Re: [IAC#RG] Future direction of the India Against Corruption movement

Dear Col Kishore

Reading your email and that of Mr. Satish Vaish (inline).

1. The present environment being politically surcharged, and with
virtually all people holding to some hope that some Lord Krishna will
descend from heaven to save India in 2014, the conditions are not
right for IAC's "contrarian" message to be absorbed.

2. IAC is "apolitical". The full importance of this word is not yet
digested. It is not only that we stay away from politics, it is that
we REJECT politics.

3. The only thing the average Indian has is his vote. It is the sole
link he has to government or proof that he is an Indian citizen
(voters card). Asking an Indian to reject voting, is virtually asking
them to RENOUNCE THE PRESENT SYSTEM. Most urban Indians are too
mentally weak to take that plunge. It is like a terminally ill patient
being offered 2 choices, and almost always opting to take the easy /
palliative way out.

4. The serious problem, is that almost all the best brains are with
the "other side - ie, Govt, legal profession, corporate sector etc".
Please see the quality of people "in" the anti-corruption movement.
Almost all of them are donkeys / sheep, ie. they will attend the
occasional rally, bleat and tweet in cyberspace, light a candle for
Jessica, say that Aamir Khan is doing a damn good job exposing
corruption, and sign an online petition or 2. This is all feelgood
stuff but is ultimately counter-productive because it gives a fake
impression that a "war on corruption" is in progress which is being
fought BY SOMEBODY ELSE.

5. Now let me address Mr. Vaish's email.

i) I agree that smaller groups of screened people can be formed to
"fight" corruption in the field. Let me assure Mr Vaish that IAC
already has such groups operationalised which are causing considerable
trouble for the Government of India. You don't hear about it, because
we don't go running to the media with our success stories. The models
probably can be replicated for a few States which still have a
semblance of governance and law+order.

ii) "I paid a bribe". Our operating models are totally different. IAC
believes in operating silently with the COOPERATION of some officers.
The IpaidaBribe model has no safeguards against misuse to harass
honest officers. This is also a failure in RTI Act, in that the
potential for misuse is unlimited. (Incidentally Ramesh Ramanathan -
the founder of ipaidabribe was my junior at BITS Pilani - same hostel)

iii) Video-surveillance is too high tech a tool for general use. Every
officer who deals with IAC knows that we don't use it, so that makes
it much easier for them to talk to us frankly.

iv) The real power base of IAC/HRA is a) its tremendous network of
people inside govt. b) its not-insignificant vote-banks in a few
crucial states which make it impossible for govt to ignore us.

v) IAC/HRA has taken a very conscious decision not to carry out
fund-raising. We are nobody's pet poodle and we don't beg for funds.
We also not an "NGO for hire" and neither do we do PR or suck up to
media.

vi) We have a legal assistance group to help anyone from outside Delhi
to fight cases in Delhi High Court and Supreme Court at discounted
rates with a few lawyers known to us. For people with RTI matters at
CIC which have some question of law involved or there is some great
personal hardship, we appear for them free of charge. Our local Genl.
Secretaries can similarly assist citizens in finding clean advocates.

Sarbajit

On 7/23/13, tadepalli triambakakishore <ltcolttkishore@gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear Er Sarbajit Roy,
> Greetings.
> A booster inoculation is what you gave on 14 June.
> Somehow, possibly owing to prevailing toxicity of the political environs,
> lot of negative is polluting the commoners psyche .
> Some doses of positive forces to be periodically generated and injected is
> welcome.
>
> TTK
>
> On Saturday, June 15, 2013, Proactive NavinPandya wrote:
>
>> Hello Friends,
>>
>> Present definition of corruption needs to be widened to include inaction,
>> negligence & all acts of ommissions and commissions of public servants,
>> inorder to deal effectively with corruption.
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>> Navin Pandya
>> 09322523011
>>
>>
>> Dear Sarabjit,
>> I have been reading the interesting material being circulated by you and
>> am fully convinced that we must all act against corruption which is
>> ruining
>> our country.
>> However, words alone will not take us anywhere.Talking to each other is
>> fine but where is the ORGANISATION/ PLAN / ACTION?
>>
>> A few suggestions:
>> 1)Make a group which will receive information requiring action. They
>> will screen and provide a second group to take action.
>> 2)The second group will go into the field and get the corrupt into
>> trouble.No individual can do this as he will not know how to proceed and
>> will fear repercussions. Also much follow up is needed as otherwise the
>> corrupt get away.
>> 3) Tie up with organisations like " I PAID A BRIBE " to develop cases
>> for action.
>> 4)I believe Courts now accept video clips as proof. In any case
>> Departments do.Any employee caught on camera can be quickly suspended ,at
>> half pay(Govt. rules permit this), and dismissed from service with no
>> pension.Such action ,once started, will scare terribly and reduce
>> corruption.
>> 5)We will need to develop a tech. group to provide assistance for video
>> surveillance. Expert skilled individuals/gadgets ,training etc. will be
>> involved
>> 6)Funds will be needed to do all this and another group will need to do
>> fund raising. There are several international organisations providing
>> considerable funds for such work; all of us will also pitch in.
>> 7)A legal assistance group will be needed for seeing cases thru courts
>> 8)Yet another group will be needed to collect and disseminate info re
>> candidates standing for election to help elect
>> honest/efficient/non-criminal persons.
>> 9)An office space will be required to operate from.
>>
>> ACTION produces tremendous euphoria /motivation ;let us go for it in a
>> big
>> way.
>> Unless we begin attacking the problem there is little chance of getting
>> anywhere
>>
>> Wishing your effort success,
>> Sincerely,
>> Satish Vaish ( former General Manager ,Indian Railways)
>> 416,Tower 2, East of Kailash,New Delhi, 110065
>> cell no 9811158559