Citizens hail the 'baby step'
In a historic move, the Lokpal Bill was passed by the Lokh Sabha on Wednesday after years of debate and struggle. Many however put it down to the drubbing received by the Congress party in the recent elections and the overwhelming acceptance of the Aam Aadmi Party. Well, whether it is a desperate measure from the Congress 100 days before the elections, it doesn’t take away from the fact that the passing of the Lokpal Bill is indeed a step in the right direction. City Express spoke to a few Hyderabadis to find out what they thought of the historic development. While most agreed that this was a step in the right direction, many were skeptical about its implementation.
Says Kirti Rao, who is currently pursuing her Masters in Organic Chemistry, “I think this is needed. It’s a good step towards making everyone accountable for their actions. Also, it gives the CBI a fair bit of autonomy and frees them from political interference.”
While agreeing with her, Kartik Valipay, an MBBS graduate was more skeptical. “I think it’s a step in the right direction, and it’s good to see most parties coming out in support. Right now parties are queuing up to help pass the bill, but I’m curious to see whether the implementation will also be genuine. This being the election season, I take most fronts put up by political parties with a pinch of salt, and hence have my reservations about the future of this as well,” he points out.
Many however wondered why it took so long to pass the bill in the first place and raised suspicions if this wasn’t just another political gimmick to allay voters.
“This bill should have been passed years ago. Anna Hazare has been fighting for it for a long time. It is a positive step in the long run if they really act according to it,” says Vijaya Vittal, a homemaker.
With a foot through the door, citizens are curious to see how well the bill will be followed and if indeed it will help counter corruption among the higher echelons of our political framework.
Mythili Pragada, an architect in the city opines, “I think it’s a good sign but I’m not sure what took them so long, the bill should have been passed by now. But better late than never. However, I feel that this is just a baby step towards eradicating corruption in our country. It remains to be seen whether the politicians are prosecuted or remain unscathed.”
The overwhelming response from the people though is that of relief, and the passing of the Lokpal Bill in the Parliament is a sign of hope towards an issue which has been plaguing the country for years.
“Lokpal (Bill) is definitely a positive first step in fighting corruption in tune with the mood of the nation. Amendments can be made to the Act later, to give more teeth to it,” K Felix, a professor of History in the city opines.