Though the year began with tremendous cynicism about the economy, about law and order and the political class? ability to change things?even its desire to do so?it seems to have ended like a dream. Now that the Lokpal Bill has been passed, a Bill to Anna Hazare?s satisfaction, the votaries of it tell us that corruption will likely be a thing of the past. Even the prime minister will be under the purview of the Lokpal, the Lokpal will have its own prosecution wing, the CBI has got more autonomy and the leader of the Opposition will be consulted in the appointment of the CBI chief.
If the passage of the Lokpal Bill isn?t enough for those who believe the existing system is incapable of delivering justice, the icing on the cake is what the Aam Aadmi Party is doing?for the anti-political class, AAP was the embodiment of the none-of-the-above vote. While the AAP took crowd-sourcing to another level, what takes the cake is its decision-making on whether or not to form a government with support from the Congress party. Instead of taking a decision on its own like other political parties do, AAP has asked people to vote on SMS and, going by news reports, has already got 4 lakh SMSs?that?s around a sixth of the numbers that voted for it earlier this month. It?s not clear as yet as to how the aam aadmi are reacting to this ?reality government? or wondering what kind of government they are going to get if every decision is based on their SMSs, but the capital?s telecom firms are certainly loving it.
