Its time for change

Manmohan Singh probably realizes this. The economic reforms of the 90's, that he gets so much credit for, unleashed the aspirations of a sleeping elephant that India was. Now, this elephant has woken up in musth and wants more, right now!

For the past many decades, we have been very forgiving.

We have tolerated bad roads, lack of basic infrastructure, lack of city planning, the red tape, the fact that millions go hungry despite rotting food grains in Govt go-downs etc. for a very long time. Indeed, we are probably the only third world country that called itself great. 'Mera Bharat Mahan'.

But the 90's reforms that created a lot of wealth for many Indians and widened the middle class belt has also created an insatiable appetite for more growth that needs a different kind of leadership.

Not one where millions of tonnes of food grains are burnt while millions die of hunger.
Not one where the size of corruption is Rs. 17,60,00,00,00,000.
Not one that shames India by bidding for a Games and doing a poor show of hosting it.
Not one where the number of large scale scams are so much that there is no room for covering all even in the era of 24/7 news channels.

Behind Anna's anti corruption movement, are people not below the poverty line but people who have 'roti, kapda, makaan' but want better 'roti kapda and makaan'.

Middle class Indians have seen how developed countries look. How the Govt works for the people and not for itself. That life can be a lot better. That we can get rid of our poverty. We even almost believed Obama when he came here and told us how great we are.

But our crop of 'leaders' have always let us down. And the recent spate of corruption scandals has proved to be the tipping point for a movement that has now swept across the country.

Fanning the flames of this movement are 24/7 news channels and frivolous internet apps like Twitter and Facebook where sentiment flows in real time and snowballs rapidly.

When the bomb exploded at Norway, its PM said, "The answer to violence is more democracy". To our PM, the answer to a non violent protest was jail.
That perhaps characterizes best where we are and where we want to be.

It will be interesting to see how the movement takes shape with Team Anna entering its 7th day of fast. Will the movement be able to sustain popular support during the next work week? Will Parliament be able to pass the bill risking the prospect of sending a lot of its members to jail?