'Anna's fight against corruption may yield slow results'

Bhopal, Sep 2: The call given from Ramlila Grounds in Delhi by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare to neither pay nor accept bribe is likely to have varied impact on people and the results may be slow, feel sociologists.

"The impact of the call given from the dais of Hazare on the issue of corruption will definitely have its effect on the people in days to come. It will take time," Sociologist and Barkatullah University Teachers Association, Secretary, Professor, Gyanendra Gautam told PTI.

He said that he got convinced on the issue after watching the way Hazare's agitation progressed and the way it virtually forced the government to accept his three demands on the bill despite opposition from certain quarters specially from the Janata Dal United's (JDU) President, Sharad Yadav Rashtryia Janata Dal (RJD) President, Laloo Prasad Yadav.

"People, initially believed that government will not budge under Hazare's pressure and despite taking tough positions during the movement, ultimately it had agreed to his three demands."

"This instance gave people enough confidence to believe that if they take a stand on any issue and their move will get the support of the people, then definitely they would be in a position to change the system," he said.

"Unless any law is accepted by the people it will not have its impact on the society," Gautam said.

"Everybody should welcome this call and I don't think anybody has any reservations, but the larger issue is that unless people themselves on the call of their conscience to stop giving and taking bribe, things will not improve in the country," Madhya Pradesh Teachers Congress President, Ram Narayan Tripathi said.

The call is good and ideal, but there is practical difficulty in implementing it till the people support it from their conscience, Tripathi said.

Madhya Pradesh Vidyut Abhiyanta Sangh's Vice President, AS Rajput said though their association had already asked its members to identify those who indulged in corrupt practices, so far, no one has come forward with any name in this regard.

He said he will place the call on record before their association's next meeting to take a view on the matter.

It can be recalled that one of the prominent member of the Team Anna, former Inidan Police Service (IPS) Officer, Kiran Bedi on behalf of Hazare's India Against Corruption campaign gave a call to the people that from now onwards they would neither bribe anyone nor accept it and also suggested them to show ''Gandhi Caps'' which emerged as a major symbol against corruption to such persons.

PTI