By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: While the whole country is ignited by the passion of the Anna Hazare movement against corruption, Meghalaya remains unmoved barring a procession by a few NGO. This luke-warm response to Team Anna’s demand for a stronger law to tackle corruption raises questions as to whether the people of the State are really bothered about corruption.
Not only the common people, even the politicians and non-Congress political parties are ambivalent about lending support to the anti-corruption movement.
When contacted, UDP president Dr Donkupar Roy agreed that the movement needs to be appreciated but added in the same breath that he personally did not agree with the method of pressuring the Government to pass such an important legislation.
“The Parliament should be allowed to perform its function as mandated,” Dr Roy said.
When asked why this movement failed to pick up in the State, he said that it is difficult to expect the people to participate in a movement if they do not understand the consequences and effect of corruption.
“Therefore it is very important to educate the people on the issue of corruption,” Dr Roy said.
The UDP president however said, “We cannot also undermine the fact that the population in the State is comparatively small when compared to other states in the main land. Even if .05 per cent of the population participate in the movement it would look bigger since these states have a bigger population.
When asked why his party had not come forward to support this movement, Dr Roy said that all political parties agree on the need to have stronger laws against corruption, but added that so far none of the political parties have come forward to join this movement.
Meanwhile, KHNAM president Paul Lyngdoh said that the Lok Pal Bill is yet to catch the imagination of the people in Meghalaya while adding that so far no major political parties or NGOs have come forward to voice their support for this Bill.
“Personally I feel this bill needs to be carefully drafted by legislators with the support of the legal and constitutional experts. This bill cannot be drafted by a group of activists. I also do not think any single group of people should force their way on such a serious matter,” Lyngdoh who is also the Jaiaw legislator said while responding to a question as to why his political party has not joined this movement.
The KHNAM president said, “To call for a law that is in the public interest they should leave the task of legislation to the legislators”.
Citing an example, he said that when he was in the KSU he had raised many important issues like the implementation of the Work Permit system.
“But we have left it to the Government to draft those Bills,” Lyngdoh said.
Senior journalist Billy P Domes said that the people of the State have a unique quality as they prefer to remain silent rather than speak out on the burning issues affecting the society.
“I am not surprised that this movement has not picked up in the State. We are a community who would like to face the brunt without uttering a word,” Domes who is the Editor of local vernacular weekly Dongmusa said.
He said that personally he disagreed with this ongoing movement of Hazare. “Hazare is emphasizing only on the corruption at the top levels. I do not think this would anyway help to eradicate corruption. If we are tackling this menace it should be right from the grassroot level,” Domes said.
Prominent lawyer Poonam Yadav said she was disappointed over the luke-warm response of the people to the movement of Hazare.
“The people here are not really bothered whether it is corruption or price rise. We never like to protest,” Yadav said while adding that it is really a shame when the whole country is joining the campaign in support of Anna Hazare.