:(Last two are blogs. Can be ignored but a good read.)
    

Now let's come to politicians. Congress is against Civil Society's bill is well known. They have two to three versions of their own which, we are told, lacks bite and sometimes termed as Joke-pal bill. Left is against both the versions of the bill. (Google for it. I found in bits and pieces, here and there. Didn't find one single link that captures all.) Here is BJP's stand. (Somewhere read it is essentially Left's stand. They don't have there own opinion on issue of national interest. But anyways that is for some other day. Its beyond the scope of this topic) [http://www.tehelka.com/story_main50.asp?filename=Ws230811BJP.asp, http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2389421.ece]. Same with other opposition parties. [http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/slide-show-1-no-takers-for-anna-hazare-jan-lokpal-bill/20110824.htm] But all opposition parties are with Anna, attempt to corner Congress on the issue and ask Govt to bow before the public pressure.

True that recent relevant campaigns has been garnering huge public support and has seen mass-participation. But its more to do with exasperation of people against corruption. They are sick and tired of it, unwilling to hear any more of it, and quite naturally so. It has little to do with their understanding of the bill and genuine or informed support of it. Serve them anything against corruption, even a magic wand, and they will take it.

NANA!

Have been watching NANA on etc with Taran Adarsh. What a man! Absolutely unpretentious. Some of the quotes he said.

Mumbai kiski hain? Meri nahin lagati hain. Jaisi Mumbai meri thi, waisi rahi hi nahin hain. Toh meri kaisi hui?

If I were before him when he said above, and the way he said it, I would have touched his feet.

What's fun in watching mindless comedies? Ghar mein dimaag rakh ke aao phir dekho! Ghar mein kyon rakh kar aau? Movie tabhi successful hain jab aadmi hall se nikle toh ek problem lekar nikle. Aur phir hum utne selfish bhi toh ho gaye hain. Pehle HUM the, ab woh "HUM" "MAIN" bankar reh gaya hain. Main, meri zindagi, mere log, mere problems. Toh jab aap movie dekhte hain aur agar aap khudko character ke saath identify karte hain toh uski problems aapko apni lagti hain. Aapko lagta hain ki woh problems aapbiti hain. Tab jaakar aapko problems ki ahmiyat samajh mein aati hain. Aur yeh zaroori hain.

Aajkal saare actors, koi iska scene katta hain, koi uska. Humein yeh sab nahin aata! Kya hota hain ki tu bada ya main bada mein ya tu jeetta hain ya main, but film haar jaati hain.

Calvin Quote!

Why should I have to work for everything? Its like saying I don't deserve it.

Hostage!

This is with reference to November-26-Mumbai-Under-Attack. (India-under-attack you fool!). Handful of men, they say 10, have been keeping best of Indian security forces engaged for 45 hours now at various places. No-hostage situation was declared at TAJ, at around 1200 Hrs yesterday, around 30 hours back, and they couldn't storm-in even after this long.

Let us assume the number of terrorists to be 100. Fighting against a nation of 100 Crore for this long, at economic capital of the country (its not a under-equipped village or town with remote access), is beyond my understanding.

And the terrorists have been successful in their mission in every sense of the word. They have created sufficient terror. They have kept India engaged for two days now. They have created much damage. And they have been creating headlines worldwide. BBC, CNN, FOX news don't speak much about India except for fistful documentaries on temples, Bangalore, human trafficking and prostitution, snake charmers etc. They have been mentioning India in last two days probably more than they did in last two years.

And news like "30 hostages rescued from Trident", "Seven hostages rescued from Nariman House" confuses me. Makes me think "REALLY???". Definition of the word "HOSTAGE" in Merriam-Webster reads "One who is involuntarily controlled by an outside influence". Is it not true for all of Mumbaikars? All of us? Terrorists have been attacking at will, where they want, when they want. At one time, not long back, they have been blasting every Saturday. We all, at every point of time are under their gunpoint, living at their mercy in our own country. Do we all not suit the definition of Hostage. Symbolically seeing hostages have not been rescued, they just have been taken out of the hotels.

Wonderul Code!

Amazingly fast and accurate algo to generate random number in O(1) time.

int getRandomNumber(void) {
    // We arrived at this number by rolling a fair dice.
    return 4;
}

Oh ya, I have one more. A very famous interview question, in C, is to implement sizeof. Its as zimble as following:

#define MY_SIZEOF sizeof

Amazing! Borrowed thoughts though. :-)

Letter To CNN-IBN.

I wrote the following letter to CNN-IBN Editorial Team today.

Dear Editorial Team Members,

Not entering into greetings and niceties, lemme directly come to point.

I have been following news through your channel for quite some time now. I sincerely consider you, and NDTV, as best and genuine news providers, placing you over and above NDTV. I also appreciate you for doing journalism as it should be done. I believe, I have few suggestions and programming ideas for your channel. Following are some:
1. I have an unique programming idea. How about a programme called "Address The Nation"?

I often find regular interviews and debates insufficient to put across a point. They are restricted to answering only what is asked and we, as viewers, only get to know bits and pieces of whole thing.

A programme like "Address The Nation" will help its speakers to connect directly with the viewers and explain subjects/view-points/opininons unrestricted and uniterrupted(by an interviewer). Like, say if Left stands against the nuclear deal they can have some representative XYZ and speak directly to your viewers through this programme and lay down the points why do they oppose. Not only laying down the points but also explaining the nitty-gritties. Like one of their points against the deal is Hyde Act. Now, how many of your viewers, do you think, know whats there in the Hyde Act. So Hyde Act is a point, which has come out through some of your programmes. Whats-in-it-that-we-should-be-wary-of hasn't. Similarly we can have someone for the deal speaking to the people. So leaders get to say all they want to say. Viewers are more informed. You get programming free-of-cost with no need to spend a penny on anchor or interviewer. You can ask the speaker to break his speech in such way that commercials can be pushed in when required. The duration of such programme should be two hours. We can have one speker consume the full time. Or two or three speakers speaking one after the other, speaking possibly on different topics. Look and feel can be very formal, like president addressing the nation, informal if the topic is light. Topics can range from political issues to view points to controversies to sports and films. Like I fancy Kapil Sibbal addressing the nation on why Nuclear Deal is safe and should be done. I fancy Sitaram Yechury addressing the nation on why Nuclear Deal is unsafe and should not be done. I fancy Yash Chopra addressing the nation for why agitaion against Fanna is Stupid. I fancy Ratan Tata addressing the nation on how environment concerns are probably invalid and Nano is a revolution. I fancy Sunita Narain addressing the nation on why Nano is a disaster in making.

2. Weather reporting should be a compulsory part of your prime time news bulletins. Also you can dedicate 15 mins every day, probably in not-so-prime-time, discussing weather of the country. You can also discuss Pollution levels of key cities, Noise decibels at random locations etc... (Actually I cann't thnk of any more... :-) ) Else don't make any hue and cry over how Government could not reach people affected of flood, earthquake etc.

3. How about having dedicated 30 mins everyday reading some of the most important news to dumb-and-deaf. Programme can be slotted in not-so-prime-time again. Resposible jouanalism. Right? All Inclusive Journalism. Right?

Wrapping-up for now. Have some more ideas... But some time later!

GoodBye.

Hundred!

Unable to update my blog these days as I am too busy, and continue to be so, firstly with house hunt, and now with finalising the deal. So much so that I am visiting my blog after some 2 months. So much so that I almost missed the visitor count crossing hundred. Anyways, should be back and regular in a months time, after the deal is settled, home loan is finalised, agreement done.