I Support Anti-Corruption Movement

Summary

This article was first written in Facebook Notes in Nov. 2016 (Link: https://bit.ly/pkcorr1)

I strongly support Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today, as in today’s circumstances, AAP is the most potent and suitable means among the available means to fight corruption in India, as this article proves. Hence my support for AAP. Corruption free (or less corruption) politics is the goal, and there can be several means to achieve the goal. If tomorrow, there is a better means, or some other party shows more promise to fight corruption, I will have no qualms to shift loyalties. For me the goal is more important than the means. However, AAP is important today as it is the most competent means. No other party has the know-how to lead such a mass social movement.

Introduction/Background

Some people wrongly believe that I am AAP supporter. I am a staunch supporter of Anti Corruption Movement. There is a serious need to clean up our highly corrupt and immoral political system of India. The movement is the goal, AAP is just a means. The Goal is important, not the means. Today, the best means to achieve the goal, in my humble opinion, is AAP (read why in the next section). Hence my support for AAP today, and will remain so till AAP remains the most efficient means. Tomorrow if it is someone else, I will switch loyalty to that party on this issue without hesitation. I repeat – the Goal is important, not the means. We often err by focusing on the means and ignore the goal.

Why AAP is the Best Bet Today

Let me explain why for me, AAP’s approach to fight corruption is the most promising today among the available options. Reducing corruption is a people’s movement through social change. Only a people’s movement can root out the evil, and only AAP talks of people’s movement and social change. Modi said you give me votes and I will remove corruption. Kejriwal said you vote for me and together we will fight corruption. He said, you the people are the prime movers of change, I am only a facilitator. That shows who understands the psychology of social change – a topic which few have mastered. Having deeply studied the psychology of technological change as IT Head in limited environment of businesses,  I can imagine how much more difficult it would be to bring about a mass social change in a country. Both require change of mindset and behaviour – not an easy task by any standards (Google on “Behavioral IT” for psychology of technological change, or click here for more.)

Not many understand the psychology of social change. Today Kejriwal’s IAC team only has the know how to bring about a social change. No other party/group has the inclination nor the know-how (not even some new members of AAP).

AAP is a new party and has no baggage. All old parties are so deeply immersed in corruption that even the most honest leader among them cannot pull them out of the muck, because the corrupt elements within will ensure failure. These parties are also interdependent. While showing and outward animosity, they have an unwritten agreement to protect one another irrespective of who is in power. So there is no hope from any of the old parties.

People’s Movement – Now or Never

To create a movement, you need to unite people. It is extremely difficult to unite people, and so easy to divide. We once stood united briefly during Anna and Kejriwal’s anti-corruption movement. And then a group of Muslim-haters and Pakistan-haters, who desperately wanted Modi as PM, started to divide us. And like fools we fell in their trap. Teaching a community and Pakistan a lesson appears to be more important for this group than improving our and our children’s lives though a cleaner and less corrupt society!

Like fools, we are missing a golden opportunity to unite and fight against corruption. It is now or never. If AAP fails, it is not their failure, but our failure as we are refusing to unite and join the movement. Unless we support the movement, they will not succeed. Some are foolishly waiting for them to succeed before deciding to offer support.They do not understand the catch 22 type of situation – you will not join them unless they succeed, and they will not succeed unless you join them. You need to jump in and contribute, not sit on the fence as observers and offer armchair advice, if you want them to succeed.

The world of social media has made it slightly easier for us to contribute – you need not even come out in the streets like we did during Anna movement. You could start with giving a moral support and showing your solidarity on social media. A “Virtual Movement” can snowball into something big. Do not underestimate the power of the social media – it can unseat the powerful perpetrators of corruption and the goliaths. Because all of them want your votes and can’t afford to lose your favors.

Let’s Show Some Maturity

We are showing total immaturity, ignorance and lack of understanding of the psychology of Social change. Kejriwal’s group had said that to clean the muck, they have to jump into the muck. (“keechad mein koodana hoga”). When they have jumped in, they obviously have to change their tactics to navigate through the muck, they can’t be swimming or cruising smoothly as if in clear water. We have to give them concessions to adopt to the muck, to change their strategy to negotiate through the muck. In Rome, you need to live like Romans. Whereas like fools we expect them to be Mr. Clean and cruise through the muck with same tools and techniques as if they are sailing in clear water.

Three mighty forces are ganging up against AAP: the entire opposition and the centre; the powerful criminals and the corrupt for whom it is a matter of life and death to save face; and the religious extremists who want to protect Modi for a different cause. They are killing the movement, not AAP. Unless we Indians join forces to support the anti corruption movement, we are going to gift an extremely corrupt and immoral system to our children.

(Endnote: The world is divided on religion because of this same mistake on our part – our inability to distinguish between goal and means. The concept of god and religion is only a means to a bigger goal – achieving a higher spiritual state. More on that later. Meanwhile you can read a short summary at https://premkamble.com/god2, or read my book God in Two Minutes.)

Also Read:

1. Indians! Wake up to Fight Corruption and Goonda Raj
2. God in Two Minutes my ebook at Amazon.com
3. The Great Indian Apathy
4. Indians! Wake up to Quality
5. My Blog
6. We Indians need to Think outside our Conditioning
7. Thums up to the Delhi Dare DAVIDs – An Appeal to All Indians
8. We the Impotent People of India