The politicians are scared of the Anna Hazare Movement.
It is not because they fear the proposed Lokpal will put an end to their corruption. With no reforms in the judiciary or police in the vicinity, and with our justice system and police totally impotent in getting conviction for the guilty in anything less than 20 years, the politicians need not have any fear of cooling their heels for a stretch of time.
If you dont believe me, just have a look at some of the high profile cases. A Raja is out on bail and his case has not even come to trial, and is not likely to for the next 3 years. Ditto for Kanimozhi. The Election malpractice case against P Chidambaram is not likely to be sorted out before the next elections. By the time P Chidambaram would have already taken many important decisions as Home Minister and as Finance Minister in the future, affecting our lives, when he has no right to do so. How about the Adrash housing society case or for that matter the open and shut case against Suresh Kalmadi, who virtually looted India as head of the Organizing Committee for the Commonwealth Games. And someone like Sheila Dikshit is not even being booked, and she is as guilty as Kalmadi. Has Lallu been convicted on the fodder scam or Rajiv Gandhi on Bofors? And less said about Sonia, Rahul, Robert Vadra, Sharad Pawar, Yeduyuriappa, Jayalalitha, Mayawathi, Mulayam et al the better.
As I said, the politicians are not worried about a fall in their 'real income' or about them being convicted.
But they are worried about the balance of power shifting to the people. The Right to Information Act has already caused much heartburn amongst the powers that be. RTI activists have really used it to bring many shady dealings to light, and the people feel more empowered. But possessing information of a misdeed or corruption is one thing, and getting people punished for it is another.
This is where Lokpal comes in. If it is really implemented, the power will shift dramatically to the people. The politicians over the years have formed a nice club, where the motto is 'you scratch my back and I will scratch yours'. Though some token cases are taken against political opponents, care is taken that the investigating agencies botch up the investigation to such an extend that, the only purpose of these cases is to use them as a weapon of blackmail against political opponents in times of need, and nothing more.
But a powerful Lokpal will change all that. The politician-crooked businessmen nexus will be broken and many reputations will take a beating. The aura created by the politicians as some one who is regal and above the poor man will be shattered, and once it is shattered, the fear and awe the common man will have for the politicians will be gone for ever, resulting in a powershift, which the politicians dont want to happen.
Hence their concerted effort to thwart the Anna moment.
