“Hang a few from a lamp-post to deter corruption : SC bench” says a prominent heading on the front page of today’s Indian Express. All at once, this fills me with hope as well as despair. The hope comes first – the apex judicial body of the country shares our angst, so the corrupt don’t have far to run and hide. Despair is close on the heels. This august body, the last resort of justice, finds itself powerless. It is unable to right the visibly obvious wrong, and is reduced to Bolshevik fantasies.
Who then, will tackle the problem of corruption? The Legislature and the Executive? Being interested parties at worst, and indifferent at best, there isn’t much likelihood. The Military? No, not on this side of the Radcliffe Line.
Being an eternal optimist, I have not lost hope. I am confident of people power. The increased awareness, tools like the RTI Act, SMS campaigns and an increasingly vocal common man, will empower an enlightened judiciary. If not tomorrow, definitely the day after. And yes, it will not be merely the small fish, as the accused in this case, who will be “hanging from the lamp-posts” on that glorious day.
Amen.
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